Great Wines Under $25

Waxy & Floral

Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.

This wine starts with an abundant and complex nose - white peach, citrus, sweet white flowers and a stitch of white pepper dominate. The palate follows the nose closely, with a clear lemon/lime and peach freshness, leading to a very long and lingering off dry finish of white flowers and Jolly Ranchers.

With the little bit of residual sugar in the wine, it makes a great match for foods with a bit of heat. Spicy curries, Guaitiao (Thai noodle soup), Shrimp with noodles, or Chicken Masala with mango chutney for example. Leaner white fish like bass, pickerel, red snapper served with a fresh salad of greens with citrus segments makes a great summertime match. Creamy fresh cheeses like Brie, Camembert, or Crottin all are great, while classic Germanic foods like weisswurst, pretzels, and spaetzle also work well.

Fresh & Mineral - The Pinot Grigio Killer

Wines from Soave are made with the local grape Garganega. Cantina Tessari has its vineyards in the volcanic hills above il Castello di Soave, which is the original - or 'Classico' - wine growing area in Soave, the best vines are located here.

Tessari’s golden straw coloured Grisela is the backbone of the vineyard; a delicious entry level wine that is meant to be enjoyed on any occasion. Melba toast, elderflower and chamomile aromatics fill the glass with a notable mineral quality. The taste of crushed seashells dance on your tongue with a fun duo of stone fruit and citrus. The finish is refreshing with balanced acidity.

Grisela is excellent as an aperitif. Perfect with light appetizers, rich Italian seafood, risotto with black squid ink or on its own.

Tropical & Fresh

Husband and wife duo Ilya and Nadia started Leaning Post winery in Niagara over 10 years ago. Initially a virtual set up, the winery now located on Highway 8, has become a reference producer in Niagara.

At Leaning Post they like Sauvignon Blanc to reflect their unique terroir and this wine shows it in spades. They picked early to preserve the beautiful mango, passionfruit, and gooseberry aromatics that we all love about the grape. The palate has a fresh acidity with notes of kiwi, gooseberry, and passionfruit as well as a pleasant flinty finish.

Elegant & Crisp

Château Haut Grelot is located near the Gironde Estuaire, north of the town of Bordeaux. Haut Grelot has been making wine and taking great care of their vineyards since its establishment in 1920!

This is a classic Bordeaux blend: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon & 5% Muscadelle. It's a floral, crisp and elegant wine that offers exotic fruit aromas: grapefruit, gooseberry and wild herbs that intermingle with ample citrus fruit on the palate. It has a generous weight, roundness and a perfect balance that let's you savour every drop.

Perfect to drink by itself or pair with seafood, chicken, fresh salads and cheese boards.

Creamy & Fresh

3XP (Trois-X-P) - Pearce | Predhomme | Pender - is a small-production Niagara Peninsula Chardonnay collaboration between négociants Nicholas Pearce & Will Predhomme with vigneron Paul Pender. 

The 2020 Chardonnay is sourced from a few different vineyards that follow various sustainable farming practises; including organic and biodynamic farming.

We strive to show the delicacy, tension, & purity of expression of Ontario-grown Chardonnay with this small-production collaboration.  Brilliant straw colour, youthful, light-intensity aromas of white peach, green apple, citrus, with delicate integrated subtle lees. Bright lemony acidity on the palate, round mouthfeel, & refreshing. A clean, fresh, & distinctly Ontarian-style Chardonnay.

Ideas for pairing 3XP? This rich Chardonnay calls for all shades of seafood and fish: spaghetti with clams and tons of parsley, halibut, crab cakes... or even pork tenderloin! It's also wonderful as an apéro wine.

Textured & Mineral

A collaboration between Nicholas Pearce and Will Predhomme to create wines from their favourite regions. This Chenin is made from old bush vines grown in decomposed granite/quartz on the Helderburg (Clear Mountain), in the southwestern-most corner of Stellenbosch.

