The best international bottles of white wine from the LCBO
The best of the best from Europe and beyond
Anselmi 2015 San Vincenzo
$16.95 | Veneto, Italy | 88 points
One of the most popular and affordable soave-like white blends, the Anselmi San Vincenzo comes from Italy’s northeast and combines aromas and flavours of ripe peach, almond, lemon and herbs. It’s mid-weight, bright, fruity and exuberant. Vintages Essentials 948158
Bollini 2015 Pinot Grigio
$17.95 | Trentino, Italy | 88 points
Bollini has produced a very fruity young pinot grigio (more so than most pinot grigios from Italy) with generous poached pear, yellow plum, grapefruit and honeysuckle florality. Despite the ripeness, this vintage is lively and a touch spritzed with alcohol warmth. Chill well before serving. LCBO 951319
Boschendal 2015 Chardonnay
$15.10 | Western Cape, South Africa | 88 points
From one of the oldest and grandest estates on the Cape (established 1685), this fruit-first chardonnay displays ripe yellow pear, pineapple and lemon, subtle toast, cedary complexity and gentle nutmeg spice. It’s medium- to full-bodied, warm and generous. LCBO 367698
Susana Balbo 2016 Crios Torrontés
$13.95 | Mendoza, Argentina | 88 points
Torrontés is the intensely perfumed signature variety of Argentina. This example is a salad of lemongrass, grapefruit, lime peel and persimmon. It’s medium bodied, very lively with a hint of youthful spritz, juicy acidity and some alcohol heat. Vintages Essentials 1834
Pierre Sparr 2015 Gewurtztraminer
$17.15 | Alsace, France | 88 points
From Alsace, the homeland of the perfumed gewurztraminer grape, comes a classic interpretation of the wine, offering intense lychee nut, lavender and ginger aromas. It’s full-bodied, vaguely sweet and a bit soft with warmth and spice on the finish. Chill well before serving. LCBO 373373
Goats Do Roam 2015 White
$12.10 | South Africa | 89 points
This well-priced buy blends grapes of the southern Rhône Valley—viognier, roussanne and grenache blanc. The unoaked aromas show complex, exotic lemongrass, starfruit, underripe apricot, fennel and honeysuckle florality. It’s medium weight, rich and warming with bitter lemon and spice. LCBO 237313
Kim Crawford 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$19.95 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 89 points
The immense popularity of this wine is warranted, given the quality of this vintage. Its clean, lifted aromas consist of passion fruit, lemongrass, cut green pepper and grapefruit. It’s medium weight, balanced, crisp and juicy with a little sweetness. Vintages Essentials 35386
Brotte 2015 Esprit Barville Cotes Du Rhone
$15.15 | Rhône Valley, France | 89 points
This bright, exotic and very well-priced southern Rhône blend shows viognier’s distinctive notes of spice and star anise in the foreground, with floral honeysuckle, underripe pineapple and lemon in the backdrop. It’s medium weight and fresh. LCBO 449199
Boisset 2014 Bourgogne Les Ursulines Chardonnay
$19.95 | Burgundy, France | 89 points
Boisset has delivered a refined, modern burgundy chardonnay with ripe yellow apple and pear aromas set amid oak clove and vanillin, along with a hint of butter. It’s mid-weight, fleshy with fine acidity and a spicy, apple pie finish. Great for sipping. LCBO 459974
Astrolabe 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$22.95 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 90 points
This is a fine, energetic, well-balanced New Zealand sauvignon with intense aromas of grapefruit, lime, green pepper, dill and evergreen character. It’s nicely even, firm and crunchy with mouth-watering acidity. There’s excellent length and focus. Vintages Essentials 10421
Drouhin Vaudon 2015 Chablis
$23.95 | Burgundy, France | 90 points
This elegant chardonnay shows subtle aromas of baked, spiced apple, fresh bread crust, light flint and wet stone. It’s light- to mid-weight, smooth yet refreshing with fine acid and alcohol balance, warmth and grapefruit bitterness. A good choice for sipping. LCBO 284026
Kendall-Jackson 2014 Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay
$19.95 | California | 90 points
This vintage of the popular chardonnay stands out for its mellow and even-handed styling. Fine acidity and alcohol balance out the touch of sweetness. Expect well-meshed apple, pineapple, oak and butterscotch. Vintages Essentials 369686
Saint Clair 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$17.35 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 90 points
