But they’re all discounted until Nov. 7, making them even better value.
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them → discount → Nov.
Whether you’re planning a dinner party, starting holiday shopping early or just looking for something delicious for a Tuesday night, these great wines earn a place in your basket.
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wines → plan → basket
Crémant is sparkling wine made using the traditional method — like Champagne — and this one hails from Burgundy.
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one → make → Burgundy
Made from hand-picked Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay and Aligoté, the pale liquid is threaded with tiny bubbles that burst on the surface, releasing aromas of almond tart and roasted Granny Smith with a touch of white cherry.
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that → make → cherry
The attack is bright and fresh, followed by a delicate dance of orchard fruit, brown sugar and butter pastry that gives way to hints of nutmeg and marzipan.
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that → follow → nutmeg
2024 Citra Sistina Pecorino Terre d’Abruzzo IGT, Italy
Score 92
(LCBO 30960, $13 till Nov. 7, reg. $15)
If you like racy, dry whites, Pecorino is a grape variety to know.
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Pecorino → like → whites
It’s quite fashionable right now.
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It → ’ → ?
And it can be undervalued, which is the case here.
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which → undervalue → ?
Scents suggest lemon zest and green apple with coy restraint.
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Scents → suggest → restraint
Then, it slips in tasting vibrant and steely — a piercing beam of light that broadens and unfurls with sheer layers of jasmine, sea spray, lemon and pear, with a cool minerality, too.
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that → slip → minerality
This mid-weight white works with almost anything you care to serve, but it’s brilliant with fried fish.
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it → work → fish
Score 90
(LCBO 38882, $16.95 till Nov. 7, reg. $19.95)
Having these 200-mL piccolos on hand makes it easy to enjoy a couple glasses of bubbly without committing to a bottle — or feeling the pressure to do so.
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it → have → pressure
The entry is light and lively while the flavours echo the aromas.
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flavours → echo → aromas
Since it’s “extra dry,” which means slightly sweeter than “brut,” it works especially well with salty foods such as cured meats or crostini topped with sautéed mushrooms and thyme.
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it → ’ → mushrooms
Private Selection Old Vines Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
Score 92
(LCBO 507442, $15 till Nov. 7, reg. $17)
Malbec can range from austere expressions to full-blown fruit-bombs.
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Malbec → range → bombs
It maintains a certain dignified composure while offering impressive mid-palate stuffing.
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It → maintain → stuffing
Then, the wine glides in with a velvety allure and flawless balance.
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wine → glide → allure
Flavours lean into damson plum, wild blueberry and blackberry edged with graphite and black pepper.
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Flavours → lean → graphite
There’s a suave, understated appeal here that makes it seem almost Old World in style.
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it → ’ → style
The wine doesn’t linger long but keeps you sipping.
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wine → linger → you
2022 Toro Bravo Oak Selección Cabernet Sauvignon-Monastrell D.O. Yecla, Spain
Score 90
(LCBO 36043, $11.90 till Nov. 7, reg. $13.90)
Black cherry and blackcurrant aromas lead to a surging rush of seamless vinosity.
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aromas → lead → vinosity
The result is a red that’s easy-drinking, full-bodied and round, with each sip tapering to a textured, chalky-cherry finish.
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sip → ’ → finish
Even at full price, you could pay more for less.
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you → pay → less
This isn’t a flashy wine, but it delivers honest value and works very well with braised meat dishes or just a nibble of firm cheese.
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it → deliver → cheese
CAROLYN’S PICK OF THE WEEK
2024 Frescobaldi Tenuta Castiglioni Tuscany IGT, Italy
Score 93
(Vintages Essential 145920, $20.95 till Nov. 7, reg. $23.95)
This beautiful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese is stylishly well put together without being showy or overdone.
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blend → put → Sauvignon
Each glassful exudes a deep, heady perfume: black cherry and crème de cassis, laced with oregano and white pepper — all in perfect harmony.
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glassful → exude → harmony
Then, a cashmere crush of fruit drenches the palate and cascades with complexity, while retaining lift and elegance.
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crush → drench → lift
This smart Super Tuscan from a historic, 700-year-old estate puts you in Italy.
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Tuscan → put → Italy
And it’s a dinner party waiting to happen.
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it → ’ → ?
The Aporia
