Top Values at the LCBO (May 2018)

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

Steve Thurlow

There are eleven wines on the Top50 discounted this month; some by as much as $3. Also seven wines joined the Top 50, so there is much for me to write about this month.

I have selected twelve wines to highlight from my Top50 Best Values List.

Among the wines in today’s report about the Top50 :

7 wines that joined the Top50 this month.
Two lovely Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand on promotion.
All 12 wines score 87 or more points.
Many big discounts, the biggest is $3.00
One Ontario VQA wine
One wine with 10 Bonus Air Miles

The current promotional period runs until May 25th 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

Argento Seleccion Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Mendoza, Argentina ($9.45 was $10.95) New to Top50: This is nice spicy cabernet for a great price with a fragrant nose and a palate that is soft and juicy. It is midweight with good to very good length. Some firm tannins on the finish make it a good red for grilled meats. Quite a lot going on here for the money.

Fuzion Alta Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Mendoza, Argentina ($9.45 was $10.95) New to Top50: This soft and flavourful wine is well structured for a good price. The nose shows black cherry fruit with lemon and jammy notes with some herbal hints. It is midweight and juicy with the fruit well balanced by fine tannin and soft acidity. Very good length. Try with pizza and meaty pasts sauces.

Luccarelli Primitivo 2016, Puglia, Italy ($9.50 was $11.00) – The grape primitivo is called zinfandel in USA. Expect aromas of black berry fruit with prune, violets and sweet herbal notes. The palate is midweight with a degree of elegance and is well balanced by vibrant acidity and soft round tannin. Good to very good length. Try lightly chilled with a BBQ meats.

Carmen Reserva Premier Carmenère 2016 Colchagua Valley, Chile ($10.55 was $12.55) New to Top50: I love the fresh aromatic nose on this wine that leads to a pure fruity, vibrant palate that has the impression of lightness though it is full bodied. There is some complexity with spice, cedar and tobacco in the mix. Well balanced and juicy with good to very good length. Try with grilled meats.

Big Bill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Western Cape, South Africa ($10.95 was $12.95) New to Top50: This is a well-priced nicely structured pure cabernet with typical Cape minerality making it seem very fresh. It is an opaque purple red with fresh aromas and a full bodied palate that is very smooth and finely balanced with mild tannin and lovely lemony acidity giving a zesty tang to the finish. Very good length. Try with a steak.

Montecillo Reserva 2011, Rioja, Spain ($14.95 was $17.95) – Classic packaging for a classic wine with an elegant palate that is midweight, finely balanced and lively with very good length. It is mature and dry with some savoury notes to the dried fruit flavours. Try with grilled lamb cutlets.

Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Region De Aconcagua, Chile ($16.95 was $19.95) New to Top50: An elegant cabernet that is full bodied and solid with mouthwatering acidity and soft tannin. Very good length, with the dry, dark chocolate toned fruit persisting well. Try with a rare steak or lamb cutlets.

Top Value Whites

Trapiche Reserve Pinot Grigio 2016 Argentina ($10.45 was $11.95) – This is a lovely, very drinkable, pure white wine with delicate aromas with a palate that has a good depth of flavour and is quite creamy with some fruit sweetness and richness though it finishes dry with very good length. Try with creamy pasta sauces.

Santa Carolina Chardonnay Reserva 2016, Leyda Valley, Chile ($10.95 was $12.95) – This is a delicious, hardly oaked, chardonnay with a beautiful creamy lively palate. There are many chardonnays at twice this price that are not as complete. It is rich and creamy on the palate with lovely soft lemony acidity which keeps it feeling light. It finishes dry with very good to excellent length. Try with white meats, creamy cheeses and seafood. Don’t overchill.

Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand ($18.10 plus 10 BAMs) – This is a lovely, very typical Marlborough sauvignon with a complex appealing nose. It is dry, midweight and juicy with the fruit nicely balanced with fresh mouthwatering acidity. Very good to excellent length. Try with seafood.

Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand ($14.95 was $16.95) New to Top50: This is a lovely creamy sauvignon with aromas of passionfruit, lemon and hay. The palate is rich and smooth with the fruit well supported by lemony acidity. Very good length. Good focus and a fine balance with a lingering dry finish. Try with roast chicken.

Spier Signature Chardonnay 2017, Western Cape, South Africa ($12.30 plus 6 BAMs) – This is a rich lightly oaked pure chardonnay with a creamy smooth palate. It is well balanced with very good length. Expect delicate aromas of ripe pear and mango fruit with some spice and herbal notes.

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!