There’s great value in this bright, energetic and full-flavoured sauvignon, with very lifted, complex lemongrass, fresh mint, dill, grapefruit and passion fruit aromas. It’s mid-weight, with a little spritz, lively acidity, a wisp of sweetness and excellent length. LCBO 237255
 with generous poached pear, yellow plum, grapefruit and honeysuckle florality. Despite the ripeness, this vintage is lively and a touch spritzed with alcohol warmth. Chill well before serving. LCBO 951319
Boschendal 2015 Chardonnay
$15.10 | Western Cape, South Africa | 88 points
From one of the oldest and grandest estates on the Cape (established 1685), this fruit-first chardonnay displays ripe yellow pear, pineapple and lemon, subtle toast, cedary complexity and gentle nutmeg spice. It’s medium- to full-bodied, warm and generous. LCBO 367698
Susana Balbo 2016 Crios Torrontés
$13.95 | Mendoza, Argentina | 88 points
Torrontés is the intensely perfumed signature variety of Argentina. This example is a salad of lemongrass, grapefruit, lime peel and persimmon. It’s medium bodied, very lively with a hint of youthful spritz, juicy acidity and some alcohol heat. Vintages Essentials 1834
Pierre Sparr 2015 Gewurtztraminer
$17.15 | Alsace, France | 88 points
From Alsace, the homeland of the perfumed gewurztraminer grape, comes a classic interpretation of the wine, offering intense lychee nut, lavender and ginger aromas. It’s full-bodied, vaguely sweet and a bit soft with warmth and spice on the finish. Chill well before serving. LCBO 373373
Goats Do Roam 2015 White
$12.10 | South Africa | 89 points
This well-priced buy blends grapes of the southern Rhône Valley—viognier, roussanne and grenache blanc. The unoaked aromas show complex, exotic lemongrass, starfruit, underripe apricot, fennel and honeysuckle florality. It’s medium weight, rich and warming with bitter lemon and spice. LCBO 237313
Kim Crawford 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$19.95 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 89 points
The immense popularity of this wine is warranted, given the quality of this vintage. Its clean, lifted aromas consist of passion fruit, lemongrass, cut green pepper and grapefruit. It’s medium weight, balanced, crisp and juicy with a little sweetness. Vintages Essentials 35386
Brotte 2015 Esprit Barville Cotes Du Rhone
$15.15 | Rhône Valley, France | 89 points
This bright, exotic and very well-priced southern Rhône blend shows viognier’s distinctive notes of spice and star anise in the foreground, with floral honeysuckle, underripe pineapple and lemon in the backdrop. It’s medium weight and fresh. LCBO 449199
Boisset 2014 Bourgogne Les Ursulines Chardonnay
$19.95 | Burgundy, France | 89 points
Boisset has delivered a refined, modern burgundy chardonnay with ripe yellow apple and pear aromas set amid oak clove and vanillin, along with a hint of butter. It’s mid-weight, fleshy with fine acidity and a spicy, apple pie finish. Great for sipping. LCBO 459974
Astrolabe 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$22.95 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 90 points
This is a fine, energetic, well-balanced New Zealand sauvignon with intense aromas of grapefruit, lime, green pepper, dill and evergreen character. It’s nicely even, firm and crunchy with mouth-watering acidity. There’s excellent length and focus. Vintages Essentials 10421
Drouhin Vaudon 2015 Chablis
$23.95 | Burgundy, France | 90 points
This elegant chardonnay shows subtle aromas of baked, spiced apple, fresh bread crust, light flint and wet stone. It’s light- to mid-weight, smooth yet refreshing with fine acid and alcohol balance, warmth and grapefruit bitterness. A good choice for sipping. LCBO 284026
Kendall-Jackson 2014 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
$19.95 | California | 90 points
This vintage of the popular chardonnay stands out for its mellow and even-handed styling. Fine acidity and alcohol balance out the touch of sweetness. Expect well-meshed apple, pineapple, oak and butterscotch. Vintages Essentials 369686
Saint Clair 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
$17.35 | Marlborough, New Zealand | 90 points
There’s great value in this bright, energetic and full-flavoured sauvignon, with very lifted, complex lemongrass, fresh mint, dill, grapefruit and passion fruit aromas. It’s mid-weight, with a little spritz, lively acidity, a wisp of sweetness and excellent length. LCBO 237255){kind=link}