The Oct 10 LCBO Vintages Release has a lot of great choices to grace your holiday table, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sparklings.
The annual ramp-up to the holidays has started with an increasing number of premium wines on off. Great for gifting or a special pour, but if you see a good value wine that suits your everyday or party requirements, stock up. The 'value' wines will be fewer and fewer now until January!
Good wine doesn't have to be expensive! Use my (free!) recommendations to get the best wine for your money!
Jump to:
If you try a recommended wine - this is your chance to be a critic! Leave your comment below to let us know how you liked it. If you find another gem you would like people to know about add that too!
Best White Wines Under $20:
INVIVO PINOT GRIS 2025 Marlborough, South Island, NZ Vintages #367771 $19.95 This is scoring consistently in the 93-point range among critics. I am a great fan of Pinot Gris (same grape as Pinot Grigio but made in a fruitier style). Look for melon, pear, apple and white floral notes here. The palate is 'silky and fleshy'. Well-made and 'fabulously drinkable'. This would make a great choice for your Thanksgiving table with Brioche Stuffing with Honey Garlic Sausage. Score - 93 (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz) (D - 7 g/L)
CAVE CLEEBOURG PINOT GRIS 2022 Alsace, France Vintages #108530 $20.95 ( I cheated on the price category because I wanted you to see both Pinot Gris options together here!) This is a great chance to compare a classic Alsatian Pinot Gris to the NZ example above. This one is off-dry and will have a nice clean acidic tension. Rich with stone fruits and a slightly textured palate. Another match for your turkey dinner. Score - 91 (Rod Phillips) (D - 13 g/L)
MIGUEL TORRES GRAN VIÑA SOL CHARDONNAY 2024 DO Penedès, Spain Vintages #64774 $17.95 A supple, highly approachable Chardonnay with yellow apple, pear and a hint of honey tones. Another perfect choice to accompany Cornish Hen with Orange Apricot Glaze. Score - 93 (nataliemaclean.com) (XD - 5 g/L)
Best Red Wines Under $20:
MAJELLA THE COMPOSER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 Coonawarra, South Australia Vintages #50196 $19.95 Critics are suggesting this one is hard to beat when it comes to value for your money. 2022 was a top vintage for Coonawarra. Look for black fruit, tobacco notes, along with some earthy tones and chocolate. The palate is bright with sleek tannins and impressive length. Stock up and enjoy with Beef Bourguignon over the next decade! Score - 93 (Ken Gargett, winepilot.com) (XD - 4 g/L)
Best Buy Fortified Wines Under $40
BARROS 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT DOP, Portugal Vintages #964353 $28.95 Those of you who know me, know that I believe Port is one of the best value for your wine dollars! And Tawny ports are often north of the $30 mark so this is great value for a Tawny. Look for toasty nuts, cinnamon and some earthy notes. The palate is silky and round. Enjoy with charcuterie with nuts, dried apricots and blue cheese. Score - 95
(Decanter World Wine Awards, 2026) (S - 113 g/L)
If you can't find that one, check out BURMESTER 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT Vintages #223958 for a few dollars more at $32.95. This one has smoky toffee and toasted nuts with great balance and layers of flavour. Highly recommended. Drink date: 2025-2030. Score - 96 (nataliemaclean.com) (S - 100 g/L)
Best Buy Sparkling Wines Under $40
SENSI 18K PURE GOLD BRUT PROSECCO DOC, Italy Vintages #45850 $25.95 Don't let the gimmicky gold bottle fool you here. Many reviewers were suspicious about the contents given the flashy presentation. Turns out - they were pleasantly surprised. This is scoring 90 consistently among critics and is well-received by consumers. It is fresh and tangy with lively apple, pear and herbals notes carried on a particularly fine mousse. For a first course, pair with Roasted Pear Salad. (D - 10 g/L)
DOUDET NAUDIN CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BRUT SPARKLING, Burgundy, France Vintages #50628 $29.95 Traditional method. This classic 'Champagne' blend of 50% each, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, may be the closest thing to Champagne outside the region. It is fresh with green apple, hints of tea and toast. The palate is crisp and dry with a strong perlage and a medium, citrus finish. Score -90 (Zekun Shuai, Jamessuckling.com) (D - 0 g/L)
Best Buy White Wines Under $40
PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2024 AOC Alsace, France Vintages #747600 $20.95 This is scoring in the low 90s among critics and typically scores Gold in the annual Concours de Paris. From 30-year-old vines; look for classic lychee, grapefruit and floral notes. Off-dry and nicely textured enjoy with Asian Lemoncello Chicken. (D - 14 g/L)
BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2024 VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON, Canada Vintages #302083 $26.95 Thomas Bachelder is arguably the 'rock star' of Ontario Chardonnays, specializing in terroir-driven examples. Look for concentrated ripe apple, pear, peach and orchard blossom notes. Pleasing texture and just the right amount of acidity make for a pleasant experience, leading to a delicate oak-tinged finish. Perfect for your Thanksgiving turkey! Serve with Score - 91 (Megha Jandhyala, S.J.D., winealign.com) (XD - 2 g/L)
