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Wednesday, September 2, 2026

August 29, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Book Club Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: August 29, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the August 29, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where “Book Club” is the title and main theme of the release. With 92 products offered, this is on the smaller side of the spectrum. There are 40 red wines in the release, along with just 26 white wines, while sparkling wines and rosé make up much of the remainder. The average price per bottle comes in at just under $25. Overall, it is a good release, with all but one of my recommendations priced below $40, and everything should be readily available for purchase both online and in stores at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

We’ll begin with the feature story titled “Book Club – Thoughtful Wine and Literary Pairings,” which includes seventeen wines that are perfect pairings for book lovers. Since my picks are focused on the wines themselves, only a couple of wines from the feature are included among my recommendations. One is a blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache from Australia, while the other is a Malbec from Argentina.

Among my top red wine picks, we’ll go local first with a pair of blends from Niagara. The wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake is composed of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot, while the wine from Leaning Post is 47% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Franc, and 14% Syrah. Other blends include the Roussillon red, which is composed of approximately 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Carignan, as well as the Chianti Classico, which is composed primarily of Sangiovese (90%), with Canaiolo and Colorino completing the blend. Among the mono-varietal reds, there is a Barolo crafted with Nebbiolo, while the Riserva Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese. The remaining mono-varietal reds are a Gamay from Beaujolais, a Pinot Noir from South Africa, and a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons—one each from Argentina and South Africa.

San Silvestro Patres Barolo 2021 (91+ pts)

Borgo Scopeto Vigna Misciano Riserva Chianti Classico 2021 (91 pts)

Château Saint-Roch Chimères Côtes du Roussillon-Villages 2022 (90+ pts)

Tapiz Alta Collection San Pablo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Carpineto Chianti Classico 2023 (89 pts)

The only blend among my top white wine recommendations is the Rhône wine, which is crafted with 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Clairette, 10% Viognier, and 5% Roussanne. Chardonnay is particularly well represented in this release, with four recommendations—one each from Niagara, Prince Edward County, Chile, and New Zealand. There are also a pair of Sauvignon Blancs, one each from the Loire and New Zealand. Rounding out the selection are a fine Malagouzia from Greece, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and a Graševina from Croatia.

Huff Catharine's Chardonnay 2023 (91 pts)

Alpha Estate Turtles Single Vineyard Malagouzia 2025 (91 pts)

Bisquertt La Joya Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2024 (89 pts)

Bord Elegance Laudun Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Blanc 2024 (89 pts)

The remaining recommendations are in other styles, rather than red or white wines, and are all blends. At the top of the list is a Champagne crafted with 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, while the Cava is approximately 40% Xarel·lo, 40% Parellada, and 20% Macabeu. Both of the rosé recommendations are from Provence and are dry in style, with the Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, while the Côtes de Provence is crafted with 46% Cinsault, 34% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah, 2% Rolle, and 2% Sémillon.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

CAP MARITIME COASTAL PINOT NOIR 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, WO Cape South Coast, South Africa (#51626) (XD) - $19.95
ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SPLITTING HARES TEMPRANILLO/GRENACHE 2022 - Vegan, Fleurieu, South Australia (#30847) (XD) - $19.95
RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#443374) (XD) - $19.95
CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMÈRES CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2022 - AOP, France (#119354) (XD) - $19.95 90+ pts wine review
TAPIZ ALTA COLLECTION SAN PABLO VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#403345) (XD) - $20.95 review coming soon...
MANOS NEGRAS STONE SOIL MALBEC 2023 - Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#482109) (XD) - $22.95

CHÂTEAU DES TOURS BROUILLY 2024 - AOC, Beaujolais, France (#637835) (XD) - $23.95
CARPINETO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2023 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#356048) (XD) - $24.95 89 pts wine review
NOMAD WANDERLUST 2022 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#451328) (XD) - $25.95
LEANING POST CUVÉE WINONA 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#32020) (XD) - $28.95
BORGO SCOPETO VIGNA MISCIANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#36331) (XD) - $35.95 91 pts wine review
SAN SILVESTRO PATRES BAROLO 2021 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#377986) (XD) - $37.95 91+ pts wine review

White Wine:

BISQUERTT LA JOYA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2024 - Sustainable, Valle Central, Chile (#48241) (XD) - $16.95 89 pts wine review
TOI TOI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#454785) (XD) - $18.95
BORD ELEGANCE LAUDUN CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE VILLAGES BLANC 2024 - AOC, France (#644385) (XD) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
KUTJEVO GRASEVINA 2025 - Slavonia, Croatia (#519074) (XD) - $19.95
BADENHORST SECATEURS CHENIN BLANC 2025 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#37537) (XD) - $19.95
ALPHA ESTATE TURTLES SINGLE VINEYARD MALAGOUZIA 2025 - Vegan, PGI Florina, Greece (#32161) (XD) - $21.95 91 pts wine review
LOVEBLOCK CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#50255) (XD) - $29.95
CHATELAIN HARMONIE POUILLY-FUMÉ 2024 - Sustainable, AOC, Loire, France (#50130) (XD) - $30.95
HUFF CATHARINE'S CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#88955) (XD) - $34.00 91 pts wine review
FEROX SILVER LION COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#53054) (XD) - $35.00

