wine-picks | VINTAGES Wine Picks & Reviews

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Friday, August 1, 2025

August 2, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Canadian Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: August 2, 2025 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the August 2, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (click here for digital edition), which features Canadian Wines from Coast to Coast as the theme of the release, while the mini-feature has a trio of wines from an Australian producer, and in Local Talent there's a look at wines from Lake Erie North Shore (aka LENS). The release is a bit on the small side with only 86 products offered, but there are quite a few nice wines, and everything should be readily available for purchase across the province.

We'll begin with the feature story about Canadian Wines from Coast to Coast. There are thirteen wines included as part of the feature, with half a dozen wines each from British Columbia and Ontario, plus one wine from Nova Scotia. Two of these wines are among my top wine picks - a Pinot Gris from British Columbia, and a Riesling from Niagara - and both have some natural sweetness to them.

Redstone Limestone Vineyard South Riesling 2023 (90+ pts)

My top red wine picks from the main release begin in the Rhône with a trio of fantastic wines, all blends. At the top of the list is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is composed of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. The Vinsobres is an unspecified blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Luberon is an unoaked blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache that was vinified without adding sulfites. From Spain, the 2020 Rioja is 100% Tempranillo, while the 2015 Rioja is 95% Tempranillo with the balance made up of Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. From Italy, the Chianti Classico is crafted with mainly Sangiovese and a splash of Colorino, while the Cannonau di Sardegna is Grenache from Sardinia. On the local front, the wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake is a kitchen sink type of blend consisting of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Semillon, Syrah, and Sangiovese.

Rhonéa Les Confluences Vinsobres 2022 (90 pts)

Amédée Sans Soufre Ajouté Luberon 2023 (89 pts)

Villa Cerna Primocolle Chianti Classico 2021 (90+ pts)

The only blend among my white wine recommendations from the main release is a Sicilian white crafted with 90% Catarratto and 10% Chardonnay. Other notable white wines include a Pecorino from Abruzzo, an Alvarinho from Portugal, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. There's also an Assyrtiko from Greece, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, and a Chenin Blanc from South Africa. And lastly, the Pinot Gris from New Zealand is a touch off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet).

Aveleda Solos de Xisto Alvarinho 2022 (91 pts)

Tenute Orestiadi Riserva Il Bianco di Ludovico 2021 (90 pts)

Among my top rosé wine picks, the rosés from Niagara and Sancerre (Loire) are both crafted with Pinot Noir, while the Tavel is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Clairette, Picpoul, and Syrah. Lastly, the Champagne is composed of 60% Pinot Meunier and 40% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

AMÉDÉE SANS SOUFRE AJOUTÉ LUBERON 2023 - AP, Rhône, France (#43529) (XD) - $17.95 89 pts wine review
ASKOS CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2023 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#36810) (XD) - $18.95
VENTISQUERO GREY SINGLE BLOCK CARMENÈRE 2022 - Trinidad Vineyard, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#325415) (XD) - $19.95
VILLA CERNA PRIMOCOLLE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#573501) (XD) - $19.95 90+ pts wine review
RHONÉA LES CONFLUENCES VINSOBRES 2022 - AC, Rhône, France (#43748) (XD) - $24.95 90 pts wine review
BERONIA VIÑAS VIEJAS 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#16587) (XD) - $24.95
PUELLES GRAN RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#30222) (XD) - $27.95
STRATUS ALTO 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#40108) (XD) - $28.95 90+ pts wine review
LAKEVIEW SYRAH 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#49999) (XD) - $40.00
REMY FERBRAS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2021 - AP, Rhône, France (#15184) (XD) - $50.95 review coming soon...

White Wine:

MAN FREE-RUN STEEN CHENIN BLANC 2024 - WO Cape Coast, South Africa (#126847) (XD) - $14.95
MARKUS WALDSCHÜTZ KAMPTAL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 - Sustainable, DAC, Austria (#34245) (XD) - $17.95
MATAHIWI ESTATE PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#12679) (D) - $18.95
TENUTE ORESTIADI RISERVA IL BIANCO DI LUDOVICO 2021 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#36478) (XD) - $18.95 90 pts wine review
LYRARAKIS VOILA ASSYRTIKO 2023 - Vegan, PGI Crete, Greece (#40446) (XD) - $19.95
RIVER FARM SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#32547) (XD) - $21.95
REDSTONE LIMESTONE VINEYARD SOUTH RIESLING 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#381251) (M) - $22.95 90+ pts wine review
AVELEDA SOLOS DE XISTO ALVARINHO 2022 - Vegan, Vinho Verde, Portugal (#35465) (XD) - $24.95 91 pts wine review
MISSION HILL FAMILY RESERVE PINOT GRIS 2023 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#537076) (XD) - $25.95
UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO 2023 - IGT Colli Aprutini, Abruzzo, Italy (#11108) (XD) - $27.95

Rosé Wine:

DOMAINE DES CARTERESSES TAVEL 2024 - AC, Rhône, France (#739474) (XD) - $20.95
MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2024 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $21.95 90+ pts wine review
JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2024 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $30.95

Sparkling Wine:

JEAN-NOËL HATON BRUT CLASSIC BLANC DE NOIRS CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#45411) (XD) - $59.95

July 19, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: BBQ Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: July 19, 2025 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the July 19, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, where BBQ Wines is the feature story of the release. The mini-theme highlights a trio of wines from Nova Scotia, while also included in this release is a new selection of Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE). There are 102 products offered in this release, and all should be available for purchase by this Saturday, if not earlier.

We'll begin with the feature story on Wines for the BBQ. The printed catalogue (and digital edition) offer good pairing ideas for these wines, as well as serving temperatures. Of the twenty-two wines included as part of the theme, seven are among my recommended wine picks. Quality white wines for BBQ fare include the Assyrtiko from Greece, the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and the Grillo from Sicily. Among the reds, the only blend is the Chianti Classico, which is composed of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Mono-varietals reds are the Gamay Noir from Niagara, the Pinot Noir from New Zealand, and the outstanding Cabernet Franc from Niagara.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begin in Tuscany with a Super Tuscan that is crafted with 57% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. From France, the Rasteau is composed of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan, while the Languedoc-Roussillon red is 70/30 Grenache and Syrah. Other red blends include the $14 Portuguese wine that is a blend of 40% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 30% Trincadeira, and the Gemstone from Niagara that is 57.1% Cabernet Franc and 42.9% Merlot. We also travel the globe for mono-varietal red wines, beginning with a Tempranillo from Spain, a Malbec from Argentina, and a Pinot Noir from South Africa.

Fabre Montmayou Barrel Selection Malbec 2022 (90+ pts)

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay lead the pack among my white picks from the main release. For Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers, there are four wines in total representing Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre in Loire, Argentina, and Australia. For fans of Chardonnay, the local hit parade from the last release continues in this release with wines by Huff Estates in Prince Edward County, and Inniskillin in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Other white wines include a skin-contact Pinot Grigio from Friuli, and the only white wine blend - a Sicilian white composed of 38% Catarratto, 28% Inzolia, 21% Grecanico, 7% Grillo, and 6% Chardonnay.

Huff Catherine's Chardonnay 2022 (91+ pts)

Inniskillin Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 (90 pts)

Bird In Hand Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (89 pts)

My lone sparkling wine recommendation from this release comes from South Africa, and it is primarily Pinot Noir with Chardonnay and Pinotage playing complementary roles.

Boschendal Cap Classique Brut Rosé Sparkling (90+ pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!