LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD’S GENERAL LIST BARGAINS.

Wine enthusiasts in Ontario like to complain about high prices of L C B O’s general list products. Most conveniently forget that this large monopoly is the only legal distributor of alcoholic beverages in the province and wields considerable purchasing power.
When the recession hit the market in 2008, the L C B O management was quick to realize that prices must be kept at current levels, and preferably lowered to keep the population buying and consuming.
This prompted L C B O buyers to renegotiate prices and lean on wineries and their agents  to lower their quotes which most suppliers agreed on.
As a result of this astute decision, L C B O has been able to maintain, and in many cases, lower prices.
Here are some general list wines that represent good to excellent value:
White wines:
Torrontes, La Puerta, Argentina Super fruity and floral in aromas. Light, smooth and very appealing.  An excellent bargain.
88/100
Debroi Cuvee, Hungrovin, Hungary Aromatic, light, well balanced and suitable as an aperitif or light fish and chicken dishes.
88/100
Grillo, 2008, Feudo Arancio dry, aromatic, balanced medium-weight wine good for light foods.
87/100
Dry Riesling, 2009, Vineland Estates, Ontario Apple/pear aromas waft out of the glass. Light and very appealing.
88/100
Pinot Blanc, 2009, Konzelmann, Ontario Smooth, well made, and balanced wine good for all types of light preparations.
87/100
Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Caliterra, Chile Offers typical gooseberry aromas and citrus flavour. Medium-weight with low acidity. Suitable for white-fleshed, sautéed pan-fried fish or cream cheeses, or pasta salads with lemon and olive oil dressing.
88/100
Unoaked Chardonnay, 2009, Coyote’s Run, Ontario fruity, balanced, well-made and medium-bidied.
88/100
Ghost Creek Vineyard Riesling, 2009, Hillebrand Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Fragrant, with typical petrol aromas, light, elegant, and refined.
88/100
Red Wines:
Vista TR, 2006, Alianca, Portugal an excellent wine to pair with beef stews, medium rare cooked steaks, hard cheeses, spaghetti Bolognese, even pizzas.
89/100
Max Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008, Errazuriz, Chile From the Aconcagua Valley in northern Chile this very well made and flavourful wine is very enjoyable with deeply flavoured dishes. Ready to enjoy but can be cellared for a few years.
89/100
Nero d’Avola Reserva, 2008, Cusumano, Sicily Nero d’Avola is the most popular red wine grape variety in Sicily. It offers good fruit, full-body and balance.
87/100
Solaz Tempranillo, 2007, Bodegas Osborne, Spain made exclusively using the famous tempranillo grapes of Spain this medium-bodied wine is fruity, balanced, with layers of flavours in the mouth.
88/100
Mille Lire Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, 2009, Casal Thaulero, Italy Montepulciano is this region’s most important red grape variety. It yields soft, fruity, full-bodied wines that can be enjoyed with a variety of foods. This is a particularly well-made version.
88/100
Monastrell, 2008, Bodegas Castano, Spain Monastrell (mourvedre in France) is a very popular grape variety in Mediterranean coastal regions. This varietal wine from Jumilla is dark, brilliant, and smells of ripe stone fruits, full-bodied, smooth with a long aftertaste. Suitable for deeply flavoured dishes,
88/100
Malbec,2009, P. Toso, Argentina malbec originally from France, yields in Argentina’s Mendoza region exceptional wines. This wine from one of the large wineries in Mendoza is dark red, with straightforward fruit, full body and deep flavour.. Enjoy with beef of game stews, hard cheeses, or charcuterie.
Grao vasco, 2007, Dao, Portugal the region located just south of the Douro Valley is well known for its fragrant red and white wines. This is a fine example of Dao’s medium-bodied red wines suitable for a range of meat dishes, including sausages and pates.
87/100
Meien Encosta, 2007, Dao, Portugal another fine red wine from Dao offering fine stone fruit aromas. Full bodied with an excellent acid backbone, this balanced wine is suitable for roast pork, or roast lamb, roasted root vegetables, and kebabs.
88/100
Yellow Tail Shiraz, Casella Winery This family-owned and operated winery is the second largest of Australia and produces 12 million cases of Yellow Tail. It is the most popular Australian red wines in the U S A and continues to grow in sales.
The biggest virtue of this Australian red is its consistency achieved through masterful blending from wines of eastern Australian regions.
87/100