BATTENFELD SPANIER ZELLERTAL RIESLING 2022 VDP Ortswein, Germany Vintages #50721 $30.95 VDP here is a designation of superior quality assigned by the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates), an association of 200+ of the best German wine estates. Look for the Eagle symbol on the bottle neck. It is granted to wines from sites that are recognized to display a superior reflection of terroir and winemaking techniques. This is a dry Riesling, unlike many German Rieslings, that is showing yellow plum and taut crushed slate. Critics all mention complex texture and layers of interest. Enjoy it now of through the mid-2030s. This one is begging for Schnitzel during Oktoberfest! Score - 95 (jamessuckling.com)
(D - 0 g/L)
Best Buy Red Wines Under $40
CHÂTEAU TANESSE CADILLAC CÔTES DE BORDEAUX 2022 Bordeaux, France Vintages #666628 $20.95 This is scoring consistently in the low 90s. Look for nice, ripe blackcurrant, spice and smoke. Medium-bodied, Merlot-dominant, it is nicely textured and balanced. Drink now or through 2037, with Sirloin Top Roast with Bordelaise Sauce. Score - 91 (jebdunnuck.com) (XD - 3 g/L)
ALTANZA RESERVA 2019
DOCa Rioja, Spain Vintages #208223 $22.95
An aged Reserva here, shows promise! Look for intense red fruit with toasty oak and smoke. The palate is complex with layers of fruit, earth tones and mint. Tannins are soft and the finish is 'remarkably long'. Plan to enjoy with Spicy Black Pepper Beef. (XD - 2 g/L)
Score - 93 (International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2025)
LUNA ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2023 Martinborough, North Island, NZ Vintages #17544 $27.95 Look for a core of dark cherry and plum with hints of clove and baking spice. Some earthy tones underlie the juicy, fine-textured palate. The finish is pleasing and persistent. Pair with Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Glaze. Score - 93 (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz) (XD - 3 g/L)
ROCCA DELLE MACÌE SANT'ALFONSO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 Tuscany, Italy Vintages #942094 $24.95 This is scoring 91-93 among respected critics. It is well-balanced with a cherry and berry profile. Herbs and baking spice add complexity and interest. It is focused with excellent length. Score - 93 (Kevin Davy, jamessuckling.com) (XD - 4 g/L)
Related Recipes
Related Posts
Resources
- How Important are Wine Glasses? Check out Wine Glasses You Want To Know About for expert tips.
- Is Champagne worth the price? Check out expert tips on What Makes A Good Sparkling Wine.
- Not sure about Port Wine? Check out What Is Port Wine and How Do I Serve It?
FAQs
What Are LCBO Vintages Releases?
Twice a month, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) releases a selection of special wines they have chosen from around the world. They are not part of the regular stock that is replenished regularly. So if you see something that is good value, you need to order it or pick it up while you can.
I am WSET 3 Certified, and I use my experience as an LCBO-approved media taster to highlight good value wines. I also have the opportunity to taste wines from all over the world as showcased in industry Master Classes and wine tastings. See my About page for more details on my experience.
The Best Buy wines I recommend tend to be wines that score 90 or above and are in the $20-$30 ish range. I research the wines to see which are scoring consistently in the 90 + range. You can expect these wines to represent the characteristics of their varietal and region well; display some complexity, depth and length. I suggest food pairings for many of the recommendations because... that is what it's all about here at The Wine Lover's 
Kitchen.
Wines I call 'cheap and cheerful' wines are wines < $20 that are hovering around the high 80s to 90-point mark. They are not going to win gold medals in competition, but they should be a solid choice for weeknight sipping or dock or deck sitting. They also make for a good value choice if you are serving a crowd and your lively guests are too busy chatting to discuss the depth and length of their wine!
Premium Wine recommendations are edging up on my $40 limit. They may be 'entry' level wines of prestigious regions or producers. Often cellar-worthy and always wines that you want to pay attention to when you serve them to ensure you appreciate their complexities!
The $40 is a rather arbitrary level, but if you are spending more than $40 routinely on a bottle of wine, then you are probably a wine enthusiast doing your own research.
Decanter World Wine Awards taste and score wines according to their price bracket. So a 95 Score for a $20 bottle of wine means it is outstanding among wines 'in that price range'. Decanter scores from an individual or a panel are scored against the 'Gold standard' for that varietal.
Leave a Reply