WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: 20 wines under/over $20 for the August 1, 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 • Sicily & Sardinia
TOP White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 CHILE $16.95
50397 LA TOUR BEAUMONT HAUT-POITOU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 LOIRE $18.95
289553 UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2025 ABRUZZO $17.95
627067 LA CALA VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA 2024 $17.95
51202 SANTA EULÁLIA AVESSO WHITE VINHO VERDE 2025 PORTUGAL $16.95
23030 BRIGALDARA SOAVE 2024 VENETO $16.95
18600 LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2024 $14.95
49581 GREEK WINE CELLARS FLOWERS MALAGOUZIA 2024 $17.95
TOP Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
208322 SUR DE LOS ANDES RESERVA MALBEC 2023 ARGENTINA $16.95
44588 ESCUDO ROJO GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2023 CHILE $17.95
297317 XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2023 $19.95
994616 TERRA D'ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2023 $17.95
36485 TINAZZI FEUDO CROCE NYKTÓS AGLIANICO PUGLIA 2022 $15.95
51716 JERZU ANTICHI BANTU CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2023 $19.95
573519 VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI 2021 $17.95
646083 CARMIM TERRA LENTA PREMIUM 2024 PORTUGAL $14.95
49292 MONTE ALAYA CRIANZA RIOJA ALAVESA 2021 $18.95
TOP White Wines OVER $20 in this release.
=========================================
52199 KEINT-HE GREER ROAD SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023 VQA PEC $40.
421032 CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE $60.95
545004 MISSION HILL RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2023 BC VQA $27.95
147512 13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2024 VQA $21.95
392357 KONZELMANN RESERVE SERIES GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2024 VQA $24.95
51692 TERRE DEI MITI ETNA BIANCO 2024 SICILY $26.95
49369 COLOMBA BIANCA RESILIENCE GRILLO 2024 SICILY $21.95
39654 RAPITALÀ VIGNA CASALJ ALCAMO CLASSICO 2024 SICILY $23.95
TOP Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
52009 WENDING HOME GAMAY 2023 VQA $29.95
121137 SANTADI GROTTA ROSSA CARIGNANO DEL SULCIS 2023 SARDINIA $21.95
388645 TENUTE ORESTIADI IL ROSSO DI LUDOVICO RISERVA 2020 SICILY $21.95
508655 PLANETA FRAPPATO 2024 SICILY $23.95
49590 TENUTE DEL MARCHESE NERO D'AVOLA 2024 SICILY $24.95
132365 COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 $22.95
260919 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 $23.95
50164 FOWLES ARE YOU GAME? PINOT NOIR 2022 $22.95
30145 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $29.95
143099 MAS DES BRESSADES TRADITION 2023 $20.95
38310 RÉVA NEBBIOLO D'ALBA 2023 $29.95
ROSE WINES [some of the better ones]
===================================
16296 ORGANIZED CRIME ROSÉ 2025 VQA $19.95
707281 CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS ROSÉ 2025 RHONE $19.95
43979 CARUSO & MININI FRAPPO FRAPPATO ROSÉ 2025 SICILY $19.95
15688 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING NOVA SCOTIA $32.95
48906 TIMBERLAY BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX $17.95
44203 BOUVET SAPHIR SAUMUR BRUT VINTAGE SPARKLING 2023 LOIRE $22.95
LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale July 20 through August 16
WHITE WINE
ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO
DOC Friuli, Italy
707950 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
BOSCHENDAL 1685 CHARDONNAY
WO Western Cape, South Africa
367698 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING 6
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
43281 (M – 11 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE
RESERVE CHENIN BLANC
WO Stellenbosch, South Africa
231282 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
SUSANA BALBO CRIOS TORRONTÉS
Argentina
1834 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $16.95
NOW $14.95 Save $2.00
OYSTER BAY
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Marlborough, South
Island, New Zealand
316570 (XD – 4 g/L)
750 ml REG. $20.95
NOW $17.95 Save $3
WINZER KREMS KREMSTAL DAC
GRÜNER VELTLINER
DAC Kremstal, Austria
375022 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 ml $17.95
NOW $15.95 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
CATHEDRAL CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WO Western Cape, South Africa
328567 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $16.95 Save $3.00
GÉRARD BERTRAND LANGUEDOC
AOP Languedoc, France
413237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $15.95 Save $3.00
KILIKANOON KILLERMAN’S
RUN SHIRAZ
Clare Valley, South Australia
925453 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
MITOLO JESTER SHIRAZ
McLaren Vale, South Australia
659607 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR
Marlborough, South Island,
New Zealand, sustainable
590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Margaret River, Western Australia
606624 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
SAN FELICE CHIANTI CLASSICO
DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
282996 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
SMALL GULLY THE FORMULA
ROBERT’S SHIRAZ
South Australia
142935 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
THE BLACK CHOOK
SHIRAZ VIOGNIER
South Australia
66738 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
TOMMASI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA
CLASSICO SUPERIORE
DOC, Veneto, Italy
910430 (D – 8 g/L) 750 ml $27.95
NOW $25.95 Save $2.00
WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Limestone Coast/Clare Valley,
South Australia
744235 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
ZONTE’S FOOTSTEP
CHOCOLATE FACTORY SHIRAZ
McLaren Vale, South Australia
396481 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $18.95 Save $1.00
BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA
DO Campo de Borja, Spain
273748 (XD – 3 g/L)
750 ml REG. $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2
FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO --
https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale]
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 • Sicily & Sardinia
TOP White Wines UNDER $20 in this release.