Behold, Chenin Blanc! The most widely planted varietal in South Africa simply shines in this charming expression from Stellenbosch. Sourced from old vines and naturally fermented, expect elegant notes of white peach, lemon and tangerine with an underlying layer of crisp yellow apple. Bright and fresh on the palate, but with good depth and concentration, this wine is ready to drink now but will also cellar nicely for the next 2-3 years.

This Chenin Blanc pairs perfectly with all kinds of fresh seafood; and also with tartare. Smoked salmon or trout would also be delicious next to a glass of this old vines Chenin. Its rich texture makes it suitable to be paired with goat cheese, roast chicken and butternut squash.

Zesty & Mineral

Keint-He Winery & Vineyards is a boutique winery located in Prince Edward County. The winery has a strong focus on varietals that are typically grown in Burgundy, specifically Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; through which they truly express the best of the County with wonderful individual expressions. Keint-He’s approach to winemaking is as down-to-earth as it gets and their quality is second to none.

This is a blend of Chardonnays grown in three separate estate vineyards.  The nose shows a light breadiness along with ‘wet stone’ minerality. Mid-range acids. A permeating mouth feel, without being syrupy. A palate of lemon drop with healthy limestone derived minerality. Very clean.

For food pairings, the wine goes great with raw seafood like oysters, sushi, or moules frites!

Creamy & Fresh

3XP (Trois-X-P) - Pearce | Predhomme | Pender - is a small-production Niagara Peninsula Chardonnay collaboration between négociants Nicholas Pearce & Will Predhomme with vigneron Paul Pender. This wild ferment Chardonnay is 100% certified organic & biodynamic and is produced with minimal intervention.

We strive to show the delicacy, tension, & purity of expression of Ontario-grown Chardonnay with this small-production collaboration.  Brilliant straw colour, youthful, light-intensity aromas of white peach, green apple, citrus, with delicate integrated subtle lees. Bright lemony acidity on the palate, round mouthfeel, & refreshing. A clean, fresh, & distinctly Ontarian-style Chardonnay.

Ideas for pairing 3XP? This rich Chardonnay calls for all shades of seafood and fish: spaghetti with clams and tons of parsley, halibut, crab cakes... or even pork tenderloin! It's also wonderful as an apéro wine.

Mineral & Zesty

Husband and wife duo Ilya and Nadia started Leaning Post winery in Niagara over 10 years ago. Initially a virtual set up, the winery now located on Highway 8, has become a reference producer in Niagara.

Vintages like this really epitomize what Ontario Chardonnay is all about! The nose bursts with lemon curd, pear, green apple, peach and freshly baked bread. Mineral and wet stone dominate the palate, with a background of cream, honeydew and almond in the background, all tied together with bracing, crisp acidity. This wine will age well for the next 5-8 years.

Enjoy with brie, sole meuniere, and lemon-roasted chicken.

Intense & Mineral

Keint-He Winery & Vineyards is a boutique winery located in Prince Edward County. The winery has a strong focus on varietals that are typically grown in Burgundy, specifically Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; through which they truly express the best of the County with wonderful individual expressions. Keint-He’s approach to winemaking is as down-to-earth as it gets and their quality is second to none.

Super ripe fruit has resulted in a nose consisting of intense nectar, followed by dried apple and pear characteristics. In addition to striking minerality, the palate also shows preserved stone fruits and a distinct richness.  The wine is off dry with acids and sugars expressing themselves in balanced harmony.

Zesty & Fruity

Keint-He Winery & Vineyards is a boutique winery located in Prince Edward County. The winery has a strong focus on varietals that are typically grown in Burgundy, specifically Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; through which they truly express the best of the County with wonderful individual expressions. Keint-He’s approach to winemaking is as down-to-earth as it gets and their quality is second to none.

This crushable summer-sipper is a blend of 43% Gewürztraminer, 43% Riesling and 14% Pinot Gris. The nose shows soft citrus, with a grapefruit focus. The palate is very clean with very approachable lemon and grapefruit flavours. It's an off-dry white, perfect to pair with aperitifs and spicy Thai cuisine.

