The June 21 2025 LCBO Vintages Release has a good selection of Cheap and Cheerful wines. You can stock up and not feel guilty about adding an ice cubeor 2 on the deck!
Good wine doesn't have to be expensive! Get better value for your wine dollars with the recommendations below - and they're free!
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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!
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Cheap And Cheerful
Cheap and Cheerful White Wine Winners:
ME BY MATAHIWI ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 Wairarapa, North Island, NZ Vintages #32550 $16.95 While some are better than others, I don't think there is such a thing as a bad NZ Sauvignon Blanc. This won Gold at the China Wine & Spirits Awards. Look for gooseberry, lime and tropical notes. Serve with Creamy Artichoke Dip. (XD - 2 g/L)
CAVES DE LA TOURANGELLE TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 Loire, France Vintages #944298 $16.95 What's not to like about an elegant, aromatic Loire SB? Look for green apple and herbal notes with a hint of wet stone. Enjoy with Company's Coming Seafood Pie.(XD - 3 g/L)
QUINTA DO CARDO 2023 DOC Beira, Portugal Vintages #42071 $16.95 This getsa 90 from Megha Jandhyala of winealign.com who describes refreshing acidity with salty notes under citrus and tart orchard fruit. Drink now. (XD - 2 g/L)
Cheap and Cheerful Rosé Wine Winners:
PACHECA VINHA DO CAIS DA RIBEIRA ROSÉ 2024 DOC Douro, Portugal Vintages #44185 $14.95 Look for fresh, zesty raspberry notes in this 90% Tinta Roriz (a.k.a. Tempranillo) and 10% Touriga Nacional, grown at high altitudes. (XD - 2 g/L)
CASAS DEL BOSQUE BOTANIC SERIES PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2024 Las Dichas, Valle de Casablanca, Chile Vintges #15277 $16.95 This gets 90 from Zekun Shuai of jamessuckling.com. Look for fresh raspberry, cherry and strawberry. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and a flavourful finish. (XD - 2 g/L)
Cheap and Cheerful Red Wine Winners:
COTA 700 COLHEITA 2022 DOC Dão, Portugal Vintages #41901 $16.95 An elegant blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Alfrocheiro, look for dark fruit and cedar notes. Aging in stainless steel preserves the fresh fruit here. (XD - 6 g/L)
Best Buy Sparkling Wines
ALBERTO NANI VEGAN ORGANIC EXTRA DRY PROSECCO Italy, Vintages #632224 (D - 12 g/L) This gets a 9o from Natalie Maclean. It is fresh and zesty with tropical fruit and hints of stony minerality.
Best Buy White Wines
FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 Rhone, France Vintages #499509 $17.95 This blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne with a little Roussanne gets a 90 from Amy Wislocki of decanter.com. Look for honeysuckle, and stone fruits. Delicate and juicy, drink now with Nova Scotia Lemon Pepper Haddock Bites. (XD - 2 g/L)
If you can find this one look for PAUL JABOULET AÎNÉ PARALLÈLE 45 CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 Vintages #42031 $18.95 A cuvee of 38% viognier, 33% grenache blanc, 12% marsanne, 10% roussanne and 7% clairette. Fragrant and lively with stone fruit and ripe grapefruit on the palate. A long, zesty finish earned this a 92 from Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com. (XD - 2 g/L)
WESTCOTT BUTLERS' GRANT OLD VINES RIESLING 2023 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, ON Canada Vintages #22460 $19.95 Fans of Ontario Riesling are in luck with this one. Wild fermented from 40 year + vines, it has citrus, peach and floral notes on the nose. The palate is zesty and flinty with ripe orchard fruit, ginger and citrus. The finish is lifted and fresh. Score - 93 (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com) (XD - 7 g/L)
AHI KA BLACKMORE GROWER SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 Dillons Point, Marlborough, South Island NZ Vintages #41803 $21.95 Score - 95 (Bob Campbell, MW, therealreview.com) This is intense and vibrant with lemongrass, passion fruit and red pepper. Mouthwatering acidity adds energy here. Serve with Charred Cherry Tomato and Pepper Salad.(XD - 4 g/L)
Best Buy Red Wines
FIN DEL MUNDO PATAGONIA RISERVA MALBEC 2023 Patagonia, Argentina Vintages #17381 Patagonia is considered an 'up and coming' wine region in Argentina. This gets a 91 from James Suckling who describes fresh lavender, mushrooms, plum and blueberries. Medium-bodied, soft and juicy. Sounds like a highly quaffable patio pour! Serve with Beer Can Stuffed Burgers. (XD - 3 g/L)
XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 Rhone France Vintages #$19.95 This gets a 91 from James Suckling. Look for berries, Mediterranean herbs, hints of licorice and smoke. It is silky with a vivid finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2022 Veneto, Italy Vintages #999946 $19.95 There is no such thing as a 'thin' Ripasso. By passing the wine over the dried skins of the Amarone grapes you are guaranteed a boost in body and complexity. This one is a fan favourite. Look for cherry licorice and pepper notes. Pair with Panzanella Salad. (D - 7 g/L)
LAMOLE DI LAMOLE MAGGIOLO BLUE LABEL CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 Chianti, Italy Vintages #476317 $24.95 James Suckling gives this a 93 and describes cherries, raspberries and herbal on the nose. A focused wine with fine, firm tannins and a long, vibrant finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
CUNE RESERVA 2019
Vintages #417659 $26.95
DOCa Rioja, Spain
Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España
TASTING NOTE: Lovely finesse and balance to this red, with berries, light vanilla and dried flowers. Medium body, creamy tannins and a bright finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
Score - 93 (jamessuckling.com, July 24, 2022)
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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.
Decanter World Wine Awards tastes 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.
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