Summertime Wine
Pause, Relax, Celebrate, Socialize & Connect
Hello and welcome to the Wine Bargains BC newsletter, July edition.
MONTHLY BARGAINS NOW FOR EVERYONE The monthly newsletter listing the best wine bargains is now available to both free and paid subscribers but there will also be upcoming new features for paid subscribers.
LESS IS MORE - focusing only on the very best bargains and the very best quality wines under $30.00, available in BCL liquor stores.
WHAT’S NOT CHANGING As always, the wine bargain reviews are independently and originally written by me (no AI ever) and the wines are widely available (50 stores or more at the time of publication) from B.C. government liquor stores.
There is no advertising, sponsorship or clickbait in BC Wine Bargains and with a few exceptions the wines reviewed are purchased by me.
Pro Tips & Wine Bargains in B.C. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Here are the best category picks for July, scroll down for full reviews.
Best Monthly Value Picks For July
ED EDMUNDO DOUBLE OAKED CHARDONNAY 2024 - ARGENTINA $19.99 reduced to 12.99 87 Points
KINGSTON SOFT PRESS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - SOUTH AUSTRALIA $16.99 reduced to 12.99 87 Points
Best Monthly Flavour Pick For July
LANGMEIL WILD CHILD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - BARROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA $31.99 reduced to $26.99 91 Points
Weekday Wines/Good Enough, Under $13.00
SIERRA SALINAS BOBAL ROSADO 2021 - SPAIN $12.99 Reduced to $10.99 87 Points
RAPITALA ORGANIC GRILLO 2021 SICILIA, ITALY $17.99 reduced to $12.99 87 Points
CAPOTE VELHO - VINHO DE MESA TINTO, PORTUGAL $15.99 reduced to 11.99 for 1 liter 87 Points
UMANI RONCHI MEDORO SANGIOVESE 2021 - MARCHE, ITALY $14.99 reduced to 11.99 88 Points
IS THIS IT? DANUBIANA GRUNER VELTLINER 2024- PANNON, HUNGARY $16.99 reduced to 12.99 88 Points
MIGUEL TORRES LOCO DE PIEDRA CARMENERE 2024 - VALLE CENTRALE, CHILE $16.99 reduced to $11.99 88 Points
OXFORD LANDING REGENERATE CHARDONNAY 2024 - RIVERLAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA $16.99 reduced to 12.99 87 Points
Sunday, Family/Friends, Barbecue
LA MASCOTA CABERNET FRANC 2018 - ARGENTINA $18.99 reduced to $13.99 88 Points
EMILIANA O ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2023 - CHILE $18.99 reduced to $14.99 88 Points
TILIA CHARDONNAY 2023 - ARGENTINA $19.99 reduced to $14.99 88 Points
Celebrations/Dinner Party Wines
LANGMEIL WILD CHILD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - BARROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA $31.99 reduced to $26.99 91 Points
PIERRE CHAINIER LES CALCAIRES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VAL DE LOIRE, FRANCE $19.99 reduced to 15.99 88 Points
RUFFINO AQUA DI VENUS PINOT GRIGIO 2021 - FRIULI, ITALY $24.99 reduced to 21.99 90 Points
SAN PEDRO 1865 LAS MORADAS SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENERE 2020 - MAULE VALLEY, CHILE $26.99 reduced to 21.99 90 Points
Bigger, Fruit Forward Reds
LANGMEIL WILD CHILD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - BARROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA $31.99 reduced to $26.99 91 Points
California Stand-Ins
ED EDMUNDO DOUBLE OAKED CHARDONNAY 2024 - ARGENTINA $19.99 reduced to 12.99 87 Points
Easy Reds for Pizza & Pasta
MIGUEL TORRES LOCO DE PIEDRA CARMENERE 2024 - VALLE CENTRALE, CHILE $16.99 reduced to $11.99 88 Points
EMILIANA O ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2023 - CHILE $18.99 reduced to $14.99 88 Points
BOUTINOT BELLES LETTRES 2022 - COTES DU RHONE, FRANCE $19.99 reduced to $14.99 88 Points
UMANI RONCHI MEDORO SANGIOVESE 2021 - MARCHE, ITALY $14.99 reduced to 11.99 88 Points
Whites for Chicken & Fish
RAPITALA ORGANIC GRILLO 2021 SICILIA, ITALY $17.99 reduced to $12.99 87 Points
SPIER SIGNATURE CHENIN BLANC 2022 - SOUTH AFRICA $14.99 reduced to 11.99 89 Points
RUFFINO AQUA DI VENUS PINOT GRIGIO 2021 - FRIULI, ITALY $24.99 reduced to 21.99 90 Points
VINA LEYDA SAUVIGNON BLANC RESERVE 2022 - LEYDA VALLEY, CHILE $17.99 reduced to $13.99 90 Points
Off the Beaten Path/Step Up
IS THIS IT? DANUBIANA GRUNER VELTLINER 2024- PANNON, HUNGARY $16.99 reduced to 12.99 88 Points
Rosé
SIERRA SALINAS BOBAL ROSADO 2021 - SPAIN $12.99 Reduced to $10.99 87 Points
GERARD BERTRAND COTE DES ROSES ROSÉ 2021 LANGUEDOC, FRANCE $25.99 Reduced to $20.99 89 Points
July Wine Reviews
Argentina
ED EDMUNDO DOUBLE OAKED CHARDONNAY 2024 - ARGENTINA
$19.99 reduced to 12.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
