Highlights of the May 11 2024 LCBO Vintages Release include some 'Cheap & Cheerful' wines scoring in the low 90s consistently! And some warm-weather-worthy Whites and Rosès have arrived!
Note: The May 25th release is a limited release to flagship stores and online only so you may want to stock up on Best Buys below if you are thinking ahead to May long weekends.
My picks for the best wines <$40 in this release are below.
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Good wine 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 Wines
The white wine winners in the 'cheap and cheerful' category this release:
CAVE DE BEBLENHEIM RÉSERVE PARTICULIÈRE SYLVANER 2021 Alsace, France Vintages #446443 $15.95 If you are a fan of Alsatian Pinot Gris this may be of interest to you. Similar weight and slightly off-dry with herbaceous and peachy notes. Aromatic and textured enjoy with Herb Crusted Salmon. Score - Gold (Concours International de Lyon, 2022) (XD - 5 g/L)
LAURENT MIQUEL SOLAS ALBARIÑO 2022. Languedoc, France Vintages #36005 $16.95 Albariño is a great warm-weather wine! Light and refreshing with a citrus frame and peach highlights. Hints of salinity on the finish. Sip with soft cheeses or Almond Poached Chicken Salad. Score - 90 (Natalie Earl, decanter.com, Dec. 1, 2023) (XD - 2 g/L)
The Rosé wine winner in the 'cheap and cheerful' category this release is:
MARRENON ROSACE ROSÉ 2023 Ventoux, Rhone, France Vintages #37726 $15.95
This is fantastic value at $15.95 and outperforms many of the other Rosés in this release so stock up for summer! This won Gold at Vinalies Internationales 2024 and the 2022 vintage was rated low 90s by respected critics. A Grenache/Syrah blend look for floral aromatics with raspberry, and grapefruit. Fruity but dry so enjoy with Strawberry Chicken Salad Sandwiches. (XD - 2 g/L)
The Red wine winners in the 'cheap and cheerful' category this release:
CARMIM TERRA LENTA PREMIUM 2021 Alentejo, Portugal Vintages #646083 $13.95
I have a soft spot for an Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira and Aragonez (Tempranillo) blend. Full-bodied and smooth, look for juicy, black fruit, plums, spice and polished tannins. Smooth enough to sip or serve with your next nachos and tacos. Score - 90 (Louise Boutin, winecurrent.com, Sept. 11, 2023) (D - 3 g/L)
HOLLICK STOCK ROUTE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SHIRAZ 2021 South Australia Vintages #447003 $16.95 Previous vintages of this have scored solidly in the low 90s. Sam Kim describes ripe fruit with cassis and vanilla. The palate is supple with ripe fruit and fine tannins. Highly approachable. Score - 93 (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, May 2023) (XD - 3 g/L)
Best Buy Sparkling Wines
GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY ROSÉ SPARKLING Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa Vintages #175588 $22.95 Graham Beck Sparkling wines are always reliable bets. Perfectly balanced and complex. John Szabo, MS of winealign.com gives it a 91 and describes it as 'super value' with good length and depth. Tasted November 2023 (XD - 7 g/L)
CALVET BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX ROSÉ 2021 Traditional method Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France Vintages #624759 $20.95 Look for elegant, persistent bubbles and fine minerality. Watermelon and sour cherry show on the palate. Perfect for a Mother's Day Luncheon. (XD - 11 g/L)
Best Buy White Wines
FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON, Canada Vintages #80234 $19.95 Another perennial favourite. Look for honey and fig with herbal and citrus notes in this off-dry Riesling. All delivered with the minerality Ontario is known for. Enjoy with a charcuterie of soft cheeses, dried apricots and nuts. (M - 20 g/L)
BROCHET RÉSERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 Loire, France Vintages #36034 $18.95
If you enjoy the finesse of French Sauvignon Blanc, this one's for you. Look for grassy aromas with gooseberry and fresh lemon on the palate. Good length. Score - 90 (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2022) (XD - 2 g/L)
GORGHI TONDI COSTE A PREOLA GRILLO 2022 Sicilia, Italy Vintages #11670 $18.95
Fans of Grillo are always happy when this is in stock. Grillo is rounder and typically more savoury than Pinot Grigio. Because its style can be easily influenced by its terroir and the winemaker, you will find styles ranging from a jasmine /almond profile with a seam of minerality to zippy, fresh, and citrusy. This one is dry with lemon and peach underlined with thyme and Sicilian salinity. Pair this with fresh trout or sushi. (XD - 2 g/L)
Ps. If you are not up to exploring you can fall back on NALS MARGREID HILL PINOT GRIGIO 2022 Vintages #17365 $21.95
What excites me about Sicily right now is that this amazing region is beginning to gain global recognition for making excellent wines. We’re able to drink these fun, high quality bottles without breaking the budget, something that is becoming harder to do when looking at other popular Italian wine regions.