Rosé Wine:

CHÂTEAU LA TOUR DE L'ÉVÊQUE ROSÉ 2025 - AOC Côtes de Provence, France (#319392) (XD) - $20.95
AIX ROSÉ 2025 - AOP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#451906) (XD) - $24.95

Sparkling Wine:

PERE VENTURA PRIMER ORGANIC RESERVA BRUT CAVA 2023 - Traditional Method, DO Cava, Spain (#51587) (D) - $20.95
ESTERLIN BRUT ÉCLAT CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#49321) (XD) - $64.95

Fortified Wine:

BARBEITO 5-YEAR-OLD RAINWATER RESERVA MEDIUM DRY MADEIRA - DOP, Portugal (#51850, 500 mL) (MS) - $18.95

August 15, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Takeout Wines + Austria

LCBO Wine Picks: August 15, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the August 15, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where “Great Wines for Takeout Night” is the feature story, while the mini-theme focuses on wines from Austria. This is a fairly large release, with nearly 115 products offered, including another fine selection of Online & Flagship Exclusive (OFE) wines. As might be expected, the average price per bottle is higher than in the previous release, coming in at almost $29. Overall, this is a fine release with many lovely wines, and a particularly high number of OFEs among my top wine picks. Everything should be readily available for purchase at the LCBO, both online and in stores.

We’ll begin with the feature story, "Great Wines for Takeout Night," which includes eighteen wines, eight of which are among my top recommended buys for takeout night. While I'm not sure I like all of the pairing suggestions in the catalogue, the wines themselves are quite versatile and should pair well with a wide range of cuisines. It is also worth reading the tidbits of information throughout the feature, as they provide useful tips for pairing wine with different types of food. Sparkling wine is arguably the most versatile of all, and this release includes a unique Blanc de Noirs from Bordeaux made with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Among the dry whites are Assyrtiko from Achaia in Greece and Encruzado from Portugal, while sweeter wines such as the Gewürztraminer from Alsace are well suited to spicy cuisine. The three red wine recommendations include a Côtes du Rhône-Villages composed of 55% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre, and 1% other varieties; a Brunello di Montalcino made from 100% Sangiovese; and a Rioja made from 100% Tempranillo. Finally, the sweet Oloroso Sherry should be a lovely way to finish the meal with dessert.

La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2023

Domaine Welty Bélénus Gewürztraminer 2023

Celene Améthyste Blanc de Noirs Brut Crémant de Bordeaux (89 pts)

Quercecchio Brunello di Montalcino 2021 (91 pts)

While none of the four Austrian Grüner Veltliner wines are included in my list of wine picks below, it would be a wonderful opportunity for the curious wine lover to taste all four side-by-side and compare their differences. I’m sure each one will be delightful!

At the top of my red wine picks is an excellent Amarone crafted from 40% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, and 20% Rondinella. France contributes a trio of blends, including a Madiran made with Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon; a Roussillon red crafted with Grenache and Syrah; and a Minervois composed of Syrah and Grenache that was raised entirely in concrete and stainless steel. Other red blends include a Portuguese red composed of Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Alicante Bouschet, as well as a Niagara red made from 57.1% Cabernet Franc and 42.9% Merlot. The mono-varietal reds include a Barolo crafted from Nebbiolo, a Naoussa made from Xinomavro, and an unoaked Cinsault from Chile.

Fumanelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2019 (93+ pts)

Casa Santos Lima Colossal Reserva 2021 (89 pts)

Luis Felipe Edwards Cinso Reserva Cinsault 2024

My top white wine recommendations begin in the OFE section, where there are five picks. The white from South Africa is a blend of 70% Chenin Blanc, 11% Clairette Blanche, 8% Viognier, 6% Grenache Blanc, and 5% Sémillon Gris, while the Greek white from Macedonia is composed of equal parts Assyrtiko and Malagousia. The mono-varietal OFEs include an Assyrtiko from Santorini, a Chardonnay from Niagara, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago in New Zealand. Italy also has three white wine recommendations: a Grillo from Sicily, a Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli, and a Pinot Grigio from Venezie. Rounding out the selection are a Chardonnay from McLaren Vale and a Verdejo from Rueda.

Bortoluzzi Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2024

Sister's Run Sunday Slippers Chardonnay 2024 (89 pts)

Among my top rosé picks in this release, the rosé from Provence is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah, while the Tavel is more than likely a blend of several varieties, similar to their estate rosé.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!