Category Archives: Best Buys

Recommended wines considering the price, usually under $25, where it’s from, the winery and the varietal.

RIVAROSE BRUT PRESTIGE SPARKLING ROSÉ, NV, IGP Méditerranée, Salon-de-Provence, France

24 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $19.95
Grape: Grenache & Syrah
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Méditerranée, Salon-de-Provence
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rivarose
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Pleasant, fresh off dry sparkling that’s a perfect as an aperitif. Score: 91/100.

Tasting Note: Light copper in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast, strawberry, raspberry, pink grapefruit, apricot, peach, clementine, thyme & orange blossoms on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “RIVAROSE is the oldest and largest producer of sparkling wines in the Mediterranean. Founded in 1909, the house markets its wines all over the world, including its eponymous product, a true ambassador of the bubbles of the south of France.” Winery

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years on its own or pair it with Alabama Beef Ribs.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: July 23, 2022

LCBO: 515288

VENTOUX GRANDE RÉSERVE DES CHALLIÈRES 2020, AOC Ventoux, Southern Rhône, France

19 Tuesday Jul 2022

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $12.40 (Sale price until July 17, 2022: $10.40)
Grape: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Ventoux, Southern Rhône
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bonpas
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.


Best under $13 red I’ve tried to date. Smooth, elegant, light to medium body, nice balance of fruit & light spice. Score: 93/100.

Tasting Note: Light to medium ruby in colour with good acidity & medium intense nose, soft tannin & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, raspberry, mulberry, black olives, thyme, baby spinach & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “The south-facing slopes of Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse, which rises to 1,912 meters covering almost 6,700 hectares. The terroir is made of Limestone and marly scree.” Winery

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with wooden oven pizza.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing Buy, Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 18, 2022

LCBO: 20865

CABRIZ ROSÉ 2020, DOC Däo, Portugal

13 Wednesday Jul 2022

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Rosés

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $13.95
Grape: Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region: Dão
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cabriz
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.


On a blind I would say this was from Provence, but I would be wrong. Beautifully made showing vibrant fruits & crispness all at a great price. Score: 92/100

Tasting Note: Light cooper in colour with good acidity & medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Pink grapefruit, raspberry, Dragon Fruit, watermelon, white peach & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in a couple of years on its own or pair it with barbecued chicken skewers

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing Buy & Best Buy

Tasted: July 11, 2022

LCBO: 30445

CHÂTEAU DE VAUGELAS LE PRIEURÉ 2019, AOP Corbières, France

10 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $15.95
Grape: 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 25% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Corbières
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bonfils Vins & Château
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Top notch Corbières; fruity & spicy. Score: 95/100

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, blueberry, mulberry, plum, licorice, black & white pepper, fennel, olives, leather & violets on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: New label for my favourite Corbières, although I prefer the previous one as it was more classic. See my review of their 2016 vintage.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with PENNE ALLA VODKA Sautéed prosciutto with caramelized onions and tossed in a rosé sauce from Fat Cat Pizza restaurant St. Catharines.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 9, 2022

LCBO: 154617

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY GASTRONOMY UNFILTERED SHIRAZ 2020, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada

08 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, Winery Review Series

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $24.95
Grape: Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Not complex but well-made wine at a great price that features dark fruit & spiciness. Score: 95/100

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with foaminess around the perimeter, good acidity, medium+ intense nose, round tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Mulberry, plum, tamarind, black & white pepper, vanilla,

Negatives: Should be labelled Syrah not Shiraz as it’s not styled in the Australian way.

Interesting Point: The foaminess, which looks like soap, doesn’t seem to affect the wine & expect it’s due to the wine being Unfiltered. From Dr. Vinny from Wine Spectator: “Foam, and bubbles in general, are caused when the surface tension of water is decreased, which is how soap creates so many bubbles. Let’s assume that there isn’t soap in your decanter (but you should be sure you are rinsing them out thoroughly, just to be certain). That means there is something in the wine itself that is affecting the surface tension of the wine or the rinsing water.

There are two sources of surface-tension reduction in wine. The first is a protein that’s present in tannins. I tend to notice the foam phenomenon much more often in red wines than in whites, and there are more tannins in reds. Alcohol (ethanol) also has an effect on surface tension. So, you can expect a tannic, high-alcohol wine to yield the most foam among still wines.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with Ribeye Steak.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 7, 2022

CHÂTEAU LA VARIÈRE CABERNET D’ANJOU CUVÉE DU ROSSIGNOL 2020, AOP Cabernet D’Anjou, Loire Valley, France

01 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Rosés

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $15.99 CI
Grape: Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: Cabernet D’Anjou, Loire Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Château La Varière
Alcohol: 11.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A simple but pleasant semi-sweet rosé. Score: 87/100

Tasting Note: Pale copper in colour with medium acidity, medium nose & an average length on the finish. This wine features: Peach, Anjou Pear, papaya, lemon drop on the finish & orange blossom on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in a couple of years on its own or pair it with spicy foods.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: July 1, 2022

PEDRONCELLI CHARDONNAY 2017, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States of America

28 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $18.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States of America
Region: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pedroncelli
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.

Probably the smoothest, beautifully Cali made Chard I’ve ever tried, & this is not a complex wine nor a high-end Chard. Lastly, it’s under 14% alcohol. Score: 97/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon meringue, mango, Honey Crisp apple, clementine, peach, honeydew melon, dill, nutmeg, light oak spice, vanilla, honeycomb & Easter Lily on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I find that Dry Creek Valley wines are one of my favourite with white or red wines.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years on its own or pair it with New England Lobster Dip

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: June 27, 2022 & April 3, 2023

JOSEPH DROUHIN MÂCON-LUGNY LES CRAYS, AOC Mâcon-Lugny, Burgundy, France

21 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $18.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: Mâcon-Lugny, Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Maison Joseph Drouhin
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Fresh and light with a very pleasant aftertaste. Score: 90/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach, red apples, ginger, limestone & white flowers on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Aged in stainless steel vats for 6-8 months. Normally I would use a Chablis style glass, but I found that the Montrachet style worked better as it didn’t have a bitter peach pit taste.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 2-3 years on its own or pair it with vegetable & prawn wok

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 18, 2022

TORRESELLA ROSÉ PROSECCO NV, DOC Prosecco, North East Italy

18 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $23.99 CI
Grape: Glera, Pinot Nero
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: Italy
Region: North-East Italy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Torresella
Alcohol: 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.

An excellent wine to pair with Asian foods. Score: 90/100

Tasting Note: Pale copper in colour with good acidity, a low intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberry, tangerine, Pink Lady apples & spun sugar.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “The glera off the skins for 7–8 days at a temperature of 16 °C, and the pinot nero on the skins for 6–7 days. The cuvée is assembled just before second fermentation and the percentage of pinot nero may vary from 10 to 15% depending on the vintage. The second fermentation and subsequent resting on the lees require at least 60 days in order to obtain a fine, persistent bead and more stable colour over time.” (Winery)

Pairings: Drink this now or in 2-3 years on its own or pair it with Bibimbap Bulgogi beef, marinated shitake mushrooms, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, topped with a sunny side egg.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 14, 2022

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2021, Padthaway, Clare Valley, Australia

11 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $16.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: Padthaway, Clare Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Wakefield
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Nice balance between unoaked & oaked Chard with a price that hard to beat for the quality. Score: 92/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon-limes, green apples, peach, pear, pineapple, mango, orange peel, dill & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I like the temperature gage on the back label that helps people to get the correct temperature to drink this wine. 1st time I’ve seen that on a wine label.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with butternut squash soup.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 9, 2022

LCBO: 711556