Buyer’s Guide to Vintages December 20th Release
Cramming for Christmas
By David Lawrason, with notes from John Szabo MS, Michael Godel, Sara d’Amato and Megha Jandhyala
We tasted a day early, gathered our picks a day early, and wrote and proofed this newsletter a day early — all so we could publish three days earlier than normal and give you more time to shop before everything comes to a halt on December 24. The pace really picks up in these last few days before Christmas, with so much to do.
Some folks stress during the Christmas cram. I actually love this period — getting things done, feeling the buzz out there on the street and in the stores, where everyone seems in a cheery mood, despite being harried. Finally, the Christmas carols everywhere do not seem out of place.
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LCBO stores are bound to be crammed over the next few days as well, but it will be interesting to see where overall “traffic” lands at year end, as alcohol sales fall (which we will undoubtedly discuss another time). And as Ontario consumers buy more and more alcohol from the big-box stores, supermarkets, convenience stores and bottle shops. This year, 2025, was the first full year of much wider distribution. How much retail business the LCBO has done compared to all other years, will surely point to its future path.
What’s certain is that the road ahead will not be led by LCBO president and CEO George Soleas, who has announced his retirement for January 31, 2026. “With a modernized beverage marketplace in place, it feels like the right time for me to retire and begin a new chapter,” said Soleas. He had been with the LCBO for 30 years, with the last ten as CEO. The interim president and CEO will be Aaron Campbell — he is currently chief of staff and VP, corporate affairs, strategy and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Vintages has taken one last fling at getting more wines on the shelves just before the holidays. It is a decent-sized release of just over 100 products, but the majority of wines are in the priced-to-move $18-to-$25 range. As a natural consequence, many of our scores are in the 80s, which does not mean they are poor wines. We found a slew of good-value buys to get you through the holidays and a handful of fantastic more expensive reds for those last-minute gifts.
Another feature for this month is John Szabo’s recent article on the wines of Roero, Devilishly Good Wine .
Sparkling Wines
(Psst, don’t forget to look at our Fizz Guide as well.)
Antech Cuvée Françoise Brut Nature Blanquette de Limoux, Languedoc, France,
$22.95 Noble Estates Wines & Spirits
Sara d’Amato –Limoux is thought to be the birthplace of sparkling wine in France, purported to be made by the monks at the abbey in Saint-Hilaire in 1531. Here, the local mauzac grape must account for at least 90% of the blend. This cuvée is a pure, 100% expression, crafted in the traditional method. It’s a dry, lively and elegantly composed sparkling. Subtle autolytic notes, bright acidity and a fine, creamy mousse make it as engaging in the glass as it is artful on the label.
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There are 19 other Vintages recommendations this week that are currently only available to our premium members. This complete article will be free and visible to all members 60 days after publication. We invite you to subscribe today to unlock our top picks and other Premium benefits
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Use these quick links for access to all of our December 20th Top Picks in the New Release. Non-premium members can select from all release dates 60 days prior.
John’s Top Picks – December 20th
Lawrason’s Take – December 20th
Michael’s Mix – December 20th
Sara’s Selections – December 20th
Megha’s Picks – December 20th
And that’s a wrap for the last edition of 2025. It has been a very busy and gratifying year for all of us at WineAlign, and we look forward to keeping the pace in 2026. But that may be hard to do as we say goodbye to our beloved Sarah Goddard who retired the moment she hit “send” on this newsletter. She has been more than a manager. She has been our glue and calming spirit.
We thank you our readers for your support and wish you all the best of the season and an excellent 2026. We return to review Vintages January 10 release.
David Lawrason
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