WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: 20 wines under/over $20 for the Nov 7, 2026 release.
By DEAN TUDOR, wine writer since 1968 and owner of 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 individual wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These RECOMMENDED wines available through the LCBO Vintages New Releases (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 publications. Not all wines are available in every LCBO store.
THEME • GREAT BITES AND WINES
SPARKLERS
662536 RUINART BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE $32.95
54651 THE TRAGICALLY HIP FIREWORKS SPARKLING 2023 $26.95
491092 KEW TRADITION SPARKLING 2021 $32.95
45155 VIETTI MOSCATO D'ASTI 2025 $24.95
52446 LAVÌ BLANC DE NOIR NERELLO MASCALESE BRUT SPARKLING $19.95
52454 ASTORIA FANÒ ASOLO PROSECCO SUPERIORE $21.95
RECOMMENDED White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
51204 ERRÁZURIZ MAX CHARDONNAY 2024 $18.95
51115 OENOPS APLA WHITE BLEND 2025 $19.95
560284 GRAHAM NORTON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 $19.95
50979 PANDORA VERDEJO 2024 $16.95
50994 BARONE FINI PINOT GRIGIO 2025 $19.95
RECOMMENDED Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
49872 SARL DU GRAND BOURRY CHEVALIER DELAUDE 2022 $16.95
166298 LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC 2024 $17.95
15495 3 RINGS SHIRAZ 2023 $18
11157 CASA FERREIRINHA PAPA FIGOS TINTO 2024 $17.95
50677 CHÂTEAU LOIRAC MÉDOC 2020 $18
RECOMMENDED White Wines OVER $20 in this release.
=========================================
149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2025 $25.95
477927 BANFI LA PETTEGOLA VERMENTINO 2025 $22.95
68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC 2025 $29.95
RECOMMENDED Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
748277 MARCHESI DI BAROLO MARAIA BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO 2022 $20.95
399725 MARCHESI DI BAROLO DEL COMUNE BAROLO 2021 $84.95
591370 LAILEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 $22.95
364380 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR DREAM 2023 $29.95
523183 LEANING POST PINOT NOIR 2024 $35.95
489708 HUFF RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2023 $39.95
367318 KEW SOLDIER'S GRANT 2023 $21.95
17239 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES GAMAY NOIR 2023 $25.95
11877 LAURENT PERRACHON ET FILS TERRES ROSES MOULIN-À-VENT 2023 $22.95
51562 ORSOGNA LUNA GAIA LOGISTILLA NERELLO MASCALESE 2023 $20.95
747030 LA VITE LUCENTE 2023 $32.95
16090 BRIGALDARA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE 2024 $22.95
Save on these LTO wines (below) up to Nov. 8, 2026...better hurry!
