Inky dark in color with a vibrant black berry nose … On the mid palate the wine displays some lovely black plum flavors, quite rich … On the medium length finish the wine displays some lovely vibrant acidity and tannins that slightly overwhelm the fruit, and some noticeable pepper. Depending on how you prefer your wines, it may need some breathing/aging. Nice and dry. This is definitely leaning more towards a more serious rather than a fruit forward merlot. Be careful what you serve it with, it’s got some peppery bite. I would give this an -88 I’ll probably go back and get some more. From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$20.95 VINTAGES#: 36984

Product Details

The 2018 Merlot captivates with a mix of black cherries and plums complemented by exotic spices and dusty rose. This is a vibrant and round expression, lifted by juicy acids, and with cocoa and clovetinged red berries that give way to balsam herbs toward the close. There are so many layers here, and yet the 2018 comes across as accessible and pleasurable already. Nuanced tannins linger, as the 2018 finishes long and perfumed with blue and purple-tinged florals. Drinking window: 2023-2028. Score – 91. (Eric Guido, vinous.com, April 21, 2022)

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• Release Date September 21, 2024
• Made In Friuli,
• Varietal Merlot

I noticed this Grillo in the general list and thought I’d give it a whirl … Pale straw in color with a mild citrus nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some apricot notes along with some citrus … On the lighter side of medium in length the citrus notes come through. This wine is noticeably sweet, too much so for my tastes. I would give it an 87 or so … Won’t be rushing back to get more in spite of the price … Check stock

$13.55 LCBO#: 30947

Product Details

Made from 100% Grillo grapes this juicy Sicilian beauty reveals aromas of apricot and peach complemented by sun-ripened citrus notes. Fresh, with intense fruit and light acidity this fuller-bodied wine is well-balanced with an elegant finish. Enjoy paired with seafood, vegetables and pasta dishes.

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• Alcohol/Vol12.5%
• Made InSicily, Italy
• Sugar Content7 g/L
• VarietalGrillo

Pale salmon in color with a nice citrus nose … On the mid palate the wine displays some lively citrus and some mild strawberry notes. On the mid palate the citrus notes linger nicely gripping the tongue. If this was only a pinot grigio it would be a lively complex one, but they left it in contact with the skins to give it the light salmon color. Nice and crisp and dry … I enjoyed it. I would give it an -88. A nice wine, but to my tastes it leans more to a white than a rose perse … From the LCBO web site, check stock: If you want to read more about Ramato wines … check out this article.

$19.95 VINTAGES#: 11173

Product Details

Your eyes do not deceive you; this is in fact a pink Pinot Grigio. ‘Ramato’ wines are made by leaving the pinkish skins of this Pinot clone to soak with the juice. Striking a balance between a rosé and an orange wine, this 2023 shows flavours of peach and strawberry, with aromas of freshly picked iris and a hint of beeswax. Served slightly chilled.

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• Release Date August 24, 2024
• Alcohol/Vol 13%
• Made In Friuli, Italy
• Sugar Content 3 g/L
• Varietal Pinot Grigio

Dark in color with a red berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some softer fruit notes, pretty much immediately overwhelmed by the finish … On the finish the wine displays some dark chocolate notes, firm tannins and acidity. This might be a little young, but all in all the fruit it quite subdued. I would give it an 87 or so … There was next to no information on the LCBO site, I bought it largely because I generally enjoy Montepulciano’s. If I had more I’d probably return them … Disappointing would be the best adjective I can come up with … I expect more. Check stock on the LCBO web site.

$18.95 VINTAGES#: 36661

“Back in the day” Billy’s best bottles use to go through the general list at the LCBO to find the hidden gems … I have been less than successful at finding good, general list, repeatable reds … until … Dark in color with a nice mild red berry nose. On the mid palate this is a spot on varietal Chianti classico, lots of tomato notes, cherries and the like. On the medium length finish the wine packs a nice punch with lovely crisp tannins and acidity … nice and dry. Yum … A great deal for the price …

$18.15 LCBO#: 31752

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The Sangiovese grape is the cornerstone of winemaking in Tuscany. This Chianti Classico, made from 100% Sangiovese, is vibrant and food-friendly. The aromas of mocha, red cherry, and savoury herbs are reiterated on the palate. The medium-bodied structure and balanced acidity allow for diverse food pairing options.

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• Alcohol/Vol 13.5%
• Made In Tuscany, Italy
• Sugar Content 2 g/L
• Varietal Chianti

Mental biases can get in the way … and sometimes you don’t even know where they came from … Ya this is one of those … Cannonau is Italy’s name for Grenache (also known as Garanacha in Spain), and for whatever reason I have this mental memory of a fruity, jammy fruit bomb, and I have no clue where it came from … But I bought this one anyway … Dark in color with a nice cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine delivers big bold black fruits, black cherries and the like along with some mocha. On the medium length finish it delivers with a nice bit of tannins and acidity … nice and dry! Hopefully this is me on the way to retraining my brain 😉 I would give this an -88 or so. Quite nice. From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$19.95 VINTAGES#: 425488

Product Details

Cannonau is the Sardinian name for that darling Mediterranean grape, Grenache. This traditional version has complex flavours of plum, wild berries, leather and spice. Enjoy with grilled lamb or beef kebabs, or osso buco.

Cannonau is the Sardinian name for that darling Mediterranean grape, Grenache. This traditional version has complex notes of flowers, red fruit, blood orange, tobacco and leather. Enjoy with grilled lamb or beef kebabs, or osso buco.

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• Release Date April 1, 2023
• Alcohol/Vol 14%
• Made In Sardinia, Italy
• By Sella & Mosca
• Sugar Content 4 g/L
• Varietal Grenache

Inky dark in color with a nice red berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays lots of vibrant fruit, tomatoes, cherry, mocha and dark chocolate. On the longer side of medium in length this is a BIG wine with lots of full bodied tannins, and vibrant acidity, especially without food … Super dry! This wine is a lot more complex than some Chianti Classicos, and for a Riserva the fruit has lots of oomph to stand up to the longer aging. Wow, definite yum. For the price this is a good deal, I would give it an 88+, if you buy it now, and don’t like big bold wines, you may want to wait for a bit, likely a couple years, otherwise decant it. but it ought to keep a good while too .. I bet easily 2-5 years. From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$24.95 VINTAGES#: 11109

Product Details

This has intense spice and and floral character, with violets, bell peppers, morello cherries, cloves and tomato leaves on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with sleek tannins. Dense and compact palate. Some walnut notes at the end. Try after 2023 [through 2026+]. Score – 93. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 26, 2023)

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• Release Date November 4, 2023
• Alcohol/Vol 14%
• Made In Tuscany, Italy
• By Vintages Front Line Release
• Sugar Content 2 g/L
• Varietal Chianti

Slightly golden in color with an odd solvent nose. On the mid palate the wine display lovely crisp acidity, firm green apple notes, some nice tartness and the solvent notes continue. On the medium length finish the wine displays lively acidity and nice dryness. The solvent notes are quite off putting, I would give this an 87 at best, and honestly, if I had more I would return it. From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$16.95 VINTAGES#: 17702

Product Details

Clear, pale gold. Fruity nose coupled with candy tones. The palate is lightly styled, easy-drinking and soft with more of the same, very accessible aromas. Score – Gold. (Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge, 2022)

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• Release Date August 19, 2023
• Alcohol/Vol 12.5%
• Made In Sicily, Italy
• By Vintages Front Line Release
• Sugar Content 2 g/L
• Varietal Grillo