Top Values at the LCBO (April 2018)

Your Guide to Best Values, Limited Time Offers & Bonus Air Miles selections at the LCBO
Spring Bargains Bloom
by Steve Thurlow

Steve Thurlow

Steve Thurlow

After last month’s mega delist discounts, things are somewhat back to normal in April. Those delisted wines from last month flew off the shelves and have now all cleared from inventory. I know, from the many emails that I received, that many of you picked up armfuls of those wines.

This month there are some major discounts (Limited Time Offers) on current listings. So it is still a great time for value shopping at LCBO.

There are an unprecedented 21 new wines on my Top50 Best Values List this month. So be sure to go and look at the entire list if you don’t find what you need among the 12 wines that I highlight below.

Among the top values in today’s report:

  • Ten wines that joined the Top50 this month.
  • All 12 wines score 87 or more points
  • Many big discounts, the biggest is $3.00
  • Two great value sparkling whites that are heavily discounted

The current promotional period runs until April 29th 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.

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Top Value Reds

Mezzomondo Negroamaro 2015, Salento, Puglia, Italy ($7.95 was $9.95) This is a flavourful, fragrant midweight red from Puglia made from the indigenous negroamaro grape. Expect a harmonious nose and a midweight and quite supple palate with the fruit well supported by some mature tannin. Very good length. A very drinkable versatile red meat wine for a good price.

Fuzion Alta Reserva Malbec 2015 Mendoza, Argentina ($9.45 was $10.95) This 100% malbec delivers quite a lot of elegance, structure and depth of flavour for a wine under $10. Expect aromas of red and black cherry fruit with tea and herbal notes, mild oak spice and a hint of prune. It is smooth and quite rich, medium-full bodied with good to very good length.

Mezzomondo Negroamaro 2015Fuzion Alta Reserva Malbec 2015

Beronia Elaboracion Especial Tempranillo 2014 Rioja, Spain ($13.90 was $16.90) A soft fruity typical Rioja with fine aromas. It is midweight and very juicy with a velvety smooth red berry fruit palate that’s finely balanced with very good length. Supple tannins and lemony acidity give structure for food. Very versatile. Try with meat and cheese dishes.

Santa Carolina Reserva De Familia Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Maipo Valley, Chile ($16.95 was $19.95) VINTAGES Essentials – The wine is an opaque purple and quite elegant though still very youthful with fine aromas and flavours. It is tightly wound and needs to be in a decanter for an hour before consumption now or cellared for another year or two. Best 2019 to 2025. Try with roast red meats or mature cheddar.

Beronia Elaboracion Especial Tempranillo 2014Santa Carolina Reserva De Familia Cabernet Sauvignon 2015Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2013

Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2013, Douro Superior, Portugal ($16.15 was $18.15) A wonderful perfumed nose entices one to taste and the smooth palate soon beguiles with the sweet blackberry fruit finely balanced by soft creamy acidity. Finely balanced with no heat from the 20% alcohol. Enjoy on its own or with dried fruits and nuts.

Top Value Whites

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier 2017 Colchagua Valley, Chile ($9.95 was $10.95) This is a light to midweight, very aromatic white with the fruit well balanced by vibrant acidity. Great focus and very good length with a long fruity finish. It is excellent value. Enjoy on its own lightly chilled with party nibbles or at the table with poultry dishes or sauteed seafood.

La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Luberon 2017 Rhone Valley, France ($10.95 was $12.45) This is a rich lively white that has a lovely fragrant nose. 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.

Spier Signature Chardonnay 2017 Western Cape, South Africa ($11.95) This is lovely lightly oaked fresh pure chardonnay with a creamy rich palate. It is finely balanced with very good length. Enjoy with roast poultry or rich seafood dishes.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier 2017La Vieille Ferme Côtes Du Luberon 2017Spier Signature Chardonnay 2017

Mionetto Il Prosecco Frizzante Veneto Italy ($10.95 was $13.95) This bubbly 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.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava Spain ($13.95 was $15.45) This bubbly is always great value with its 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.

Mionetto Il Prosecco FrizzanteSegura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava

Strewn Two Vines Riesling Gewurztraminer 2016, Niagara-on-the-Lake, VQA Ontario ($11.95 was $12.95) This is a rich almost full bodied white that works so well with slightly spicy Asian style cuisine. Expect a fragrant nose and a creamy palate that is a little sweet but well focused with very good length and balance. Chill well.

Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand ($17.95) The 2017 is a lovely, very typical Marlborough sauvignon with a complex appealing nose of lemon and guava fruit with warm dried herbal notes of lavender and thyme plus dried hay. It is dry, midweight and juicy with the fruit nicely balanced with fresh mouthwatering acidity. Very good to excellent length.

Strewn Two Vines Riesling Gewurztraminer 2016Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2017


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

Steve's Top 50 Value WinesToday’s report pulls best buys from Steve’s Top 50 which is a standing WineAlign list based on quality/price ratio of the 1600 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 Thurlow

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

Editors Note: You can find our complete critic reviews by clicking on any of the wine names, bottle 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!


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