WHITE WINES
KIM CRAWFORD CHARDONNAY
Marlborough/Hawke’s Bay,
East Coast, New Zealand
991950 (XD – 2 g/L)
750 ml REG. $20.95
NOW $17.95
BOSCHENDAL CHARDONNAY
WO Western Cape, South Africa
367698 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
FEATHERSTONE
BLACK SHEEP RIESLING
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
80234 (M – 19 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
43281 (M – 11 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
PIERRE SPARR GEWURZTRAMINER
AOC Alsace, France
373373 (D – 14 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL
CHARDONNAY
Clare Valley/Limestone Coast,
South Australia
711556 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $17.95
NOW $15.95 Save $2.00
WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC
Marlborough, South Island,
New Zealand, sustainable
919514 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
RED WINES
BERONIA RESERVA
DOCa Rioja, Spain
50203 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $23.95
NOW $21.95 Save $2.00
CATENA MALBEC
Mendoza, Argentina
478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
CAVE SPRING PINOT NOIR
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario,
sustainable, vegan
417642 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
CHÂTEAU TEYSSIER
AOC Montagne-Saint-Émilion,
Bordeaux, France
226035 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $27.95
NOW $24.95 Save $3.00
ESPORÃO RESERVA RED
DOC Alentejo, Portugal
606590 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $28.95
NOW $26.95 Save $2.00
GÉRARD BERTRAND LANGUEDOC
AOP Languedoc, France
413237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
LAN CRIANZA
DOCa Rioja, Spain
166538 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
MARCHESI DI BAROLO
LA TRADIZIONE BAROLO
DOCG, Piedmont, Italy
168179 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $53.95
NOW $51.45 Save $2.50
PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL
SHIRAZ CABERNET
South Australia
285544 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.45 Save $2.50
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
RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO
GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO
DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
353201 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $49.95
NOW $44.95 Save $5.00
SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC
Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina,
unfined and unfiltered
79798 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $24.95
NOW $22.95 Save $2.00
TENUTA FRESCOBALDI
CASTIGLIONI
IGT Toscana,
Tuscany, Italy
145920 (XD – 3 g/L)
750 ml REG. $23.95
NOW $20.95
FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale]
** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season ---
REPORT TREAMICI AND VERTICAL WINE GROUP GRAND PORTFOLIO TASTING OCTOBER 19, 2026...
The Date and Time: October 19, 2026
The Event: Grand Portfolio Tasting of Treamici and Vertical Wine Group
The Venue: Palais Royale
The Target Audience: clients, sommeliers, wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: a big heavy booklet with bottle illustrations and full details of wine varieties.
The Quote/Background: 33 producers were involved, each with 5 wines or so: maybe 150 wines in all
The Wines: I did not taste all the wines, of course, but I followed a course of randomness after I managed a wait position. First off there were the HOLIDAY GIFT PACKS, with customized orders and some rare wines and spirits. The least expensive was Tenuta Santome Chardonnay Italian Bianco at $20 a bottle, followed by Tenuta Santome Cabernet Sauvignon Italian Rosso also at $20, moving on to Chateau de Mus (France) Chardonnay at $23, Tenuta Santome Prosecco ($23), Cava Panot Gaudi Brut Reserva ($26), leading through suggestions from Bordeaux, Argentina, Spain, Valpolicella, etc. -- from a low of $20 to $100 Barolo. The categories here were single bottle gifts, double bottle gifts, 3 & 4 bottle gifts, leading through to "prestige gifts" from $186 to about $600 (includes wooden boxes). Well-priced specialty gifts.
The wines I did try --
Best -
Tenuta Santome Prosecco Superiore DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Brut.
Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
Chateau de Mus Languedoc France Viognier
Chateau de Mus Oaked Chardonnay
Chateau de Mus Rose
Charteau de Mus Cabernet Sauvignon
Collard-Picard Adn Noir Extra-Brut Champagne
Collard-Picard Perpetulle Extra-Brut Champagne
Collard-Picard Dom.Picard Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Champagne
Frerejean Freres Grand Reserve Brut Champagne [$62.45]
Frerejean Freres VV26 Grand Cru Champagne [$135.95]
Frerejean Freres Grand Reserve Brut Champagne [$62.45]
Frerejean Freres Eclipse Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Salvano Barbaresco Riserva DOCG
Salvano Barolo Riserva Vinorum DOCG
Better-
Vecchia Cantina Chianti Riserva
Orbaio Toscana Rosso
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Montina Franciacorta Extra Brut
Ferrer Wines Conde de Caralt Brut Cava [$15.25]
Ferrer Wines Panot Gaudi Brut Reserva Cava
Salvano Barbaresco DOCG
Salvano Barolo DOCG
Tenuta Aquilaia Vermentino
The Food: cheese and ham charcuterie boards with burrata cheese, olives , buns, raspberries, blueberries, fennel,, prunes, et al.
