The best new bottles at the LCBO in February
The LCBO is constantly adding new products to its shelves. We tasted our way through the new releases and put together a guide to the best new booze of the month. Here’s what to look for on store shelves in February.
Fortified wine
Dillon’s Vermouth Batch 5
$19.95 | Ontario
This vital negroni or manhattan ingredient is tasty enough to sip on its own, with ample floral flavours, red fruit and spice. LCBO 571133
Burmester 10-Year-Old Tawny Port
$29.95 | Portugal
There’s plenty of wow factor here, with burnt cherry and toasted orange peel, and plenty of spice and acidity. But the kicker is the chocolate-walnut finish that lasts long on the palate, and in the memory. LCBO 223958
Sparkling wine
Ferrari Brut Sparkling
$24.95 | Italy
It’s not a new-release, per se, but one of the best traditional-method bubblies to come out of Italy is back in stock, and it’s worth re-filling the cellar. LCBO 352153
Red wine
2016 Monterra Cabernet Sauvignon
$19.95 | Australia
Some wines are meant to be enjoyed immediately—like this one. It’s brimming with juicy cassis, cherry and strawberry flavours, and it’s perfect for entertaining. LCBO 12835
2016 Black Sage Vineyard Shiraz
$31.95 | British Columbia
This bottle straddles the shiraz/syrah border with its rich mocha-vanilla richness, plus spice, pepper and ripe black fruits. LCBO 11818
2017 Tuck Beckstoffer the 75 Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon
$37.95 | California
From the son of legendary Napa Valley grower Andy Beckstoffer comes a perfect bottle to enjoy right now, or save for a special occasion a few years down the road. It’s packed with plush cassis, strawberry and cherry, mated with balanced acidity. LCBO 13692
2017 Torbreck Old Vines Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre
$24.95 | Australia
Torbreck wines are always worth snapping up and this one is no exception, with its plethora of raspberry, mocha, spiced cherry and cinnamon flavours. LCBO 10223
2015 Trentham Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
$24.95 | Australia
Sparkling wines, chardonnay and, especially, pinot noir thrive in the cool climate of Tasmania, and it’s easy to see from this bottle why the island off the coast of Australia is generating so much buzz. LCBO 12845
2017 Laurent Perrachon et Fils Terres Roses Moulin-a-Vent
$19.95 | France
Moulin is a good jumping off point for newcomers to cru Beaujolais. This bottle has rich cherry and white pepper flavours that linger long after the final sip. LCBO 11877
2015 Carpineto Riserva Chianti Classico
$28.95 | Italy
Riserva chianti is aged longer than standard chianti, and those from 2015 can be cellared even longer. The tannins are still aggressive, but there is lots of red and black fruit to back them up, along with hints of smoke, good acid backbone and a touch of cedar on the finish. LCBO 47118
2017 Garzón Estate Cabernet Franc/Tannat
$16.95 | Uruguay
A really solid wine from Uruguay isn’t often seen around here. This one offers tobacco and spice with cassis, blackberry and black pepper—a fun one to have guests guess where it’s from. LCBO 12651
2016 Beringer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
$59.95 | California
This up-and-coming Napa cab starts off slow, but the palate grabs hold with flavours of sweet black cherry, chocolate, cedar and just the right amount of spice. LCBO 91058
2013 Il Poggone Brunello di Montalcino
$72.95 | Italy
2013 is a difficult vintage for Tuscany, so finding a Brunello that deserves its price tag is a challenge, but this one delivers with dried fruit, mocha, cedar and spice along with toasted nuts and herbal notes. LCBO 551176
White wine
2016 Cuvée Joseph Talmard Mâcon Chardonnay
$16.95 | France
Talmard already has a reputation for great bargain Burgundy, and here’s another staggeringly good value, with delicate peach, apricot and lime notes. But what makes this one truly exciting is the array of apples it has on the mid-palate. LCBO 392712
2017 Le Riche Chardonnay
$19.95 | South Africa
South Africa and Chardonnay don’t seem to roll off the tongue like you would expect, but this one is going to surprise you with its notes of apple and pear plus the vanilla cream finish. LCBO 12431
2018 Dominio de Punctum Pomelados Orange Wine
$16.95 | Spain
The aromas and flavours are floral and citrus, but the added tannin from the skin contact makes the finish taste a little like cold tea. LCBO 12119
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