The Jan 4 2025 LCBO Vintages Release is focused on easy-on-the-pocketbook wines. It took some sifting but I have sorted a few that rate consistently well.
Good doesn't have to be expensive! Get better value for your wine dollars with the recommendations below - and they're free!
If you try a recommended wine - this is your chance to be a critic! If you find another gem you would like people to know about add that too!
Please leave a comment below so others can benefit!
Cheap And Cheerful
Cheap and Cheerful White Wine Winners:
BRIGALDARA SOAVE 2023 Veneto, Italy Vintages #23030 $13.00 This is a medium-bodied, rather firm white. Look for orchard fruit with some floral and citrus notes. Respectable finish. Enjoy with Italian Milk Braised Pork With Fennel. Score 92 Ned Goodwin, MW, jamessuckling.com (XD - 4 g/L)
Cheap and Cheerful Red Wine Winners:
CASA DE CAMBRES RESERVA RED 2018 Douro, Portugal Vintages #470377 $13.90 This is a rich, fruity wine with some spicy and mineral notes. Best Buy. Pair with Pork Osso Buco. Score - 90 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (XD - 5 g/L)
VIÑEDOS DEL ALTURA BELOKI RIOJA CRIANZA 2019 Rioja, Spain Vintages #33520 $$13.90 This is scoring 90/91 among critics. Look for cherry, plum and cinnamon aromas with some earthy notes. Medium-bodied with a strong showing on the finish. Score - 91 jamessuckling.com (XD - 2 g/L)
VILLA DES ANGES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 France Vintages #38862 $12.10 Jeb Dunnock of jebdunnuck.com gives this a 90 and describes it as rich and ripe with black cherry and cassis. Spice, tobacco and herbal notice add complexity. He calls it balanced with tons of character. Drink now through 2027. Perfect to go with Red Wine Braised Beef.(XD - 6 g/L)
DOMAINE FOND CROZE LE SERRE DE LA GARDE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 Cotes du Rhone, France Vintages #28545 Grenache (70%)/syrah (30%), this blend is well structured and smooth drinking thanks to well-integrated tannins and balanced acidity. Layers of fruit make an attractive palate. Try this with Cassoulet. Score - 92 Rod Phillips (XD - 3 g/L)
TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2022 Valle del Maipo, Chile Vintages #57513 $14.70 This gets a 91 from Aaron Romano of winespectator.com He describes it as juicy and peppery with raspberry and plum. Undertones of minerality and cocoa on the finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
MON TOUT CHERRY PICKING GRENACHE 2023 Swan Valley, Western Australia Vintages #40731 $14.70 Sam Kim gives this a 93 and describes dark plum raspberry and spicy aromas. The palate is plump and silky with beautifully juicy fruit. Enjoy with Baking Steel Pizza. (XD - 3 g/L)
DOMAINE MARTIN CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022
18642 $15.90 This is scoring high 80s/low 90s. If you are a GSM fan you will appreciate this domain is situated between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. It is bold and intense with ripe cherry and blueberry and supple tannins. 80% Grenache/20% Syrah. Enjoy with Brandied Beef Bourguignon.(XD - 2 g/L)
FINCA LALANDE ORGANIC MALBEC 2022 Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina Vintages #28082 $14.70 This spicy Malbec gets a 91 from Decanter World Wine Awards, 2023. Look for earthy notes under a juicy, fresh and elegant palate. Try it with Wine Braised Oxtail Stew. (XD - 2 g/L)
Best Buy White Wines
OHAU WOVEN STONE SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 North Island, NZ Vintages #17552 $115.60 This is being well received and gets a 92 from Dave Isaacs of winecurrent.com. Look for the signature grassy notes of a NZ Sauvignon Blanc, along with peach, pear and honeysuckle. Crisp with good acidity and a long fruity finish. Pair with Italian Cod. (XD - 4 g/L)
LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE-ET-MAINE 2023 Loire, France Vintages #363150 $16.50 I am glad to see this in the line up because this is one of my house wine lunch staples. Always clean and reliable, this one has some of leesy notes to add complexity to the apple and citrus. I love this with Creamy Shrimp Tarte.(XD - 2 g/L)
TRIM CHARDONNAY 2022 California, USA Vintages #39187 $17.40 This gets a 91 from Tonya Pitts of Wine Enthusiast who describes pear, apple and creamy vanilla. There are citrus hints and a salty caramel note as well. Pair with Clay Pot Pork. (XD - 2 g/L)
Best Buy Red Wines
LORNANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 Tuscany, Italy Vintages #211599 $19.10 This scoring consistently in the low 90s. Look for dark fruit, roasted tomato along with earthy, savoury notes. Tannins are firm so plan to enjoy with Spaghetti and Meatballs. (XD - 2 g/L)
BLEASDALE THE WILD FIG SHIRAZ/GRENACHE/MOURVÈDRE 2022 Langhorne Creek, South Australia Vintages #41317 $17.40 This gets a 94 from James Halliday, winecompanion.com.au along with a rave review. He calls the blend 'ridiculously good' with a wonderful mouth-feel. (XD - 2 g/L)
TRIM CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 California, USA Vintages #20811 $17.40 If you are in the mood for a California Cab then consider this one that gets a 91 from Tonya Pitts of Wine Enthusiast. She describes lots of blackberry, cherry and chocolate notes. Fresh and lively with some earthy minerality. Enjoy with charcuterie. (XD - 6 g/L)
SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 Valle del Maipo, Las Piedras, Chile Vintages #37911 $17.40 This is getting 93 scores among several respected critics. Lots of mentions of raspberry and plum with herbal notes. Structured tannins form a framework. Enjoy with Score - 93 Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl (XD - 3 g/L)
EL GORU 38 BARRELS MONASTRELL/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Jumilla, Spain Vintages #41096 $20.00 Decanter World Wine Awards, 2022 awarded this 96 points and describes ripe black cherry and cinnamon spice on the nose. The palate has great 'verve' with blackcurrant and herbal notes. Tannins are soft and round. 'Beautifully turned out, big, structured and carries its alcohol well.' Enjoy with Mushroom Marsala Lasagne. (XD - 4 g/L)
TRINITY HILL SYRAH 2021 Hawke's Bay, North Island, NZ Vintages #194274 $20.80 Sam Kim of wineorbit.co.nz gives this a 94 and describes it as 'Wonderfully fruited and perfumed'. Look for olive and toasted almond notes with a round, ripe palate. Rich, silky and elegant. Enjoy with Pistachio and Black Olive Crusted Steak. (XD - 2 g/L)
CHÂTEAU TANUNDA GRAND BAROSSA YEAR OF THE SNAKE LIMITED EDITION RESERVE SHIRAZ 2023 Barossa, Australia Vintages #40734 $20.80 (XD - 3 g/L)
'Earns top marks for elegance at a (reasonably) tiny $25 price tag. Well defined, fine-edged tannins provide structure and the perfect background for the fruit and spice that follows in blackberry, red plum, clove, chocolate panforte, nutmeg and a wealth of lovely, indulgent spice. A good follow up to the elegant ’22 with well-handled, discreet oak a feature across the medium bodied palate. As with the ’22, the ’23 is more refined all round and good to see the price remains the same.' Jeni Port, Wine Pilot
Pair with Venetian Duck Ragu.
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-$30ish 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 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 then $40 routinely on a bottle of wine then you are probably a wine enthusiast doing your own research.
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