On the nose, similar to vanilla yogurt, not off putting but well, there it is - plus a touch of lemon. The level of oak in the flavours is not as big and scary as the label might indicate, quite mild really compared to some of the lumbering California chards. The flavours include vanilla and a tropical fruit mix. The soft acidity makes it very easy, rounded and smooth though I wish it was a bit livelier. Definitely worth it at the sale price.
87 Points Richer, Oak Influenced Whites Find Store Nearest You SKU: 266489
LA MASCOTA CABERNET FRANC 2018 - ARGENTINA
$18.99 reduced to $13.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
The wine has a very rich, plush nose of savoury plum jam, dried figs and loganberry. This follows through on the flavour with good matching acidity. The tannins are very slightly grippy and it is fairly full bodied with some good fruit intensity. 88 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU 236406
TILIA CHARDONNAY 2023 - ARGENTINA
$19.99 reduced to $14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Begins with clear, clean notes of lemon and green olive. It’s bright, simple, crisp, with a graceful touch of oak, well balanced and has an elegant lingering finish. Not a heavyweight chardonnay but harmonious and refreshing. Great, great value at the sale price. 88 Points Richer, Oak Influenced Whites
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 406632
Australia
KINGSTON SOFT PRESS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - SOUTH AUSTRALIA
$16.99 reduced to 12.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
The fruit flavours and aromas here include simple versions of red currant, mulberry and red berry fruits. Smooth, softened tannins and a fitting acidity make this easy drinking, more in structure like a pinot noir really. An interesting take on cabernet sauvignon. Wine always has something different to show you. Great value at the sale price. 87 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red Find Store Nearest You SKU:240636
OXFORD LANDING REGENERATE CHARDONNAY 2024 - RIVERLAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
$16.99 reduced to 12.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Uncomplicated but pleasing, this chard has a rounded texture with slightly soft acidity that shows notes of Red Delicious apple and some stone fruit with simple, balanced flavours. It’s a clean flavoured, affable, easy sipping chardonnay and excellent value at this month’s sale price. 87+ Points Medium Bodied, Smooth White
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 324462
LANGMEIL WILD CHILD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - BARROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA
$31.99 reduced to $26.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
This wine initially shows classic cabernet sauvignon elements of rich blackcurrant berries with touches of tobacco and chocolate. The flavours are similar and persuasive, huddled mainly around blackcurrant berry fruit, prune or plum, tobacco and chocolate. Elevated alcohol and the dense berry flavours provide a big bodied but still agile structure. The texture is agreeably slippery, combining nicely with its fruit elements, charcoal inflected tannins and an able, supporting acidity. 91 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 296684
Chile
MIGUEL TORRES LOCO DE PIEDRA CARMENERE 2024 - VALLE CENTRALE, CHILE
$16.99 reduced to $11.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
This carménère is on the lighter side in terms of colour and flavour but there are clear, fresh aromatic notes of mulberry and raspberry along with herbal cedar and dusty cement. The flavours follow through, again showing light red berry fruits and there’s a good balance of acidity along with some relaxed tannins. This wine shows how pleasing carménère can be, even at a lower price point. It’s not especially intense but balanced, interesting, pleasing and easy drinking. 88 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 304320
VINA LEYDA SAUVIGNON BLANC RESERVE 2022 - LEYDA VALLEY, CHILE
$17.99 reduced to $13.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Begins with some lighter gooseberry and struck flint. Very crisp, clean, pure flavours with a gentle attack that is more French in style than New Zealand. As it warmed a little, it revealed mandarin, white peach, melon rind and citrus peel, all very well balanced, that continued into its longish finish. Unbelievable value at this sale price. A good time to invest.
