Buyer’s Guide to Vintages May 25th Release

Shopping the Flagship Stores, and Fast Tracking to the Future

By David Lawrason, with notes from Sara d’Amato and Megha Jandhyala

This week marks the beginning of the summer schedule for Vintages releases. Through August there will only be one full release per month (next up: June 8), with a secondary much smaller release through the online portal and the 16 so-called Flagship stores in the latter half of each month. The May 25 release features 32 wines, of which we have tasted about half thanks to participation by the importing agents who see our efforts as beneficial. So, we present our picks as usual. (Travellers John and Michael returning this week.)

In visiting my “home” Flagship store at Bloor West and Royal York in Etobicoke, I reflected on this Flagship concept and how I have become used to the idea within the Vintages culture. They not only carry the largest selection, but often have leftovers that have not sold through online. And “my store” is also staffed by some of the most engaging LCBO product consultants I have come to know over the years. This is key to the wine shopping experience because wine is, above all, personal. And this experience is rarely found in “regular” LCBO stores where one barely encounters staff except the cashier who only asks if you have Aeroplan rewards and whether you want to donate two bucks to the charity of the day.

The other reason to shop Flagship stores is to avail yourself of products that have been marked down. Patrolling the aisles last week, I was amazed to see dozens of wines on sale, and not just with token $2.50 reductions. Many Vintages items were reduced by 25%, at least. As I checked them individually through the LCBO website it became apparent that some were system-wide sale items, whereas others seemed local to “my store.” This is not a criticism! I love the idea that a store can respond to its neighbourhood, clientele and inventory situation. It is how wine retailing should work — and will likely work going forward on a much broader scale.  

In the weeks and months ahead, wine retailing is about to undergo grand-slam changes in Ontario. On May 24 the news broke that Ontario is fast-tracking its massive liberalization agenda, with wine and beer moving into convenience stores after Labour Day. And then thousands of new retail outlets will potentially be opening for business after November 1. This was not supposed to happen until January of 2026 — but I say bring it on. The press release lists convenience, grocery and big box stores as future wine retailers… that’s a very wide net! It does not mention specialty wine shops but, as many so-called bottle shops already exist, I am confident there will also be room for small, speciality wine merchants.

The LCBO will continue to be the sole retailer of spirits, and a wholesaler to the many more retailers, which will quadruple Ontario’s numbers to more than 8000. It will give (if that is the word) retailers a 10% reduced wholesale price until January 2026, with an ongoing wholesale price to be determined thereafter. I am not in the wine business, but a 10% margin does not sound like it will be palatable for very long to the big players.

Anyway, there will be a massive shift in how things are done in this province, but there are more questions than answers on the process and details at the moment. One unanswered question is whether the LCBO as the wholesaler will still be the selector and purchaser of the wines, or whether individual retailers will have autonomy to select products they want to sell. Without this autonomy the whole idea of expansion of choice — which the Ford government trumpets so loudly — will be a sham.  

It also remains to be seen how committed the LCBO will remain to retailing wine overall, especially with high-volume, low-end products going to convenience stores and grocery. I suspect they will try to keep Vintages going for awhile, perhaps even the Flagship store concept. But it must eventually succumb to such huge private competition. Looking to B.C. as a jurisdiction where this hybrid public/private model is well down the road, the government BCLDB stores are now a sorry remnant, while a system combining wine boutiques, big box, supermarket and winery retail is flourishing, selling a huge array of wines at all price points.

Here are our picks from the May 25 release, plus some recently tasted Vintages Essentials (available in most stores) set out in increasing price order.

Buyer’s Guide May 25: Whites

Gérard Bertrand Terroir Picpoul De Pinet 2022, Languedoc, France
$18.95, Family Wine Merchants
Sara d’Amato – A variety rarely seen outside of the south of France and Catalonia in Spain, Bertrand’s Picpoul consistently delivers excellent value and typicity. Light and bright with a distinctive chalky minerality along with fleshy peach, lime and a touch of passion fruit that mark the palate. An appealing tension is balanced by a touch of viscosity. A raw seafood-ready white to add to your summer wine canon.

Kew Vineyards Marsanne 2020, Ontario, Canada
$19.95, Arterra Wines Canada
Sara d’Amato – Marsanne is a rarity in Ontario, a grape whose origins are in France’s northern Rhône Valley where it is often blended with roussanne. A pleasant surprise, this Beamsville Bench-grown expression features honeysuckle, mineral, slivered almonds, yellow apple and lemon. Perfectly ripe, distinctive but not showy, and a notable value.
Megha Jandhyala – This golden-hued marsanne from Ontario is an uncommon treat. I love its beguiling, creamy texture, ethereal sweetness, and subtle perfume — a melody of white flowers and ripe citrus and stone fruit.
David Lawrason – This captures the exotic, lemon-orange, herbal/minty notions of the grape very well, with a sort of marmalade sweetness and bitterness. It is medium-full bodied, a touch sweet, but balanced by alcohol warmth and bitterness.

