WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: 20 wines under & over $20 for the APRIL 25, 2026 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  20 wines under & over $20 for the APRIL 25, 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 notes (below) for TOP 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.

What is a TOP wine? Terrific-Occasional-Personal--- A TOP wine can be expressed as 88+ points, or Silver/Gold Medal, or described as BETTER/BEST, or 4/5 ****/***** Stars (out of?) and other such categories [in the 1950s such categories were titled "dandy, so-so, punk and lousy"]. My evaluations are a combined MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Rhone wine should taste like Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). 

ROSE TABLE WINE [under $20]

24747 LA POSTA MALBEC ROSÉ 2025 ARGENTINA $15.95
49376 WAKEFIELD ESTATE PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2025 AUSTRALIA $19.95
117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2025 VQA $16.95
49255 TOLLO ROCCA VENTOSA CERASUOLO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO ROSÉ $15.95

TOP White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
599274 DR. L RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER $17.95 
49217 JASCI & MARCHESANI TERRE DI CHIETI PECORINO 2024 ABRUZZO $16.95
49598 ZUCCARDI BRAZOS DE LOS ANDES CHARDONNAY 2025 ARGENTINA $17.95
A662775 D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2025 AUSTRALIA $17.95
224626 JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2024 ALSACE $18.98
36907 INVINITI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 NEW ZEALAND $18.95
21151 ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE CHARDONNAY 2024 SOUTH AFRICA $14.95

TOP Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
50391 LAGAR DE ROBLA COLECCIÓN 4 HERMANOS MENCÍA 2023 SPAIN $18.00
640854 SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2023 ARGENTINA $19.95
555722 SOPHENIA ALTOSUR ORGANIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2024 $17.95
631820 DESQUICIADO MALBEC 2024 $15.95
12846 SIDEWOOD STABLEMATE SHIRAZ 2021 AUSTRALIA $17.95
50347 HINTERBROOK NOMAD MERLOT 2022 VQA $19.95
974402 PROVOLO CAMPOTORBIAN RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2020 $19.95
49910 RAVASQUEIRA ENCANTADO TINTO 2024 PORTUGAL $17.95
431064 HERDADE PESO TRINCA BOLOTAS TINTO 2024 PORTUGAL $18.95

TOP White Wines OVER  $20 in this release.
=========================================
566026 CAVE SPRING CSV CAVE SPRING VINEYARD ESTATE GROWN RIESLING 2023 VQA $34.96
578864 LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2024 VQA $26.95
50342 CREW FUMÉ BLANC 2023 VQA $20.95

TOP Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
942607 RICASOLI CASTELLO DI BROLIO GRAN SELEZIONE GAIOLE CHIANTI $49.95
930966 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 675B 12 $26.95
94126 ATAMISQUE CATALPA MALBEC 2023 ARGENTINA $22.95 
668582 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP LOVE SYMBOL GRENACHE 2023 AUSTRALIA $21.95
23343 HEIRLOOM MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ 2022 AUSTRALIA $23.95
49382 CAPE MENTELLE MARMADUKE SHIRAZ 2023 AUSTRALIA $22.95 
520379 BACHELDER WISMER-PARKE SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2023 VQA $65.00
26503 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE GAMAY 2021 VQA $28.95
43618 DOMAINE QUEYLUS DROITE 2023 VQA $45.70

LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better" value...on sale  through April 26 -- better HURRY!!!

WHITE WINES

Flat Rock Twisted White VQA
$16.95 $18.95 Save $2.00

Kim Crawford Chardonnay
$16.95 $20.95 Save $4.00

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 
$18.95 $21.95 Save $3.00

Oyster Bay Chardonnay 
$18.95 $20.95 Save $2.00

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
$16.95 $20.95 Save $4.00

Malivoire Estate Grown Chardonnay VQA 
$22.95 $24.95 Save $2.00

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc
$29.95 $31.95 Save $2.00

Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling VQA 
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 
$15.95 $17.95 Save $2.00
25 bonus points


RED WINES

Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend
$26.95 $29.95 Save $3.00
100 bonus points

Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon
$20.95 $22.95 Save $2.00

Monasterio de las Viñas Gran Reserva
$20.95 $22.95 Save $2.00

Kim Crawford Pinot Noir
$19.95 $22.95 Save $3.00

San Felice Chianti Classico
$19.95 $21.95 Save $2.00

13th Street Gamay VQA
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella 
$47.95 $50.95 Save $3.00

Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00


FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale]

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

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: 20 wines under & over $20 for the APRIL 11, 2026 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  20 wines under & over $20 for the APRIL 11, 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 notes (below) for TOP 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.

What is a TOP wine? Terrific-Occasional-Personal--- A TOP wine can be expressed as 88+ points, or Silver/Gold Medal, or described as BETTER/BEST, or 4/5 ****/***** Stars (out of?) and other such categories [in the 1950s such categories were titled "dandy, so-so, punk and lousy"]. My evaluations are a combined MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Rhone wine should taste like Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). 