Zesty & Mineral

Husband and wife duo Ilya and Nadia started Leaning Post winery in Niagara over 10 years ago. Initially a virtual set up, the winery now located on Highway 8, has become a reference producer in Niagara. 

The 2018 Riesling is the epitome of what makes bench Riesling great. It shows beautiful lemon, lime, and stone fruit aromas with a touch of honeysuckle followed but intense minerality. The palate replays the nose with some added honeydew melon and spice all balanced by crisp acidity with a fresh finish reminiscent of fallen leaves. The wine will age well for the next decade. 

Rieslings are great to pair with spicy Indian and Asian cuisines and do excellently alongside duck, pork, bacon, shrimp and crab.

Zesty & Mineral

Keint-He Winery & Vineyards is a boutique winery located in Prince Edward County. The winery has a strong focus on varietals that are typically grown in Burgundy, specifically Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; through which they truly express the best of the County with wonderful individual expressions. Keint-He’s approach to winemaking is as down-to-earth as it gets and their quality is second to none.

This Chardonnay is made from fruit grown in the Wismer Vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula. The nose exhibits wet stone and minerality. The mouth is clean, fresh and shows a rounded minerality. Evidence of a well integrated 10 months in French oak barrels.

Textured & Mineral

When Michel Muré settled in Rouffach and planted his vineyard in the 17th century, he surely had little conception of the beautiful adventure that he was setting in motion for his descendants. In 1935, Alfred Muré extended the property with the addition of the 12-hectare (25-acre) wholly owned Clos Saint Landelin, foreseeing already its potential for exceptional quality. He replanted the terraces, ideally situated with their sunny exposure and shelter from the rain.

Nowadays it is Alfred’s grandson René, together with his children Véronique and Thomas, the 11th and 12th generations of the family, who are responsible for running this exceptional, wholly-owned vineyard and its neighbouring terroirs, using biodynamic methods.

Muré's Sylvaner is a lovely wine.  On the nose, it delivers delicate aromas and flavours of quince, green apple and mineral. On the palate, it finishes long and clean with a soft refined perfume. 

Lovely as an aperitif; a must with shellfish and asparagus dishes.

Mineral & Zesty

A collaboration between Nicholas Pearce and Will Predhomme to create wines from their favourite regions. This Pinot Gris is made from vines planted in Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon.

Brilliant straw colour with youthful yet intense aromas of white peach, stone fruit, green apple and citrus. Bright acidity and freshness on the palate with a round mouthfeel but it stays surprisingly refreshing. Distinctly Oregonian; a clean, fresh style of Pinot Gris.

This Pinot Gris is zesty and fresh, and pairs amazingly with sushi, ceviche and even richer meals like fish and chips! It is also beautiful with white meats, such as chicken and turkey.

Tropical & Mineral

Pardevalles is recognized for being one of the driving forces behind the D.O Tierra de León, betting on the development of the indigenous grape varieties Prieto Picudo and Albarín Blanco. The Albarín grape is an indigenous variety from the south of the province of León. This grape variety had almost disappeared until Pardevalles recovered it. 

This expressive Albarín Blanco shows fresh aromas of herbs and citrus, notes of white fruit and some earthy and mineral qualities.  Lively and crisp, this wine is quite original. Good acidity, with flavours of herbs and citrus on the palate and a smooth finish.  

This Spanish white goes perfectly with pasta dishes, seafood and fish. If you are feeling adventurous in the kitchen, make a paella with some mussels and shrimps!

Unctuous & Mineral

The Gendron family has lived and worked in Vouvray since the time of Louis XVI. Of Course their winemaking techniques have evolved since then, but fermentations still happen with the utmost patience in their special underground cellars.

The grapes for this wine come from a plot called 'Le Clos Cartaud', a very picturesque vineyard with a beautiful lodge. It's hard not to love Chenin.  On the nose it has vibrant floral notes with hints of ripe white fruits and almonds.  It has a powerful yet elegant structure on the palate with a stoney minerality. 