Wegeler Slate Mosel Trocken Riesling 2022, Mosel, Germany
$26.95, Signature Wines & Spirits Ltd.
Sara d’Amato – From afourth-generation family run winery who focuses on riesling alone grown throughout the Rheingau and Mosel. This relatively dry Mosel expression holds the designation of Gutswein, the entry level in the hierarchy of the VDP wines, which a member-based organization that promotes and classifies top wines from vineyards of importance in Germany. This nervy find is balanced by an oily viscosity and a touch of petrol yet remains quite light and energetic.

Land Of Hope Reserve Chenin Blanc 2022, Stellenbosch, South Africa
$27.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
David Lawrason – This is a classic, robust and ripe South African chenin. The nose is packed with melon, honey, linden and waxy notes — very complex. It is fleshy and rich with a hint of sweetness. Yet there is a mineral core and warmth that keeps the balance.
Megha Jandhyala – This is a ripe and fleshy yet even-keeled chenin blanc, with delicious flavours of sweet apples, pears and tangerines, and a refreshingly bitter grapefruit-infused finish. As a bonus, not only is this wine vegan-friendly but the Land of Hope is part of a staff-empowerment project wherein half of the proceeds support employees and their families.

Pierre Sparr Mambourg Pinot Gris 2021, Alsace, France
$28.95, Profile Wine Group (Du Chasse)
David Lawrason – This is a very aromatic an exotic pinot gris with lifted, exotic, almost gewurztraminer-like notes of orange blossom, ginger, honey and spice. It full bodied, off-dry, notably thick and warm — almost into late harvest territory. Flavours are intense and drenching. Chill fairly well and pair with a soft ripened cheese.

Charles Baker Riesling Vinemount Ridge 2021, Ontario, Canada
$44.95, Stratus Vineyards
David Lawrason – There is a sense of the pristine, exacting balance and tension that riesling does so easily, but here it is all magnified somehow, with extra flavour dimensions added. Expect lifted apple/pineapple aromas with classic lemon, evergreen and oyster shell minerality. It is light to mid-weight and essentially dry but tucked in by a hint of residual sugar. The intensity and length are excellent.
Megha Jandhyala – This is a lush riesling, richly textured, brimming with sweet orchard and stone fruit, yet balanced by bright acidity. I would serve this with spice-infused, opulent, slightly sweet curries like paneer makhani or khao soi for a truly symbiotic pairing.

Venetsanos Santorini 2022, Santorini, Greece
$54.95, Le Maitre de Chai
Sara d’Amato – This premium assyrtiko is sourced solely from Venetsanos’ Giannas vineyard on the windswept island of Santorini. There are no signs of oak spice, just pure fruit with a palpable tension and little winemaking adornment save a light, four-month batonage in stainless steel, showcasing the wine’s volcanic origins.  A touch austere but not insubstantial. Expect further intrigue with continued bottle maturation.

Buyer’s Guide May 11: Reds

Catena Cabernet Sauvignon High Mountain Vines 2021, Mendoza, Argentina
$23.95, Noble Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.
Sara d’Amato – A high-elevation cabernet sauvignon exhibiting the poise I commonly associate with left-bank Bordeaux. Perfectly mid-weight with very gentle and well-integrated oak treatment, notes of graphite and violet along with firm tannins and plenty of freshness. Best to decant before service or pair with salty protein. Vintages Essentials.

Jordan Jardin The Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa
$27.95, Abcon International Wine Merchants Inc.
David Lawrason – Jardin is the North American trade name for a Stellenbosch winery elsewhere called Jordan, after owners Gary and Kathy Jordan. This is a complex, energized and quite intense cabernet showing classic coolish Cape fruit, herbs and minerality. It is medium-full bodied, juicy, intense yet elegant. Once again South Africa over-delivers.

A To Z Wineworks Pinot Noir 2022, Oregon, USA
$29.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
David Lawrason – A to Z offers an economical face to Oregon pinot noir. It lacks some of the depth and complexity of more premium bottlings but captures the same ripe fruit charm and flesh. The nose is fairly generous with raspberry/cherry jam, fine nutmeg and vanillin. It is medium weight and fairly soft, even a touch sweet-edged. The tannins are silky soft. Chill lightly. Vintages Essential.

Zephyr Pinot Noir 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand
$29.95, Rogers & Company
Megha Jandhyala – From north-facing slopes in the Southern Valleys in Marlborough comes this ripe and supple yet fresh and balanced pinot noir. I really like the generous flavours of plump strawberries and red plums and the subtle oak influence. Chilled lightly, it should make for a delicious and refreshing summer red.

Bachelder Bator 20% Whole Cluster Vieilles Vignes Gamay Noir Cru 2021, Ontario, Canada
$29.95, Lifford Wine & Spirits (Select Wine Merchants)
David Lawrason – Single vineyard specialist Thomas Bachelder is elevating the Beaujolais grape’s reputation in Niagara. From an old vine site in Niagara-on-the-Lake, comes a very pale yet flavourful and enticing edition that features lifted florals, red fruits plus a touch of pepper and earthiness. It is light-bodied, warm, sour-edged and juicy with very fine tannin. Great summer red!

