Best wine stocking stuffers at the LCBO

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This article was published 02/12/2021 (1725 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Those mini bottles of wine at the LCBO make perfect stocking stuffers. So here’s the official nice list of minis sure to bring a little joy to the world, starting with a classic from Niagara.

You can’t go wrong with a mini bottle of the 2018 Inniskillin Niagara Estate Vidal Icewine, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($7.95/50mL), which comes in its own box. Not only is this wine delicious, it’s historic.

Inniskillin Vidal Icewine was the first commercial icewine made in Ontario from naturally frozen grapes. That was 1984. Then in 1991, the 1989 vintage of that wine won the prestigious Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo in Bordeaux, France, which put Ontario icewine on the map.

Icewine is made by harvesting the fruit after it has frozen on the vine. Then, the frozen fruit is pressed, releasing a small amount of nectar and leaving the ice crystals behind. A slow, cool fermentation of this rich juice creates a succulent wine with high levels of natural sugar. But Vidal’s naturally high acidity balances the sugar, so it tastes delicious.

The deeply golden 2018 Inniskillin Niagara Estate Vidal Icewine captivates with heady, articulate aromas. Orange zest and marmalade, poached peaches and pralines, taffy apple and butter pastry can be found on the nose before the wine sweeps in with sweet succulence. Zesty flavours of Granny Smith and citrus balance the butterscotch and poached peach lusciousness to create tart-sweet satisfaction. The finish doesn’t linger, but you’ll find you keep sipping. Score: 92

For a dry white, snap up a half bottle of 2020 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC from Italy ($11.95/375mL). In the glass, it shines like sunlit straw then streams in with immediate refreshment. Each glossy-smooth sip satisfies with suggestions of lemon, Granny Smith and a touch of cool stone. This dry, crisp white with impeccable balance is easy to enjoy and works well with all sorts of foods — from plain potato chips to seafood linguine. Score: 91

Now that rosé is recognized as an all-season wine, you can give a half-bottle of the 2020 Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses Rosé from the Languedoc region of France ($10.95/375mL) with confidence. This pale coral rosé with rose-gold inflections, draws you in with subtle scents of white flowers and apricot, strawberries and nougat. The entry is bright and elegant with delicate allusions of pink grapefruit and apricot as well as hints of violet and sea salt that persist on the finish. This dry French charmer offers marvelously good value. Score: 93

What’s more, the rose-shaped base of this French rosé has people using it to sugar cookies before popping them in the oven. And the bottle comes with a glass stopper, which makes the bottle easy to re-use.

For red wine lovers, consider the lighter-bodied 2020 Folonari Valpolicella DOC ($9.95/375mL) or the fuller-bodied 2018 Masi Campofiorin Rossa IGT ($13.00/375mL) — both from the Veneto region of Italy.

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The 2020 Folonari Valpolicella DOC is zippy and refreshing. Expect fresh, clean aromas of muddled berries — raspberries, cherries and blackberries — laced with cinnamon, roasted nuts and a touch of chocolate. The attack is crisp and vivid with bright berry fruit underpinned with dried herbs and finishes with a dusting of cocoa powder. This is just the thing to pour with a plate of charcuterie or a slice or two of pizza. Score: 91

For something a bit richer and earthier, the 2018 Masi Campofiorin Rossa IGT delivers. Each glassful swirls a deeper purple hue and exudes poached black cherries and roasted almonds on the nose. A cashmere crush of fruit follows and fans out with flavours of red and black cherries, cured meat, dried fig and pink peppercorn. Mouth-watering acidity keeps the fruit lifted and the wine quenching. Score: 90

Of course, some Santas stuff a stocking with one big bottle — done and dusted. There’s always that option. But if you plan to go the traditional route with lots of little surprises, these handy minis and half bottles will bring comfort and joy.

But go ahead, treat yourself too. After all, we know you’re on the nice list.

Carolyn Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Wineries occasionally sponsor segments on her YouTube series yet they have no role in the selection of the wines she chooses to review or her opinions of those wines. Reach her via email: carolyn@carolynevanshammond.com