The Downside: a lot of people arrived all at once
The Upside: a chance to taste many Italian wines
The Contact Person: gerard@treamiciwines.com
The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87
By DEAN TUDOR, wine writer since 1968 and owner of 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 individual wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These RECOMMENDED wines available through the LCBO Vintages New Releases (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 publications. Not all wines are available in every LCBO store.
THEME • GREAT BITES AND WINES
SPARKLERS
662536 RUINART BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE $32.95
54651 THE TRAGICALLY HIP FIREWORKS SPARKLING 2023 $26.95
491092 KEW TRADITION SPARKLING 2021 $32.95
45155 VIETTI MOSCATO D'ASTI 2025 $24.95
52446 LAVÌ BLANC DE NOIR NERELLO MASCALESE BRUT SPARKLING $19.95
52454 ASTORIA FANÒ ASOLO PROSECCO SUPERIORE $21.95
RECOMMENDED White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
51204 ERRÁZURIZ MAX CHARDONNAY 2024 $18.95
51115 OENOPS APLA WHITE BLEND 2025 $19.95
560284 GRAHAM NORTON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 $19.95
50979 PANDORA VERDEJO 2024 $16.95
50994 BARONE FINI PINOT GRIGIO 2025 $19.95
RECOMMENDED Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
49872 SARL DU GRAND BOURRY CHEVALIER DELAUDE 2022 $16.95
166298 LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC 2024 $17.95
15495 3 RINGS SHIRAZ 2023 $18
11157 CASA FERREIRINHA PAPA FIGOS TINTO 2024 $17.95
50677 CHÂTEAU LOIRAC MÉDOC 2020 $18
RECOMMENDED White Wines OVER $20 in this release.
=========================================
149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2025 $25.95
477927 BANFI LA PETTEGOLA VERMENTINO 2025 $22.95
68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC 2025 $29.95
RECOMMENDED Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
748277 MARCHESI DI BAROLO MARAIA BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO 2022 $20.95
399725 MARCHESI DI BAROLO DEL COMUNE BAROLO 2021 $84.95
591370 LAILEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 $22.95
364380 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR DREAM 2023 $29.95
523183 LEANING POST PINOT NOIR 2024 $35.95
489708 HUFF RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2023 $39.95
367318 KEW SOLDIER'S GRANT 2023 $21.95
17239 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES GAMAY NOIR 2023 $25.95
11877 LAURENT PERRACHON ET FILS TERRES ROSES MOULIN-À-VENT 2023 $22.95
51562 ORSOGNA LUNA GAIA LOGISTILLA NERELLO MASCALESE 2023 $20.95
747030 LA VITE LUCENTE 2023 $32.95
16090 BRIGALDARA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE 2024 $22.95
Save on these LTO wines (below) up to Nov. 8, 2026...better hurry!
WHITE WINES
KIM CRAWFORD CHARDONNAY
Marlborough/Hawke’s Bay,
East Coast, New Zealand
991950 (XD – 2 g/L)
750 ml REG. $20.95
NOW $17.95
BOSCHENDAL CHARDONNAY
WO Western Cape, South Africa
367698 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
FEATHERSTONE
BLACK SHEEP RIESLING
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
80234 (M – 19 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
43281 (M – 11 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
PIERRE SPARR GEWURZTRAMINER
AOC Alsace, France
373373 (D – 14 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL
CHARDONNAY
Clare Valley/Limestone Coast,
South Australia
711556 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $17.95
NOW $15.95 Save $2.00
WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC
Marlborough, South Island,
New Zealand, sustainable
919514 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
RED WINES
BERONIA RESERVA
DOCa Rioja, Spain
50203 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $23.95
NOW $21.95 Save $2.00
CATENA MALBEC
Mendoza, Argentina
478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
CAVE SPRING PINOT NOIR
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario,
sustainable, vegan
417642 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
CHÂTEAU TEYSSIER
AOC Montagne-Saint-Émilion,
Bordeaux, France
226035 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $27.95
NOW $24.95 Save $3.00
ESPORÃO RESERVA RED
DOC Alentejo, Portugal
606590 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $28.95
NOW $26.95 Save $2.00
GÉRARD BERTRAND LANGUEDOC
AOP Languedoc, France
413237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
LAN CRIANZA
DOCa Rioja, Spain
166538 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
MARCHESI DI BAROLO
LA TRADIZIONE BAROLO
DOCG, Piedmont, Italy
168179 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $53.95
NOW $51.45 Save $2.50
PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL
SHIRAZ CABERNET
South Australia
285544 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.45 Save $2.50
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
RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO
GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO
DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
353201 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $49.95
NOW $44.95 Save $5.00
SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC
Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina,
unfined and unfiltered
79798 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $24.95
NOW $22.95 Save $2.00
TENUTA FRESCOBALDI
CASTIGLIONI
IGT Toscana,
Tuscany, Italy
145920 (XD – 3 g/L)
750 ml REG. $23.95
NOW $20.95
FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale]
** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season ---
REPORT TREAMICI AND VERTICAL WINE GROUP GRAND PORTFOLIO TASTING OCTOBER 19, 2026...
