January 7, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Smart Buys

Happy New Year! Here are my top wine picks from the January 7, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release, the first release of the year which is always the "Smart Buys" release that focuses mostly on wallet-friendly wines. It's also a small release with 75 wines and fully three-quarters of the wines are coloured red. All of the wines should be in stores across Ontario by this Saturday.From...

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Tenuta San Guido Wine Tasting (Tuscany) - Wine Reviews

Back in September, I had a great opportunity to taste the latest wines by Tenuta San Guido - makers of the iconic Sassicaia Super Tuscan wine from Bolgheri - and after the structured tasting enjoyed a fine lunch at Stratus Restaurant in downtown Toronto.The story of Tenuta San Guido begins with Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. The Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta are among the...

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13th Street Cuvée Rosé Brut NV (Niagara) - Wine Review (Dec. 2022)

For tonight's sparkling wine review, I opened this excellent sparkling rose wine from Niagara that is a VINTAGES Essentials product at the LCBO and is readily available throughout the year. You will want to get your hands on it today as it is currently on promotion at $3 off until January 1st.Like the lovely 2020 13th Street Blanc de Blanc that I enjoyed last month, this bubbly...

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El Esteco Blend de Extremos Malbec 2021 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, high-altitude Malbec from Argentina. This new arrival landed at the LCBO recently as part of the December 17 LCBO VINTAGES Release. (Although the VINTAGES magazine and LCBO website may list 2020, it's actually the 2021 vintage that arrived in stores.)It is produced by El Esteco, a pioneering institution founded in 1892 that was one of the...

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Brilla! Extra Dry Prosecco (Italy) - Wine Review

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Tonight's sparkling wine review is a delicious bubbly that I purchased a couple of weeks ago in preparation for holiday gatherings. This Prosecco made its debut in LCBO VINTAGES a couple of years ago and has quickly become a customer favourite with its unique, eye-catching, and sparkling packaging. Tasting Note:BRILLA! EXTRA DRY PROSECCO...

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Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely white wine from New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the December 17th LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Esk Valley Wines, a brand that was created in the 1970s, but whose story begins in the 1930s as Glenvale Winery and a specialist in fortified wines. In 1986, the historic winery in Hawkes Bay was purchased...

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Lungarotti IlBio Rosso 2020 (Umbria) - Wine Review

After enjoying the 2016 Lungarotti IlBio Rosso a couple of years ago, tonight's organic red wine review is the latest vintage of this IGT wine from Umbria that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part the December 17 LCBO VINTAGES Release.Founded in the early 1960s by Giorgio Lungarotti when he brought together the farms of a few families, Cantine Lungarotti soon became...

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