Leyda Valley is a small sub-area of the San Antonio Valley, part of the bigger Aconcagua wine region. Right on the Pacific Ocean, this cool-climate region produces vibrant, fresh wines. Tasted ✓ 90 Points Crisp Dry Whites
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 542472
EMILIANA O ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2023 - CHILE
$18.99 reduced to $14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Initially displays evident, dreamy notes of strawberry/cherry, pomegranate, mulberry and some savoury beetroot. This is matched in its flavours with the cherry and strawberry notes befriended by some balancing, rounded tannins. Not grand or anything but clear, elegant, very well balanced and harmonious. Overall a delightful wave of pinot noir flavours that I would expect to find in a more expensive wine. Perhaps the best pinot noir under $20.00 I have tasted yet. Should be priced between $25-$30.00 given its level of flavour and elegance. 88 Points Lighter Fruit Red Find Store Nearest You SKU 234901
SAN PEDRO 1865 LAS MORADAS SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENERE 2020 - MAULE VALLEY, CHILE
$26.99 reduced to 21.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
The aroma here is of a lovely, what I would call “dusty” red plum skin fruit with some floral notes of lilac. The graceful balance in this wine is promised even on the first whiff. The taste follows through with rounded, generous, floral tinged berry fruit with a good mouthwatering acidity and very soft, silky tannins. The intensity of flavour here is about medium for a red wine and is not especially big bodied. Great, great value here, it just seems to slide so easily out of the glass. Highly recommended. 90 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU 771394
France
BOUTINOT BELLES LETTRES 2022 - COTES DU RHONE, FRANCE
$19.99 reduced to $14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Begins with an inviting nose of savoury dried cherries, a touch of vanilla, tar and roses. The flavours show fresh and dry cherries, with an agreeable acidity and a delicious, lingering balanced finish. The tannins are light and well tuned. I really like the freshness here alongside the balanced flavour elements. Best red wine deal in a long time. Try one and go back for more. 89 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 376117
PIERRE CHAINIER LES CALCAIRES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VAL DE LOIRE, FRANCE
$19.99 reduced to 15.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
This wine begins a little subdued for a sauvignon blanc but crisp and lemony with some melon husk and wet wool. The flavours arrive softly, leading with subtle melon and citrus. Sliding into the second half the flavours follow the nose with herbal notes, struck flint and melon. Has some length, good balance and a longish finish. Not grand but very pleasing, well balanced and fades gradually. Really great value here for a French sauvignon blanc.
88 Points Crisp Dry White
Find Store Nearest You SKU:354636
GERARD BERTRAND COTE DES ROSES ROSÉ 2021 LANGUEDOC, FRANCE
$25.99 Reduced to $20.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
The bottle for this rosé was created in a competition at design schools in Paris and has a rose shape cut into the bottom of the bottle along with a glass stopper instead of a cork. Happily, the bottle does not outshine the wine itself. Described accurately as “ ballet slipper pink”, the aroma and flavour shows fresh citrus, floral and strawberry notes along with drifts of grapefruit and a crisp balancing acidity. It won a gold medal at a Global Rosé Masters competition. Biggest discount on this one to date.
89 Points Rosé
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 664441
Hungary
IS THIS IT? DANUBIANA GRUNER VELTLINER 2024- PANNON, HUNGARY
$16.99 reduced to 12.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Gruner veltliner is a white wine grape grown most notably in Austria, where it is widely planted. There is always a certain freshness to gruner veltliner but it has an especially wide range of possible aromas and flavours that can include: grapefruit, green apple, peach, pear, pea pod or bamboo shoots and often shows white pepper in the finish.