THEME • NEW ZEALAND

SPARKLING WINE
[FIZZ--42057 ACKERMAN BULLE ROYALE CRÉMANT DE LOIRE BRUT SPARKLING $20.95
280172 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ SPARKLING CUVÉE NEW ZEALAND $23.95]

[ROSE -- 32422 LYV ROSÉ LANGUEDOC $19.95
49070 LUBANZI CINSAULT ROSÉ 2025 SOUTH AFRICA $18.95]

TOP White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
413757 MAISON COUILLAUD RÉSERVE DU CHIRON MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE LOIRE $16.95
48332 CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE BLANC 2023 RHONE $19.95
40537 NOVUS ALTITUDE ASSYRTIKO/MOSCHOFILERO/MALAGOUSIA 2024 GREECE $17.95
117945 TAHBILK MARSANNE 2024 AUSTRALIA $19.95 
35860 CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT LES ROCHES BLANCHES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 BORDEAUX $15.95
19767 TIKI SINGLE VINEYARD NORTH CANTERBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 NEW ZEALAND $19.95
47918 THORNBURY WAIRPARA PINOT GRIS 2024 NEW ZEALAND $18.95 
10020 HÃHÃ HAWKE'S BAY CHARDONNAY 2024 NEW ZEALAND $19.95 
13338 RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC 2023 SOUTH AFRICA $19.95 

TOP Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
29280 TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES RESERVA ORGANIC MALBEC 2023 $19.95
41309 STONEHAVEN STEPPING STONE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 AUSTRALIA $16.95
471854 RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA 2021 $16.95
166579 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2022 SPAIN $17.95
358127 DANDELION VINEYARDS LIONHEART OF THE BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2023 $12.95
119354 CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMÈRES CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES $19.95
11152 COUTADA VELHA SIGNATURE RED 2022 PORTUGAL $14.95
13439 CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON LA CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $18.95
309260 LE GRAVILLAS SÉGURET CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 $19.95
15495 3 RINGS SHIRAZ 2023 AUSTRALIA $18.95
632091 BLEASDALE BROAD-SIDE SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MALBEC AUSTRALIA 2023 $19.95
494039 DOMAINE LAFAGE CAYROL VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2023 $19.95

TOP White Wines OVER $20 in this release.
=========================================
46824 CULMINA DILEMMA CHARDONNAY 2022 BC VQA $39.95
523845 CHARLES BAKER B-SIDE RIESLING 2024 VQA $24.95
431593 TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH RIESLING 2024 VQA $24.95
36446 PANIZZI VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO 2024 TUSCANY $25.95
536177 TOHU AWATERE VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 NEW ZEALAND $22.95
47914 LOVEBLOCK ORGANIC PINOT GRIS NEW ZEALAND $23.95 

TOP Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
20422 HIDDEN BENCH GAMAY 2023 VQA $29.95
48145 AVES DEL SUR GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2020 $25.95
41331 LAURENT PERRACHON VIEILLES VIGNES FLEURIE 2023 $20.95
404285 CHÂTEAU PLAISANCE BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR 2019 $26.95
48976 DOMAINE DU BEAUREGARD CUVÉE ORIGINE BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR $28.95
716266 SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 $29.95
429415 FRESCOBALDI CAMPO AI SASSI ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2021 $22.95
630939 RICASOLI BROLIO BETTINO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 $28.95
551796 CARPINETO ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2023 $29.95

LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better" value...on sale through April 26

WHITE WINES

Flat Rock Twisted White VQA
$16.95 $18.95 Save $2.00

Kim Crawford Chardonnay
$16.95 $20.95 Save $4.00

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 
$18.95 $21.95 Save $3.00

Oyster Bay Chardonnay 
$18.95 $20.95 Save $2.00

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
$16.95 $20.95 Save $4.00

Malivoire Estate Grown Chardonnay VQA 
$22.95 $24.95 Save $2.00

Willm Reserve Pinot Gris
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc
$29.95 $31.95 Save $2.00

Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling VQA 
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 
$15.95 $17.95 Save $2.00
25 bonus points


RED WINES

Calvet Réserve des Remparts Saint-Émilion 
$22.95 $24.95 Save $2.00

Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend
$26.95 $29.95 Save $3.00
100 bonus points

Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon
$20.95 $22.95 Save $2.00

Monasterio de las Viñas Gran Reserva
$20.95 $22.95 Save $2.00

Kim Crawford Pinot Noir
$19.95 $22.95 Save $3.00

San Felice Chianti Classico
$19.95 $21.95 Save $2.00

13th Street Gamay VQA
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella 
$47.95 $50.95 Save $3.00

Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 
$17.95 $19.95 Save $2.00

FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale]

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

Virus-free.www.avg.com

The term: VINOSITY

I thought I'd try getting answers from AI tools -- such as Google. So I started with wine. Using VINOSITY. Google came up with three annotated sources; I combined them all into the following...I seek no personal ownership...

AI Overview

Vinosity refers to the essential, characteristic, and "wine-like" qualities of a wine—specifically its body, colour, taste, and alcoholic strength.

VINOSITY definition: the collective characteristics of a wine, especially its distinctive taste. Vinosity is the essential quality or heart of a wine. It's clear that alcohol plays a central role in vinosity.

It describes the pleasant, warming, and slightly caustic sensation caused by alcohol, which should integrate with the wine's bouquet and flavor, often found in balanced wines (11-13% ABV). 

Key Aspects of Vinosity
--Definition: The combined taste, aroma, and body that give a wine its unique, "vinous" character.
--Role of Alcohol: Vinosity is strongly associated with alcohol content; it provides a "warm" sensation, though it should never feel harshly alcoholic or "hot".
--Balance: A wine with high vinosity is often described as full-bodied, well-structured, and rich.
--Usage in Tasting: It is often used to describe red wines with strong, distinctive characters or well-aged, robust wines. 

Common Descriptors

    "Good vinosity" (good balance).
    "Warm" or "agreeably caustic" (referring to the alcohol sensation).
    "Strong" or "high". 

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

Virus-free.www.avg.com