Steph Heins, General Manager, Carlotta, New York City
MCGUIGAN BIN SERIES NO. 9000 SEMILLON 2018 Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia Vintages #444554 $19.95 If you enjoy the Bordeaux white blends featuring Semillon check this one out. McGuigan are award-winning experts in Semillon. Semillon gains rich complexity over time so you may choose this one to cellar and watch it develop over time, according to Tina Gellie of Decanter who gave it a 93. Still highly enjoyable at this point - bone-dry, textured with lime and crisp apple and some signature 'lanolin' notes. Enjoy with Applebees' Oriental Chicken Salad. [Drink now through 2030+). (XD - 4 g/L)
SACRED HILL MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 Marlborough, South Island, NZ Vintages #489112 $22.95 Typical NZ Sauvignon Blanc here. Look for zesty, spicy aromatics of passion fruit, lime and guava with hints of minerality. Score - 95-97 (New Zealand International Wine Show, 2023) (XD - 3 g/L)
Best Buy Rosé Wines
CLINE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MOURVÈDRE ROSÉ 2023 California, USA Vintages #37288 $19.95 This is scoring low 90s among respected critics. Wine Spectator included it in their 'Wine of Week' picks for May 8, 2024. Look for fresh strawberries and cherries with herbs. Hints of orange zest on the finish. Why not serve this with a bowl of strawberries and cherries alongside some Brie? (XD - 5 g/L)
M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2023 Côtes de Provence, France Vintages #575316 $27.95
According to Vintages notes this one is delightfully 'bouyant' with 'tangy' red berry, and refreshing herbal notes on the finish. Medium-bodied. (XD - 2 g/L)
Best Buy Red Wines
Australia is making a great showing in this release with all 4 of the Shiraz varietals scored in the mid-90s by Sam Kim of wineorbit.co.nz. So you can safely pick your price point and go. But...the best price-to-score ratio as rated by Sam Kim is:
CLAYMORE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON SHIRAZ 2021 Australia Vintages #72652 $17.95. Both Sam Kim and winepilot.com give this one a 94. Kim describes it as 'immediately appealing', with black and blue fruit, spice, nuts and cocoa on the nose. The palate is plush and intensely fruity with fine-grained tannins. (XD - 3 g/L)
Note: winepilot.com scored the WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ 2021 Vintages # 390872 only 1 point more ( 95) for $34.95. You pick!
CHARLES & CHARLES DOUBLE TROUBLE 2019 Washington, USA Vintages #363838 $24.95 A Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon blend offering up rich blackberry fruit with pepper, herbs and spice. Sounds like a delicious combination. (XD - 6 g/L)
BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH/VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2021 Côtes du Roussillon, France Vintages #320499 $20.95 This was Wine Spectator's wine of the week for Jan 1, 2024. It is scoring low 90s consistently. It gets a 91 from Zekun Shuai of jamessuckling.com, who describes rich cherry, spice and herbs. Look for a smooth, full-bodied palate with some tannins in play. One critic called it a 'full-throttled red' so plan to enjoy it with charcuterie or Sirloin Steak on the grill. (XD - 4 g/L)
FONTANAFREDDA LANGHE NEBBIOLO 2022 Langhe, Piedmont, Italy Vintages # 638312 $22.95 You might think of Nebbiolo from Langhe as the 'understudy' for the more prestigious (and pricey) Barolos. This is full-bodied and firm, centered around tart red fruit, savoury spices and dried herbs with an earthy, toasted oak finish. It does display the rose-scented notes Barolo/Nebbiolo is noted for. Enjoy with a roast beef and Balsamic Roasted Beets. (XD - 2 g/L)
CHÂTEAU GRAND HAUT-MÉDOC 2018 Cru Bourgeois, AC, Bordeaux, France Vintages #35374 $21.95 This is scoring solidly in the low 90s. It gets a 92 from Roger Voss of Wine Enthusiast who describes it as 'spicy and 'perfumed' with strong blackcurrant flavours and rich tannins. Best Buy. (XD - 3 g/L)
IZADI RESERVA 2019 Rioja, Spain Vintages #461269 $22.95 This is being called an 'outstanding' Rioja Reserva and gets low 90 scores among respected critics. Look for
a full-bodied, firm wine with fresh blackberries and notes of chocolate and cedar. Well-structured with a long finish and fine-grained tannins in play. Enjoy with Manchego cheeses or Tuscan Ribs with Balsamic Glaze. (XD - 2 g/L)
ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP 1ST OFF THE RANK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 McLaren Vale, South Australia Vintages #33417 $23.95 This won Gold a CWS Awards 2023 and gets a 95 from Sam Kim of wineorbit.co.nz. Look for a dense, powerful, fruity palate with a bouquet cassis, oak and some floral notes. It is firm and 'sturdy so plan to enjoy with charcuterie. (XD - 3 g/L)
MAZZEI SER LAPO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 Tuscany, Italy Vintages #288530
$24.95. This gets the value award for Tuscan wines in this release scoring low to mid 90s consistently. Look for cherry and raspberry with orange, licorice and violet notes. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, rich fruit, good length and a chalky finish. Gotta go with Spaghetti and Meatballs here! Score - 94 (jamessuckling.com, Aug. 7, 2023) (XD - 3 g/L)
Frequently Asked Questions
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 winetastings. 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 week night 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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