Top Values at the LCBO (October 2019)

New Wines at the LCBO Join the Top 50 List
Your Guide to Best Values, Limited Time Offers & Bonus Air Miles selections at the LCBO
by Steve Thurlow

Steve Thurlow

There are many wines discounted this month at the LCBO with 13 on the Top50 discounted plus another four with Bonus Air Miles (BAMs). And, since I have been tasting a lot of new wines, there is much to tell you about with 8 wines joining the Top 50 including another delisted wine.

So I have chosen to write about those joining the list but I encourage you to consult my entire Top50 Best Values List given all the discounts (LTOs) and BAMs for the next 4 weeks.

Among the wines in today’s report about the Top 50:

Eight joined the Top 50 this month.
Some big discounts; as much as $5.
Three delisted wines with thousands of bottles in inventory.
All wines score 87 or more points.
One Vintages Essentials

The current promotional period runs until October 10^th so don’t hesitate. Thanks to WineAlign’s inventory tracking, I can assure you that there were stocks available, when we published, of every wine that I highlight.

Top Value Reds

La Vieille Ferme Red 2018, Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France ($10.95 was $12.45) New to Top50
This is a youthfully exuberant red with fresh red cherry and raspberry fruit with white pepper and jammy notes. It is mid-weight and juicy with soft fresh acidity and finishes dry. Good to very good length. A good versatile food red.

Root: 1 Carmenere 2017, Colchagua Valley, Chile ($11.45 was $13.95) Top50 October
This is a ripe, pure carmenere with cassis, dark chocolate and basil aromas with lemon and dried kelp notes. It is very smooth with fine, chalky tannin on the finish. I think it will gain in complexity with a year or two of bottle age. Try with juicy lamb cutlets.

Trapiche Pure Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Mendoza, Argentina ($11.95 was $16.05) Top50 October, Delisted
The Trapiche Pure range are all wines where the fruit did not need oak. This is an opaque, purple-red with a pure aroma of cassis fruit and some mild sweet herbal and delicate, warm, spice notes. It is full-bodied and well-balanced by soft acidity and fine tannin. Very good length. Try with a steak. Over 2600 bottles remain.

Vin Vale Shiraz 2016, Mclaren Vale, South Australia ($11.95 was $17.00) New to Top50, Delisted
This is a typical McLaren Vale shiraz with lovely lemony acidity to give vibrancy and freshness to the palate and nose. Expect aromas of blackberry and blueberry fruit with well integrated subtle oak spice plus some fresh herbal tones. The full-bodied palate shows some elegance with the fruit persisting well on the finish. Good to very good length. Over 1000 bottles remain.

Casillero Del Diablo Devil’s Collection Red 2017, Rapel Valley, Chile ($14.00 was $16.00) New to Top50
This is a structured red blend of cabernet, carmenere and syrah with aromas of red and black cherry fruit and jammy notes and smokey, mild oak spice tones with mineral freshness. It is full-bodied and vibrant with soft, mature tannin and some elegance. Very good length.

Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2014, Douro Valley, Portugal ($15.45 was $17.95) Top50 October
The 2014 is less fragrant than recent vintages with delicate, complex aromas of blackberry and blueberry fruit with baked lemon, dark chocolate plus some mild sweet herbal and warm spice notes. It’s full-bodied, very smooth and well-balanced with some fine tannin for structure. It is amazingly light on the palate despite the 20% alcohol. Very good to excellent length. Enjoy on its own or with dried fruits and nuts.

Santa Carolina Reserva De Familia Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Maipo Valley, Chile ($16.95 was 19.95) New to Top50
This classic, elegant Chilean cabernet is an opaque purple wine with the aromatic signature of the Maipo valley on the nose. The palate is elegant and deeply flavoured with vibrant, juicy acidity plus some dry tannin underneath and a very even texture. Very good to excellent length. Best 2019 to 2025. Try with roast red meats or mature cheddar. An hour in a decanter will help if consuming in the next year.

Top Value Whites

Trapiche Pure Chardonnay 2017, Mendoza, Argentina ($10.95 was $14.95) Top50 October, Delisted
The Pure range from Trapiche are rich wines that do not need any oak to be complete. That is a challenge with chardonnay but it works here with this minerally, clean, pure wine. The nose shows lemon, melon and apple fruit with some delicate floral hints. The lightweight palate is quite Chablis-like with a fine seam of flinty lemon flavour. Very good length. Don’t over-chill and try with delicate seafood like oysters, shrimp or crab. Over 3700 bottles remain.

La Vieille Ferme Côtes Du Luberon 2018, Rhone Valley, France ($10.95 was $12.45) New to Top50
This is a rich, lively, white with a nose that shows pineapple and ripe apple fruit with some tropical notes. It is mid-weight, well balanced and very smooth with grapefruit pith bitterness on the finish to close it nicely. A good all round white for poultry, veal or pork. Very good length and balance.

Brancott Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand ($13.95 was $15.95) New to Top50
This classic Marlborough sauvignon has a herbal toned nose of gooseberry and lemon fruit with hay, lavender and mint. The palate is smooth with vibrant mouthwatering acidity and just enough sweetness to balance the zesty acid. The finish is dry and firm. Very good length. Try with rich seafood or roast chicken.

KWV The Vinecrafter Chenin Blanc 2018, Western Cape, South Africa ($8.30 was $10.05) New to Top 50
In South Africa they can get high yields from their chenin blanc grapes and so can can make good inexpensive chenins like this with a good depth of flavour that is well structured for a great price. Expect aromas of mineral toned apple pear fruit with lemon and honey notes. The palate is midweight with ripe fruit balanced by lemony acidity. Good to very good length. Try with seafood or white meats.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, Spain ($13.95 was $15.95) New to Top50
This is a lovely bubbly that great for receptions as an aperitif and is much improved since my previous tasting a year ago. Expect a fresh nose of grapefruit, mineral and pear with an elegant delicate soft mousse and a long lingering finish of apple pear fruit. Lots of flavour and super creamy texture. Very good length.

How does a wine get selected for the Top Value Report:

Today’s report pulls best buys from Steve’s Top 50 which is a standing WineAlign list based on quality/price ratio of the 1,600 or so wines in LCBO Wines and the VINTAGES Essentials Collection.

There are three ways that a wine gets into this monthly report of wines that are always in the stores either on the LCBO “General List” or the VINTAGES Essential Collection. (You can access these lists under the Wine tab on WineAlign.)

• On Sale (LTO’s or Limited Time Offers): Every four weeks the LCBO discounts around 200 wines I have looked through the current batch and have highlighted some of my favourites that offer better value at present…. so stock up now.

• Bonus Air Miles (BAM’s): If you collect Air Miles then you will be getting Bonus Air Miles on another 150 or so wines…a few of these have a special appeal for a while.

• Steve’s Top 50: Wines that have moved onto my Top 50 Best Values this month. This is on an-on going WineAlign selection that mathematically calculates value by comparing the price and rating of all the wines on the LCBO General List. The Top 50 changes all the time, so remember to check before shopping.

I will be back next month with more news on value arrivals to Essentials and the LCBO.

Cheers!

Steve

Top 50 Value Wines
Wines on Limited Time Offer
Wines with Bonus Air Miles

Editor’s Note: You can find our complete critic reviews by clicking on any of the wine images or links highlighted. Paid subscribers to WineAlign see all critic reviews immediately. Non-paid users wait 30 days to see new reviews. Membership has its privileges; like first access to great value wines!