WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 26, 2025 release.
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication.
Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price).
I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings.
MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation
MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine
MAJOR THEME: Wines for Spring Flings
Recommended Wines UNDER $20
=========================
Rose+15267 STONELEIGH WILD VALLEY ROSÉ NEW ZEALAND 2024 $18.95
Rose+37864 PÉTALOS DE ARESAN ROSÉ SPAIN 2024 $13.95
W+30599 LEINDL GV GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $19.95
W+485334 KEW MARSANNE VQA 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine
W+200501 KONZELMANN RIESLING VQA 2023 $16.95
W+175232 SAINT-ROCH CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON CORBAROL 2021 $14.95
W+39938 CASTELFEDER REBELL RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2023 $19.95
W+25713 KOUROS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $14.95
W+27182 DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS ALEPOTRYPA VINEYARD ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $18.95
W+39754 PRIMO MONTE SKIN FERMENTED NATURAL WINE ABRUZZO 2023 $18.95
W+13359 BERTANI SEREOLE SOAVE VENETO 2023 19.95
W+144386 SOHO PEGGY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 $18
W+41261 CUATRO RAYAS 40 VENDIMIAS VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $14.95
R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA PORTUGAL 2019 $15.95
R+MARQUÉS DE LA CONCORDIA RIOJA-SANTIAGO RESERVA 2019 $18
R+606764 ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2022 $19.95
R+42731 CHATEAU DE DURETTE LES BRUYÈRES RÉGNIÉ BEAUJOLAIS 2023 $19.95
R+43441 M. CHAPOUTIER LA CIBOISE LUBERON RHONE 2022 $14.95
R+984997 TEDESCHI CAPITEL NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE VENETO 2021 $19.95
R+166579 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2020 $16.95
Recommended Wines OVER $20
========================
Fizz+438200 WESTCOTT VIOLETTE SPARKLING VQA 2023 $26.95
Fizz+43594 KEW ROSALIE ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA 2019 $32.95
W+547299 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT PARCELLE NORD CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $54.95
W+578864 LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $25.95
W+68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC VQA 2022 $29.95
W+974527 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALANSD 2023 $21.95
R+243592 FOWLES LADIES WHO SHOOT THEIR LUNCH WILD FERMENT SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2020 $34.95
R+258228 MISSION HILL COMPENDIUM BC VQA 2019 $78.95
R+39621 BACHELDER BEAM CITY PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $39.95
R+43438 ALBERT BICHOT HAUTES COTES DE NUITS ROUGE BURGUNDY 2022 $36.95
R+19288 MONTES ALPHA SPECIAL CUVÉE PINOT NOIR CHILE 2022 $24.95
LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday April 27 -- better hurry!!!
Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $23.45, save $1.50
W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench, now $29.95, save $3
W+35t386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3
W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2
W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay Clare Valley South Australia, now $15.95, save $2
R+64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara, now $19.95, save $2
R+258673 G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL, now $17.95, save $2
R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.95, save $3
R+58339 Kaiken Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina, now $16.95. save $2
MORE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
Save on these wines from April 28 to May 25, 2025
BOTTEGA GOLD PROSECCO DOC Treviso, Veneto
+621458 (D – 14 g/L) 750 mL $30.95
NOW $29.45 Save $1.50
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
traditional method
+224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $32.95
NOW $30.95 Save $2.00
KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand
+650325 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $20.95
NOW $18.95 Save $2.00
LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE
+158550 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL $119.95
NOW $109.95 Save $10.00
W H I T E W I N ES
CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench,
Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, sustainable
+286377 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough New Zealand
+225557 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95
NOW $18.95 Save $1.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula
+43281 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand
+18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $20.95
NOW $18.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 50 bonus points
STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand
+40137 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL REG. $23.95
NOW $20.95 Save $3.00
TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge Niagara
+198853 (M – 24 g/L) 750 mL $24.95
NOW $22.95 Save $2.00
R E D W I N ES
CATENA MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina
+478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 75 bonus points
CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU Bordeaux
+302018 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $44.95
NOW $40.95 Save $4.00
MAN FAMILY WINES SKAAPVELD SHIRAZ
WO Cape Coast, South Africa
+71332 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $14.95
NOW $12.95 Save $2.00
MONTE ANTICO IGT Tuscany
+69377 (D – 8 g/L) 750 mL $17.95
NOW $15.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 30 bonus points
OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR Marlborough New Zealand
+590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $21.95
NOW $18.95 Save $3.00
RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE DOCG Puglia, Italy
+177295 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95
NOW $23.95 Save $3.00
DUCA DI SARAGNANO ALCHYMIA PRIMITIVO IGT Puglia, Italy
+636613 (D – 18 g/L) 750 mL REG. $21.95
NOW $18.95 Save $3.00
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication.
Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price).