This is the perfect wine to pair with grilled fish, cheeses and salads.

This product is part of the LCBO Vintages program. It may take approximately 10-14 business days to be delivered.

Aromatic & Flavourful

Proudly family owned, the Borthwick vineyard is an established vineyard situated in Gladstone, the heart of the Wairarapa. Producing quality wine for over a decade, Paddy, an experienced wine maker, has gained a reputation for producing consistently great wines. The twenty seven hectares of vines bordering the Ruamahunga River are growing on stony, free draining, alluvial soils, with a micro climate giving warm daily temperatures, cool nights and low rainfall; perfect conditions for producing distinctive, quality wines.

A wine with great concentration. A fragrant lift of spiced stone fruit, tropical fruits with a hint of dark herb notes. Packed with flavour, a core of ripe nectarine and lemon-lime acidity, finishing with passionfruit, lychee, and black-currant.

A great wine to pair with seafood, spring salads, goat cheese or grilled fish.

This product is part of the LCBO Vintages program. It may take approximately 10-14 business days to be delivered.

Mineral & Fresh

Radford Dale is one of South Africa’s leading independent Wineries. Based on the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch and specializing in producing site-specific, natural wines.  Named by Decanter Magazine as the Best Chenin produced in South Africa, this is one of the greatest representations of how Chenin can and should be made.

The fresh vibrancy of white peach and apple aromas on the nose, hint at the wine’s sophisticated elegance and a touch of cinnamon and adds to its complexity. A generous mid palate of quince, pineapple and a weighty feel reward while the bright acidity refreshes with an interesting tang and persistent clean, mineral finish.

Because of Chenin Blanc’s awesome acidity and inherently sweet fruit flavor, you’ll find it pairs well with foods that have a sweet and sour element. Southeast Asian cuisine or pork chops with apples - also give it a try with grilled or barbecued shrimp!

This product is part of the LCBO Vintages program. It may take approximately 10-14 business days to be delivered.

Nutty & Waxy

Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.

This wine is unmistakably County Pinot Gris. The aromas of pear and cantaloupe yogurt are delicate, rich, and inviting. The use of an Alsatian yeast strain and our method of partially fermenting in old French oak barrels give a smooth and rich mouthfeel, while the waxy finish of unctuous confit apple with a hint of nutmeg keep you coming back for more.

Choucroute garnie, foie gras, pork dishes, veal parmiggiano, chicken with cream sauces, and a traditional turkey dinner are all wonderful. Pizza bianca with a cream base, taleggio and pear is delightful, while meatier fish like halibut, cod, trout, or arctic char are ideal for the fish lovers. Chèvre and brie make great cheese options.

Aromatic & Flavourful

In 1984 Neil Ellis sourced grapes from vineyards not of his own and produced wine in rented cellar space. These grapes were sourced in the Stellenbosch district and meant a lot of nosing around the restrictive quota system prevalent at the time.

Today, the experience and knowledge of the past are applied to modern techniques and technologies for a new generation of winemaking. “Our vision remains to make distinctive, refined wines that are expressive of their terrain and rank amongst South Africa’s finest. A pursuit of quality, nothing less.” Neil Ellis

Amica, derived from the Latin Amicus, can be described as a gathering of friends. It tells the story of friends around a table eating good food. Winemaking rules were broken for this barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Made through wild fermentation and oaking in old French oak, the results are a complex and textured expression of Sauvignon Blanc.

Expect notes of white florals and fresh herbs, supported by notes of sweet stone fruit, honeysuckle, nectarine, lime and lemongrass. It has a round and creamy mouthfeel on the palate with a flinty minerality and a youthful and vibrant finish.

As suggested by the winery, pair this with Green Thai curry or seared Ahi tuna.

This product is part of the LCBO Vintages program. It may take approximately 10-14 business days to be delivered.