Steve’s Top 50 at LCBO – Feb 2014

Steve Thurlow

There are many additions to my Top 50 list this month. Let me tell you about a few of them. I have been tasting the latest vintages of wines on LCBO shelves and have discovered that a few are better than previous vintages. Moreover, two of these wines have jumped onto my list due to their improved quality.

There’s one Ontario VQA wine on sale at present at the LCBO with a discount that propelled it onto the list and sadly one of my favourites has been discontinued and consequently is on clearance for a steal until it is all sold out. Check them out below and then use WineAlign to search your local store and print your list from the Top 50. With your shopping list in hand, you’ll be equipped with lots of good wine, while saving some dollars.

Thanks to WineAlign’s inventory tracking, I can assure you that there are decent stocks available of all the wines below. (By registering with your postal code, you can find the inventory at your closest LCBO store). Here’s a list of seven great value bottles with the price at your local LCBO.

The Reds

Pelee Island Lighthouse Cabernet Franc 2011
Ontario VQA, $10.95 until March 2nd was $11.95

Pelee Island continues to improve its grip on this variety that does so well in this part of Canada. A lively fruity midweight red with modest tannin and vibrant acidity. The nose shows mild red berry aromas with a hint of smoke, raspberry jam and tobacco. The palate is juicy and well-balanced with very good length. The finish is fruity with some chewy tannin. Enjoy with roast beef. Best 2013 to 2016.

Trapiche Malbec Reserve 2012
Mendoza, Argentina $11.95

A fruity structured wine with intense flavours and good balance that is suited for fine dining with robust roast meats despite its modest price. Expect aromas of fine black cherry, with forest floor accents, mild oak spice, and some herbal notes for freshness. Medium bodied and juicy with soft mature tannin well-integrated acidity delivering a gentle velvety smooth palate. Good to very good length.

Trapiche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Mendoza, Argentina $11.95

This is an opaque cabernet with a delicate nose showing none of cabernet’s greenness. Expect aromas of blackberry fruit with some subtle oak spice, dark chocolate and a hint of black olive. It finishes dry with the fruit balanced by acidity and fruit. Very good length. Try with a steak. Best 2013 to 2016.

The Whites

Trapiche Broquel Chardonnay 2011
Mendoza, Argentina delisted now $8.45 was $11.95

This is a delicious chardonnay with very little oak showing on the nose since only a small proportion of it was matured in French oak barriques. Expect aromas of melon and baked apple fruit with some spice and toffee notes. It is a big wine and quite rich with a nice creamy texture and lots of flavour. Good focus and very good length. Try with roast poultry, roast pork or fish and chips. About 1000 bottles remain.

Santa Carolina Chardonnay Reserva 2012
Casablanca Valley, Chile $11.95

A delicious lightly oaked chardonnay with a creamy lively palate. Expect aromas of melon, oak spice and lemon with mild caramel notes. It is very smooth on the palate with soft acidity which keeps it feeling light. It finishes dry and a little bitter with very good length. Try with white meats, creamy cheeses and seafood. Don’t overchill or you might miss the good stuff.

Carl Reh Riesling Kabinett 2012
Mosel, Germany $11.95

An elegant well-balanced off dry riesling with pear melon aromas toned by some mineral notes with hints of custard. It is midweight and very fruity with firm racy acidity and very good length. It finishes firmly with apple lemon acidity with just enough sweetness for balance.

Goats Do Roam White 2012
Western Cape, South Africa $11.95

The Goats white is a blend of three whites grapes, all of which originate in the Rhone Valley in France. It is an aromatic white with loads of flavour and a touch of class. Expect aromas of apple and pasty with orange and white peach fruit with some floral and spicy notes. It is medium-full bodied with nice balancing acidity and good length. Very good length. Enjoy as an aperitif with pastry nibbles or try with roast poultry.

There are another 43 wines on the Top 50 list so if you did not find all you need above for your current needs dip into the Top 50 LCBO and Vintages Essentials wines. There will surely be something inexpensive that suits your taste.

There are about 1,500 wines listed at the LCBO that are always available, plus another 100 or so VINTAGES Essentials. At WineAlign I maintain a list of the Top 50 LCBO and VINTAGES Essentials wines selected by price and value – in other words, the best least expensive wines. The selection process is explained in more detail below, but I review the list every month to include newly listed wines and monitor the value of those put on sale for a limited time.

How I Choose the Top 50

I constantly taste the wines at the LCBO to keep the Top 50 list up to date. You can easily find all of my all Top 50 Value Wines from the WineAlign main menu. Click on Wine =>Top 50 Value Wines to be taken directly to the list.

To be included in the Top 50 for value a wine must be inexpensive while also having a high score, indicating high quality. I use a mathematical model to make the Top 50 selections from the wines in our database. Every wine is linked to WineAlign where you can read more, discover pricing discounts, check out inventory and compile lists for shopping at your favourite store. Never again should you be faced with a store full of wine with little idea of what to pick for best value.

Once you have tried a wine, you can use the ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ to agree or disagree with our reviews. Or better yet, you can add your own review and join our growing community of user reviewers. If you find that there is a new wine on the shelf, or a new vintage that we have not reviewed, let us know. It is very easy to do this. Click on Update This Wine or send an email to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.

When I compiled the Top 50 this month, twelve wines joined the 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 LCBO and Vintages Essentials Wines

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