The May 24 2025 LCBO Vintages Release has everything you need to kick off Summer with a good Cheap and Cheerful selection!
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:
AZEVEDO LOUREIRO ALVARINHO 2024 DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal Vintages #41899 This will be a wonderful, vibrant summer sipper. At 70% Loureiro with 30% Alvarinho, look for tropical and stone fruit with some floral notes. Enjoy with shrimp and Brie charcuterie. (XD - 3 g/L) $13.95
SONSIERRA VIURA 2022 DOCa Rioja Alta, Spain Vintages #41260 $16.95 This is scoring consistently low 90s. This 100% Viura is rich and complex and will go perfectly with Spanish Chicken With Cinnamon and Saffron. Look for caramel and buttery notes with nutty baked pear. Full-bodied with bright acidity. Score - 91 jamessuckling.com (XD - 2 g/L)
Cheap and Cheerful Rose Wine Winners
SUSANA BALBO CRIOS MALBEC ROSÉ 2024 Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina Vintages #32026 $16.95 Previous vintages of this wine score 90 consistently. 100% Malbec, it is forged in stainless steel to retain the fruit character and vibrancy. Look for juicy berries and some herbal notes. Enjoy with Asparagus Fries with Garlic Dipping Sauce. (XD - 2 g/L)
MARRENON ROSACE ROSÉ 2024 AP Ventoux, France Vintages #37726 $16.95 This Grenache/Syrah blend is bursting with peach, raspberry, grapefruit, cherry and citrus notes with herbal underpinnings. The combination makes it versatile and food-friendly. Enjoy with Spicy Strawberry Salad. (XD - 2 g/L)
Cheap and Cheerful Red Wine Winners:
CENT POUR CENT GRENACHE 2023 IGP Pays d'Oc Languedoc, France Vintages #41115 $15.95 100% Grenache Noir and made in concrete tanks, look for rich, red fruit. Juicy and easy-going with a long finish. Sounds like the perfect match for Beer Can Stuffed Burgers. (XD - 4 g/L)
MONSARAZ RESERVA 2022 DOC Alentejo, Portugal Vintages #20711 $16.95 This is a medium-full bodied blend with firm structure, dark berries and spicy layers. It will evolve further with a few more years in your cellar but you can enjoy it now with anything off your grill. Score 90- Natalie Maclean Gold Gold Mundus Vini, Summer 2024 (XD - 3 g/L)
Best Buy Sparkling Wines
LABOURÉ-GONTARD BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE AP, Burgundy, France Vintages #401018 $22.95, traditional method Anna Lee C. Iijima of Wine Enthusiast gives this a 90 and describes the perfect combination of creaminess, yeast and lemon notes. It is lively and fresh and refreshing on the finish. Enjoy with Gougère pastries. Best Buy. (D - 6 g/L)
FLAT ROCK TWISTED SPARKLING 2023 VQA Ontario, Canada Vintages #14421 $19.95 charmat method, Natalie Maclean gives this a 91. A Riesling dominant blend with added Chardonnay and a splash of Gewürztraminer, it is aromatic with ripe apple, stone fruit and lemon notes. The mousse is lively and persistent. Enjoy this fun Sparkling with salty snacks like potato chips or popcorn! (M - 18 g/L)
Best Buy White Wines
CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2022 WO Western Cape, South Africa Vintages #328559 $18.95 This is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay showing complex notes including creamy vanilla and stone fruit. Enjoy with Boursin, Beet and Butternut Squash Tart. Score -92 gilbertgaillard.com (XD - 2 g/L)
KELLEREI BOZEN PINOT GRIGIO 2023 DOC Südtirol - Alto Adige, Italy Vintages #249466 $19.95 This is scoring consistently 90-91. Look for clean, crisp pear, melon and citrus with savoury notes on the finish. Pair with Chicken Piccata. (XD - 4 g/L)
13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023 VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON, Canada Vintages #236745 $21.95 This gets a 90 from Natalie Maclean. A classic Ontario Chardonnay with citrus, apple, mango and a creamy, stony minerality. Enjoy with BBQ Chicken Thighs with Jezebel Sauce. (XD - 2 g/L)
EL ENEMIGO CHARDONNAY 2023 Mendoza, Argentina Vintages #482984 $29.95 El Enemigo is a common feature of many Top 100 wine lists. This one gets a 92 from Natalie Maclean, who describes it as rich and exotic with apple, apricot, mango and almond notes. Vanilla, caramel notes appear and the complex finish shows hints of salty minerality. Drink now or cellar for 5-6 years. (XD - 2 g/L)
AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 Marlborough, South Island, NZ Vintages #663286 $22.95 This gets top score from Sam Kim, 96, who describes fabulous green apple, peach, citrus and herbal notes. It is well-structured with salty undertones and bright acidity. The finish is impressively long and structured. Enjoy now, or over the next decade, with Salmon in Puff Pastry. (XD - 4 g/L)