I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings.
MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation
MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine
MAJOR THEME: Wines for Spring Flings
Recommended Wines UNDER $20
=========================
Rose+15267 STONELEIGH WILD VALLEY ROSÉ NEW ZEALAND 2024 $18.95
Rose+37864 PÉTALOS DE ARESAN ROSÉ SPAIN 2024 $13.95
W+30599 LEINDL GV GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $19.95
W+485334 KEW MARSANNE VQA 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine
W+200501 KONZELMANN RIESLING VQA 2023 $16.95
W+175232 SAINT-ROCH CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON CORBAROL 2021 $14.95
W+39938 CASTELFEDER REBELL RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2023 $19.95
W+25713 KOUROS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $14.95
W+27182 DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS ALEPOTRYPA VINEYARD ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $18.95
W+39754 PRIMO MONTE SKIN FERMENTED NATURAL WINE ABRUZZO 2023 $18.95
W+13359 BERTANI SEREOLE SOAVE VENETO 2023 19.95
W+144386 SOHO PEGGY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 $18
W+41261 CUATRO RAYAS 40 VENDIMIAS VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $14.95
R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA PORTUGAL 2019 $15.95
R+MARQUÉS DE LA CONCORDIA RIOJA-SANTIAGO RESERVA 2019 $18
R+606764 ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2022 $19.95
R+42731 CHATEAU DE DURETTE LES BRUYÈRES RÉGNIÉ BEAUJOLAIS 2023 $19.95
R+43441 M. CHAPOUTIER LA CIBOISE LUBERON RHONE 2022 $14.95
R+984997 TEDESCHI CAPITEL NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE VENETO 2021 $19.95
R+166579 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2020 $16.95
Recommended Wines OVER $20
========================
Fizz+438200 WESTCOTT VIOLETTE SPARKLING VQA 2023 $26.95
Fizz+43594 KEW ROSALIE ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA 2019 $32.95
W+547299 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT PARCELLE NORD CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $54.95
W+578864 LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $25.95
W+68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC VQA 2022 $29.95
W+974527 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALANSD 2023 $21.95
R+243592 FOWLES LADIES WHO SHOOT THEIR LUNCH WILD FERMENT SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2020 $34.95
R+258228 MISSION HILL COMPENDIUM BC VQA 2019 $78.95
R+39621 BACHELDER BEAM CITY PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $39.95
R+43438 ALBERT BICHOT HAUTES COTES DE NUITS ROUGE BURGUNDY 2022 $36.95
R+19288 MONTES ALPHA SPECIAL CUVÉE PINOT NOIR CHILE 2022 $24.95
LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday April 27 -- better hurry!!!
Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $23.45, save $1.50
W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench, now $29.95, save $3
W+35t386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3
W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2
W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay Clare Valley South Australia, now $15.95, save $2
R+64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara, now $19.95, save $2
R+258673 G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL, now $17.95, save $2
R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.95, save $3
R+58339 Kaiken Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina, now $16.95. save $2
MORE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
Save on these wines from April 28 to May 25, 2025
BOTTEGA GOLD PROSECCO DOC Treviso, Veneto
+621458 (D – 14 g/L) 750 mL $30.95
NOW $29.45 Save $1.50
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
traditional method
+224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $32.95
NOW $30.95 Save $2.00
KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand
+650325 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $20.95
NOW $18.95 Save $2.00
LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE
+158550 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL $119.95
NOW $109.95 Save $10.00
W H I T E W I N ES
CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench,
Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, sustainable
+286377 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough New Zealand
+225557 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95
NOW $18.95 Save $1.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula
+43281 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand
+18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $20.95
NOW $18.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 50 bonus points
STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand
+40137 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL REG. $23.95
NOW $20.95 Save $3.00
TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge Niagara
+198853 (M – 24 g/L) 750 mL $24.95
NOW $22.95 Save $2.00
R E D W I N ES
CATENA MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina
+478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 75 bonus points
CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU Bordeaux
+302018 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $44.95
NOW $40.95 Save $4.00
MAN FAMILY WINES SKAAPVELD SHIRAZ
WO Cape Coast, South Africa
+71332 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $14.95
NOW $12.95 Save $2.00
MONTE ANTICO IGT Tuscany
+69377 (D – 8 g/L) 750 mL $17.95
NOW $15.95 Save $2.00
+Earn 30 bonus points
OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR Marlborough New Zealand
+590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $21.95
NOW $18.95 Save $3.00
RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE DOCG Puglia, Italy
+177295 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95
NOW $23.95 Save $3.00
DUCA DI SARAGNANO ALCHYMIA PRIMITIVO IGT Puglia, Italy
+636613 (D – 18 g/L) 750 mL REG. $21.95
NOW $18.95 Save $3.00
Dean Tudor, Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.comhttp://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
