Top Values at the LCBO (May 2017)

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

Steve Thurlow

Many deep discounts and a new delist make this a great month for value at LCBO, with twelve wines joining my Top 50 Best Values List. You have just under four weeks to take advantage of these prices. Don’t hesitate, since some of the delisted wines will sell out, no doubt, in the next couple of weeks.

This month’s featured wines include:

Seven wines heavily discounted; one by over $4
All 12 wines score 88 or more points
One VINTAGES Essential
Nine wines for less than $12
Three VQA wines from Ontario and
One wine, new to LCBO from South Africa, that jumps straight on to the Top 50.

The current promotional period runs until June 18th, 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. However there is one delisted wine that will soon be gone.

Top Value Reds

Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Merlot 2014, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario ($11.75 was $15.95) New to Top50, Delisted – This is a clean juicy well balanced red blend with a good depth of flavour and a fine structure. Expect aromas of red and black cherry fruit with some earthy and herbal notes. The fruit is ripe but not overripe with fine balancing acidity and dry fruity tannic finish. Try with a steak. Over 1800 bottles remain.

Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Mendoza Argentina ($11.95 was $13.95) New to Top50 – A ripe, but not overripe, cabernet with a delicate and harmonious nose. It is medium to full bodied with soft fruit, mild tannin and fine balance. It is almost dry with a lingering finish. Quite classy for the money.

Piqueras Black Label Old Vines Garnacha 2014, Almansa, Spain ($11.95) New to Top50 – A stately fullbodied youthful Spanish red with lifted aromas of ripe blackberry fruit with white pepper, sweet basil and hints of oak spice. It is very juicy and seems light due to the vibrant acidity. It finishes dry with very good length. Try with a steak.

Beronia Elaboracion Especial Tempranillo 2014, Rioja, Spain ($13.95 was $16.95) New to Top50 – This midweight and very juicy red has 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.

Trapiche Pure Malbec 2015 Mendoza Argentina ($13.95 was $15.95) New to Top50 – This is a pristine unoaked malbec that is a pure unstructured complex red that is dry and did not need oak to be complete. It is very juicy, exuberantly youthful and fresh. Try with roast meats; would be great with a sautéed duck breast.

Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage 2011, Douro Superior, Portugal ($16.15 was $18.15) New to Top50 – A rich powerful port with complex aromas and flavours. It is full bodied with sweet blackberry fruit balanced by soft acidity. The considerable alcohol (20%) is balanced on the finish. Very good length. Try with hard mature cheese and dark chocolate.

Top Value Whites

Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2015, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario ($11.95 was $13.95) New to Top50 – This is a zesty sauvignon that is midweight and vibrant with just a touch of fruit sweetness on the finish to balance the acidity. Well balanced. Very good length. Try with sautéed seafood.

Crios Torrontés 2016, Argentina ($11.95 was $13.95) New to Top50, VINTAGES Essential – This is a very typical torrontés with fragrant tropical fruit aromas and flavours with a palate that is fruity and well balanced. It will suit mildly spicy Thai cuisine or enjoy on its own.

Strewn Two Vines Riesling Gewurztraminer 2015, VQA Niagara On The Lake, Ontario ($11.95 was $12.95) New to Top50 – A well extracted rich full bodied white ideal with slightly spicy Asian style cuisine. It is full bodied and a little sweet but well focused with very good length and is finely balanced. It finishes dry.

Spier Signature Chardonnay 2016 Western Cape, South Africa ($11.95) New to LCBO; New to Top50 – 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.

Goats do Roam White 2015, Coastal Region, South Africa ($11.95) New to Top50 – This is a blend of three whites grapes, all of which originate in the Rhone Valley in France. It is aromatic with a good depth of flavour; quite classy considering its price. Enjoy as an aperitif with pastry nibbles or try with roast poultry.

Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2015, Leyda Valley, Chile ($11.95) New to Top50 – This is a complex ripe sauvignon with a palate that is rich and creamy maybe just a little too sweet and a tad flabby but it finishes dry with a long lingering finish.

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 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!