The Date and Time: October 19, 2026
The Event: Grand Portfolio Tasting of Treamici and Vertical Wine Group
The Venue: Palais Royale
The Target Audience: clients, sommeliers, wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: a big heavy booklet with bottle illustrations and full details of wine varieties.
The Quote/Background: 33 producers were involved, each with 5 wines or so: maybe 150 wines in all
The Wines: I did not taste all the wines, of course, but I followed a course of randomness after I managed a wait position. First off there were the HOLIDAY GIFT PACKS, with customized orders and some rare wines and spirits. The least expensive was Tenuta Santome Chardonnay Italian Bianco at $20 a bottle, followed by Tenuta Santome Cabernet Sauvignon Italian Rosso also at $20, moving on to Chateau de Mus (France) Chardonnay at $23, Tenuta Santome Prosecco ($23), Cava Panot Gaudi Brut Reserva ($26), leading through suggestions from Bordeaux, Argentina, Spain, Valpolicella, etc. -- from a low of $20 to $100 Barolo. The categories here were single bottle gifts, double bottle gifts, 3 & 4 bottle gifts, leading through to "prestige gifts" from $186 to about $600 (includes wooden boxes). Well-priced specialty gifts.
The wines I did try --
Best -
Tenuta Santome Prosecco Superiore DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Brut.
Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
Chateau de Mus Languedoc France Viognier
Chateau de Mus Oaked Chardonnay
Chateau de Mus Rose
Charteau de Mus Cabernet Sauvignon
Collard-Picard Adn Noir Extra-Brut Champagne
Collard-Picard Perpetulle Extra-Brut Champagne
Collard-Picard Dom.Picard Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Champagne
Frerejean Freres Grand Reserve Brut Champagne [$62.45]
Frerejean Freres VV26 Grand Cru Champagne [$135.95]
Frerejean Freres Grand Reserve Brut Champagne [$62.45]
Frerejean Freres Eclipse Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Salvano Barbaresco Riserva DOCG
Salvano Barolo Riserva Vinorum DOCG
Better-
Vecchia Cantina Chianti Riserva
Orbaio Toscana Rosso
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Montina Franciacorta Extra Brut
Ferrer Wines Conde de Caralt Brut Cava [$15.25]
Ferrer Wines Panot Gaudi Brut Reserva Cava
Salvano Barbaresco DOCG
Salvano Barolo DOCG
Tenuta Aquilaia Vermentino
The Food: cheese and ham charcuterie boards with burrata cheese, olives , buns, raspberries, blueberries, fennel,, prunes, et al.
The Downside: a lot of people arrived all at once
The Upside: a chance to taste many Italian wines
The Contact Person: gerard@treamiciwines.com
The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87
Dean Tudor, Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
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