Hart Of The Barossa Ye Brave Shiraz 2021, South Australia
$29.95, Insider Wine
David Lawrason – Sourced from one of the oldest organically farmed sites in Barossa, est. 1902, this is an elegantly rendered, very pure, smooth and almost beguiling shiraz with beautiful mulberry/plum and floral notes inlaid with fine oak and just a hint menthol. It is almost creamy yet quite delicate with a very fine tannin weave.
Megha Jandhyala – The Ye Brave is the most striking wine that I tasted from this release. From the longest-standing organic vineyard in the Barossa Valley, it is a potent, bewitching shiraz, saturated with lush, dark, succulent fruit, while distinctly herbal aromas of menthol and mint and finely integrated oak flavours add dimension. At under $30, I would buy a couple of bottles of this wine for my cellar!

Kapemort Averno Aglianico 2021, Campania, Italy
$27.95, The Case For Wine
Sara d’Amato – I’m enamoured by this salty, stoney, crunchy, full-bodied aglianico from Campania’s Irpinia DOC, a growing region that encompasses the northeastern portion of the Avellino province. A particularly peppery style with surprising freshness despite its full-bodied nature. An excellent introduction to this venerated southern Italian grape variety.

Taltarni Pyrenees Victoria Shiraz 2019, Victoria, Australia
$32.95, PV W&S
David Lawrason – Taltarni was founded in 1977, one of the pioneering wineries in the less well known Pyrenees region of Victoria. There is a sense of red-soiled minerality in the wines that comes across here. Expect classic cran-cherry fruit, pepper, well-integrated herbs and finely tuned barrel spice. It is fairly firm and streamlined with some tannic grit. Nicely poised but needing a couple of years.
Sara d’Amato – This is exactly how I like my shiraz — with cool-climate influence contributing to a potent aromatic profile. You’ll find a dash of black pepper, licorice root, pine needle, violet and graphite marking the nose. Refreshing acids contrast the relatively high alcohol resulting in a full-bodied but not heavy mouthfeel. Due to a stylish bit of reduction, along with a screw-cap closure, the wine exhibits plenty of youthful vigor.

On Sale at Bloor/Royal York Flagship Store (sale prices may not apply elsewhere):

Below we feature some interesting, highly rated wines that are currently significantly marked down by Vintages.

On Sale: South Africa

Iona One Man Band Red 2018, Elgin, South Africa
$36.25, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Was $35.25, now $25.45  – DL 93, five reviews to low 89.  Available in at least 10 Flagship Stores.

Stark Condé Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, South Africa
$28.75, Vonterra
Was $28.75, now $20.20    Limited availability in a handful of stores.

Radford Dale Black Rock 2020, Swartland, South Africa
$29.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Was $29.95, now $21.05   MG 93, JSz 90   Available in most Flagship stores

On Sale: Australia

St. Hugo Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro 2021, South Australia
$39.95, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited
Was $39.95, now $28.05   Five WA scores from 92 to 90.   Under 100 bottles in seven flagship stores.

Knappstein The Insider Shiraz/Malbec 2020, South Australia
$24.95, Churchill Cellars Ltd.
Was $24.95, now $17.55   Good availability at 68 stores.

Rob Dolan White Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Yarra Valley, Australia
$26.95, ROY + CO. SELECTIONS INC.
Was $26.95, now $18.95    89s from WA   Some availability at 15 stores

Peter Lehmann The Barossan Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, South Australia
$20.95, Philippe Dandurand Wines Ltd.
Was $20.95,  now $14.75   90 DL  Good availability at 161 stores

Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 2020, South Australia
$21.95, Azureau Wines & Spirits
Was $21.95, now $15.45   Good availability at 142 stores

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2021, South Australia
$23.95, Family Wine Merchants
Was $23.95, now $16.85  WA scores from 90 to 87   Good availability at 192 stores

Mitchell Watervale Riesling 2022, South Australia
$21.95, Lifford Wine & Spirits (Select Wine Merchants)
Was $21.95, now $15.45   DL 90

Grosset Springvale Riesling 2021, South Australia
Was $43.25, now $30.35   SD 93

On Sale: Greece

Vassaltis Santorini Assyrtiko 2022, Santorini, Greece
$58.75, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Was $58.75, now $41.20   Four WA scores from 94 to 92

Ktima Gerovassiliou Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Macedonia, Greece
$35.75, Le Maitre de Chai
Was $35.75, now $25.10

On Sale: Sweet

Selbach Oster Noble R Riesling Beerenauslese 2018, Mosel, Germany
$40.75, Noble Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.
Was $40.75, now $28.50   WA: three 94s, one 93

Château Clos Haut Peyraguey 2017, Bordeaux, France
$43.75, Tradesa Corp.
Was $43.75/375ml, now $30.65

And that’s a wrap for this edition. We return in two weeks with a look at the larger, “regular” June 8 release. – David Lawrason

Use these quick links for access to all of our Top Picks in the New Release. Non-Premium members can select from all release dates 30 days prior.
Lawrason’s Take
Megha’s Picks
Sara’s Selections

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