=========================================
389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 CHILE $16.95
50397 LA TOUR BEAUMONT HAUT-POITOU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 LOIRE $18.95
289553 UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2025 ABRUZZO $17.95
627067 LA CALA VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA 2024 $17.95
51202 SANTA EULÁLIA AVESSO WHITE VINHO VERDE 2025 PORTUGAL $16.95
23030 BRIGALDARA SOAVE 2024 VENETO $16.95
18600 LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2024 $14.95
49581 GREEK WINE CELLARS FLOWERS MALAGOUZIA 2024 $17.95
TOP Red Wines UNDER $20 for this release.
========================================
208322 SUR DE LOS ANDES RESERVA MALBEC 2023 ARGENTINA $16.95
44588 ESCUDO ROJO GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2023 CHILE $17.95
297317 XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2023 $19.95
994616 TERRA D'ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2023 $17.95
36485 TINAZZI FEUDO CROCE NYKTÓS AGLIANICO PUGLIA 2022 $15.95
51716 JERZU ANTICHI BANTU CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2023 $19.95
573519 VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI 2021 $17.95
646083 CARMIM TERRA LENTA PREMIUM 2024 PORTUGAL $14.95
49292 MONTE ALAYA CRIANZA RIOJA ALAVESA 2021 $18.95
TOP White Wines OVER $20 in this release.
=========================================
52199 KEINT-HE GREER ROAD SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023 VQA PEC $40.
421032 CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE $60.95
545004 MISSION HILL RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2023 BC VQA $27.95
147512 13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2024 VQA $21.95
392357 KONZELMANN RESERVE SERIES GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2024 VQA $24.95
51692 TERRE DEI MITI ETNA BIANCO 2024 SICILY $26.95
49369 COLOMBA BIANCA RESILIENCE GRILLO 2024 SICILY $21.95
39654 RAPITALÀ VIGNA CASALJ ALCAMO CLASSICO 2024 SICILY $23.95
TOP Red Wines OVER $20 for this release.
=======================================
52009 WENDING HOME GAMAY 2023 VQA $29.95
121137 SANTADI GROTTA ROSSA CARIGNANO DEL SULCIS 2023 SARDINIA $21.95
388645 TENUTE ORESTIADI IL ROSSO DI LUDOVICO RISERVA 2020 SICILY $21.95
508655 PLANETA FRAPPATO 2024 SICILY $23.95
49590 TENUTE DEL MARCHESE NERO D'AVOLA 2024 SICILY $24.95
132365 COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 $22.95
260919 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 $23.95
50164 FOWLES ARE YOU GAME? PINOT NOIR 2022 $22.95
30145 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $29.95
143099 MAS DES BRESSADES TRADITION 2023 $20.95
38310 RÉVA NEBBIOLO D'ALBA 2023 $29.95
ROSE WINES [some of the better ones]
===================================
16296 ORGANIZED CRIME ROSÉ 2025 VQA $19.95
707281 CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS ROSÉ 2025 RHONE $19.95
43979 CARUSO & MININI FRAPPO FRAPPATO ROSÉ 2025 SICILY $19.95
15688 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING NOVA SCOTIA $32.95
48906 TIMBERLAY BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX $17.95
44203 BOUVET SAPHIR SAUMUR BRUT VINTAGE SPARKLING 2023 LOIRE $22.95
LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale July 20 through August 16
WHITE WINE
ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO
DOC Friuli, Italy
707950 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
BOSCHENDAL 1685 CHARDONNAY
WO Western Cape, South Africa
367698 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
FLAT ROCK RIESLING 6
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
43281 (M – 11 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE
RESERVE CHENIN BLANC
WO Stellenbosch, South Africa
231282 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $16.95 Save $2.00
SUSANA BALBO CRIOS TORRONTÉS
Argentina
1834 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 ml $16.95
NOW $14.95 Save $2.00
OYSTER BAY
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Marlborough, South
Island, New Zealand
316570 (XD – 4 g/L)
750 ml REG. $20.95
NOW $17.95 Save $3
WINZER KREMS KREMSTAL DAC
GRÜNER VELTLINER
DAC Kremstal, Austria
375022 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 ml $17.95
NOW $15.95 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
CATHEDRAL CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WO Western Cape, South Africa
328567 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $16.95 Save $3.00
GÉRARD BERTRAND LANGUEDOC
AOP Languedoc, France
413237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $18.95
NOW $15.95 Save $3.00
KILIKANOON KILLERMAN’S
RUN SHIRAZ
Clare Valley, South Australia
925453 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
MITOLO JESTER SHIRAZ
McLaren Vale, South Australia
659607 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR
Marlborough, South Island,
New Zealand, sustainable
590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Margaret River, Western Australia
606624 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $22.95
NOW $20.95 Save $2.00
SAN FELICE CHIANTI CLASSICO
DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
282996 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2.00
SMALL GULLY THE FORMULA
ROBERT’S SHIRAZ
South Australia
142935 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
THE BLACK CHOOK
SHIRAZ VIOGNIER
South Australia
66738 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
TOMMASI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA
CLASSICO SUPERIORE
DOC, Veneto, Italy
910430 (D – 8 g/L) 750 ml $27.95
NOW $25.95 Save $2.00
WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Limestone Coast/Clare Valley,
South Australia
744235 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $17.95 Save $2.00
ZONTE’S FOOTSTEP
CHOCOLATE FACTORY SHIRAZ
McLaren Vale, South Australia
396481 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 ml $19.95
NOW $18.95 Save $1.00
BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA
DO Campo de Borja, Spain
273748 (XD – 3 g/L)
750 ml REG. $21.95
NOW $19.95 Save $2
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.comhttp://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
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