Top Values at the LCBO (June 2020)

Bargains by the Dozen
by Steve Thurlow

There are many big discounts this month at the LCBO for me to tell you about. Also I have been tasting new vintages of some of my favourites and a few are better then the last vintage and so joined the list. So there are lots of new wines on the Top50 list since I last wrote to you.

So venture out to visit an LCBO store and pick up some of the twelve wines below that are on my current Top50 Best Value List and most are on offer for the next month.

I have chosen 7 whites plus 5 reds, so below there are 12 to read about. Of those, 11 joined the list and one delist was also on last month’s list.

However I do 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 Top50 :

Eleven wines that joined the Top50 this month.
7 for less than $12
Three VQA Ontario wines.
Some big discounts; one is $3.00 off
All wines below scored 87 or more

The current promotional period runs until June 21st 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.

Stay safe and healthy…

Top Value Red & Rosé

Finimondo Rosso 2017, Sicily, Italy ($9.00 was $11.00) New to Top50 – This wine from Carlo Pellegrino comes with a convenient screwtop. It has a fragrant nose of ripe but not overripe red cherry fruit with raspberry jam and hints of sweet herbs. It is midweight and juicy with lovely soft acidity and a good depth of berry fruit flavour. Good length with some tannin for grip on the finish. Enjoy with mildly spicy meats or enjoy on its own lightly chilled.

Villa Annaberta Jairo Rosso 2017, Trevenezie, Italy ($11.10 was $13.95) Top50 June – Delisted – This is a refined fresh structured red from the Veneto with a fine sweet herbal tone to the red berry and fruit on the nose with just a hint of oak spice. The palate is light to midweight with a fine balance of acidity and mild tannin and just a little fruit sweetness. Very good length. It has classic lines and some elegance. Over 2500 bottles remain.

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir 2017, Pfalz, Germany ($12.00 was $14.00) New to Top50 – There is a lot of pinot noir planted in Germany but one does not often think to look on these shelves for this grape. This is a fruity juicy pure and well balanced wine with good varietal character and good to very good length. The nose shows raspberry and cherry fruit with mineral and some earthy tones. The palate is juicy with a good depth of flavour. Enjoy with baked ham or mildly flavored cheese

Malivoire Ladybug Rosé 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario ($14.95 was $16.95) New to Top50 – The Ladybug 2018 is made from a blend of cabernet franc, gamay and pinot noir and is an aromatic rose with raspberry and strawberry aromas with savoury and floral tones. It is clean bright and fresh with lots of flavour and it finishes with a hint of sweetness. Very good length. Enjoy with baked ham, grilled chicken or goats cheese. Best 2020 to 2021.

G. Marquis Pinot Noir The Silver Line 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario ($17.95 was $19.95) New to Top50 – This is a classy light to midweight pinot with delicate aromas of red cherry and raspberry fruit with well integrated mild oak spice plus some floral and sweet herbal tones and a hint of cranberry jelly. The palate is clean and well balanced with a lingering juicy finish. Very good length. A lot going on for the money. Try with seared tuna. Best 2020 to 2024.

Top Value Whites & Sparkling

Fuzion Alta Torrontes Pinot Grigio 2019, Mendoza, Argentina ($10.00 was $12.00) New to Top50 – This white blend of pinot grigio with the indigenous Argentine grape torrontes is very concentrated with abundant aromas. The nose shows ripe melon fruit with lemon marmalade, evergreen pine and honeysuckle. The palate is very full with the rich fruit flavours well balanced by vibrant acidity. Try as an aperitif or with mildly spicy dishes or roast chicken.

Mionetto Il Prosecco Frizzante, Veneto, Italy ($11.10 was $14.10) New to Top50 – This is very good value with lovely lemon pear fruit with a mineral tone. The palate is slightly sweet with an explosive mousse and apple melon fruit lingering on the finish. I like the crown cap closure which makes it easy to open. Try as an aperitif with seafood nibbles.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Unoaked Chardonnay Reserva 2019, Chile ($11.10) New to Top50 – This is a lively pure unoaked chardonnay with white peach and ripe pear fruit with some floral tones and a hint of ginger. It is creamy smooth with a good depth of flavour and very good length. Try with seafood or strongly flavoured cheese.

Rapitala Grillo Organic 2018, Sicily, Italy ($11.95 was $13.95) New to Top50 – Grillo is one of Sicily’s best indigenous white grapes since it often delivers rich wines with lots of vibrant acidity like this one. The nose shows delicate ripe pear and melon fruit with a resinous tone plus some marmalade hints. It is midweight and creamy with fine balancing acidity and very good length. Try with mildly flavored seafood or chicken dishes.

Cave Spring Riesling Dry 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario ($13.95 was $15.95) New to Top50 – This is classic dry Niagara riesling with fragrant aromas of green apple, lime citrus with delicate floral and mineral tones. It is light to midweight with fine firm acidity and nice even flavours of dry apple fruit with just enough sugar (8gm/l) to balance the acidity, while making it feel dry. Very good length. Very classy. Try with raw seafood like oysters or maybe creamy goats cheese.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, Spain ($13.95 was $15.95) New to Top50 – This bubbly is great for receptions or as an aperitif. It seems again to have 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.

Riverlore Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand ($14.55 was $16.80) New to Top50 – This is a crisp juicy sauvignon with a typical Marlborough nose of guava and lemon fruit, with sweet herbal tones plus hints of ginger and peppermint. It is midweight, soft and well balanced with a creamy rich palate and delicate dry finish. Very good length. Try with grilled seafood or creamy goats cheese.

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!