If you can't find Auntsfield, TOI TOI RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024, Vintages #32554 $24.95 gets a 95 from Sam Kim with similar praise for the structure and finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
Best Buy Rosé Wines
CARTE NOIRE HÉRITAGE ROSÉ 2024 AP Côtes de Provence, France Vintages #319384 $19.95 This is a very good price for a Provençal Rosé, which are often in the high $20-low $30 range. This Grenach/Cinsault blend gets a 90 from Natalie Maclean and is an LCBO fan favourite. Look for ripe red berries, grassy and herbal notes. Enjoy with charcuterie, including Tarragon Cured Salmon. (XD - 2 g/L)
SOHO WHITE COLLECTION HARRY ROSÉ 2024 Marlborough, South Island, NZ Vintages #19545 $21.95 Sam Kim gives this a 93 and describes strawberry and cream soda aromas with a fruity, refreshing palate. Don't let the cream soda throw you off, it is dry with a long finish. (XD - 3 g/L)
Best Buy Red Wines
QUARISA MRS. Q PINOT NOIR 2022 Adelaide Hills, South Australia Vintages #41356 $19.95 This is scoring low 90s among critics and won Gold at the New Zealand International Wine Show, 2023. Look for vibrant red fruit, cedar, and nuts with complex herbal and spicy notes. Enjoy with Sheet Pan Salmon with Crispy Rice. (XD - 7 g/L)
CHÂTEAU GAILLARD BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2023, Beaujolais, France Vintages # $19.95 A lightly chilled Beaujolais makes a wonderful summer sipper. This comes from 60-year-old vines and is showing blackcurrant, berries, herbs and earthy notes. Enjoy with grilled portabellos or burgers. (XD - 2 g/L)
SIDEWOOD STABLEMATE SHIRAZ 2021 Adelaide Hills, South Australia Vintages #12846 $17.95 If you are a Shiraz fan, stock up! This is scoring consistently mid-90s. Look for blackcurrant, dark cherry and berry flavours with herbal and peppery notes. Silk and elegant, with some oak adding complexity. Enjoy now through 2031 with Marinated Strip Loin. (XD - 2 g/L)
WIRRA WIRRA FARMER'S HEART GRENACHE 2023 McLaren Vale, South Australia Vintages #41354 This is scoring 91-96. All reviews agree the 85-year-old vines are showing bright red fruit and subtle garden herbs. Drink now through early 2030s with Bar-B Barn Copycat Ribs. (XD - 0 g/L)
EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Margaret River, Western Australia Vintages #41352 $21.95 Generous, juicy fruit and elegant spices create excitement in this one. Tannins are fine but firm so plan to enjoy with something like Ribs with Blackberry Sauce. (XD - 4 g/L)
ANCIANO NO. 10 GRAN RESERVA 2016 DOCa Rioja Vintages #37384 $21.95 This gets an Editor's Choice and a 94 from Mike DeSimone of Wine Enthusiast. Look for blackberry and almond notes. The palate adds cherry, chocolate and caramel notes with some herbal, citrus hints. Luxurious with a long, 'dark-chocolate-infused finish'. (XD - 2 g/L)
KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2021
Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina Vintages # 50849 $21.95
Kaiken is always reliable value and 'Ultra' adds even more value to the equation. Look for complex notes of graphite, tobacco, minerals and spice under layers of juicy fruit. Fresh, juicy and fine-grained with a focused, long finish. (XD - 2 g/L)
Score - 93 (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, May 1, 2024)
CHÂTEAU PUYBARBE 2019 AC Côtes de Bourg, Bordeaux, France Vintages #21288 $29.95 This gets 3 out of 3 stars from Guide Hachette, which translates to 'Exceptional'. Guide notes say it combines richness and freshness. 'A magnificent
wine in which all the elements (ripeness, tannic structure and roundness) are in unison.' Enjoy with Steak with Bordelaise Sauce. (XD - 4 g/L)
Cellar Suggestion
TAWSE QUARRY ROAD PINOT NOIR 2021
VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, On Canada Vintages # 307686 $35.95
At a fine stage of development, Tawse's 2021 Quarry Road pinot from the cool and windy vineyard
of the same name in the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation on top of the Escarpment, delivers ample floral perfume, lifted and fragrant, with nicely enmeshed old wood spice notes and bright, still-fresh red berry-cherry fruit. The palate has lovely texture silky-firm, also succulent and juicy, saliva-inducing in the best way, with impressive flavour density and length on such a refined and elegant frame. In the world of pinot, this has to be counted among the sharp values. Drink or hold another 5-7 years for a fully mature experience. (XD - 2 g/L)
Score - 93(John Szabo, MS, winealign.com)
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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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