In this version from nearby Hungary, the nose begins with slightly waxy notes of pear skin, poached pear and quince. The flavours are similar, lightly poached pear, applepear, pear skin and quince. It’s little bit off dry and the texture has some richness. The flavours are clean and well balanced and the finish lingers for a while. There is a kind of tart, pear skin thread of flavour running through it that helps preserve balance with the sweeter elements. The flavours are very clean. Try it with a pear or apple tart. Phenomenal value. 88 Points Medium Bodied, Smooth White
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 443047
Italy
UMANI RONCHI MEDORO SANGIOVESE 2021 - MARCHE, ITALY
$14.99 reduced to 11.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Pale in colour, this is simple, honest sangiovese, the grape best known as the main component in Chianti. Easy and delightful, with aromas of light plum and cherry, leather, hard red candy, vanilla and sarsaparilla. In its flavours, cherry, cherry pit, tobacco, softer tannins, good acidity and savoury herbs. It’s small scale but flavourful and balanced. Not overly complex or lengthy or elaborate but earthy and honest with a clean crisp finish. This is an authentic, organically grown wine that would match with pizza, red sauce pasta and grilled meats. A great introduction to sangiovese and an amazing deal this month. Drinks like it should cost $20.00. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 88 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 113592
RAPITALA ORGANIC GRILLO 2021 SICILIA, ITALY
$17.99 reduced to $12.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Light-bodied, fresh and tangy with green olive and citrus zest notes. The wine is well balanced, unpretentious and enjoyable. 87 Points Crisp Dry Whites
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 68516
FONTANAFREDDA BARBERA BRICCOTONDO 2021 - ITALY
$19.99 Reduced to $14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Drinks surprisingly like a decent merlot, very plummy, fairly silky and rounded with very soft tannins and just a light note of licorice on the end. Although I would put it in the savoury red wine style category it is oh-so-close to the ripe fruit forward red style. I could well mistake this for a merlot if I was tasting it blind. I can’t think of a better way to ease into appreciating Italian reds. A lovely wine for the price. 88 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 898718
RUFFINO AQUA DI VENUS PINOT GRIGIO 2021 - FRIULI, ITALY
$24.99 reduced to 21.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
The colour here is a very pale lemon. In the glass, light, elegant aromas of citrus, melon, fruit flowers and fresh ginger. The flavours follow along with light melon and ginger in the forefront. All Italian pinot grigio comes from the Northeast corner of Italy with about half of it produced in Veneto. This wine comes from a neighbouring area called Friuli-Venezia Giulia that produces slightly different wines such as this one that show a special vibrancy, elegance and a slightly chalky minerality woven through the other flavours along with a dry, crisp acidity. Well worth trying at this sale price. Tasted ✓ 90 Points Medium Bodied, Smooth Whites (Little or No Oak)
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 425424
New Zealand
HAVOC AND HARMONY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND
$19.99 reduced to $14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Very typical grassy, gooseberry NZ nose, not subtle but not overpowering either. Simple, pretty, well balanced and crisp. Bring on that goat cheese...
87 Points Crisp Dry Whites
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 590117
Portugal
CAPOTE VELHO - VINHO DE MESA TINTO, PORTUGAL
$15.99 reduced to 11.99 for 1 liter until July 25 - 1 L
BC liquor store shelves could use more wines like this one. This is a non-vintage wine and that can sometimes be a warning note in the case of made-by-committee industrial wines. Those wines are made non-vintage so that they can impart a consistent brand flavour regardless of vintage and can be used to cover any number of faults. But it depends on the blender and the wines involved. A well blended non-vintage wine such as this one can be very good. It’s not grand, just light, plain and straight forward. It’s a savoury red with touches of cherry and raspberry fruit that can accompany tomato based dishes, burgers or grilled sausage. It’s soft and easy, a little elegant even, with no grippy tannins, medicinal tangs or other negative flavours. An unbeatable price. Buy one to try, come back for half a dozen. 87 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 260755
South Africa
SPIER SIGNATURE CHENIN BLANC 2022 - SOUTH AFRICA
$14.99 reduced to 11.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Rounded, sappy scents of quince (which is a pearlike fruit whose skin has an enchanting aroma) pear and a touch of honey. On the flavour, again quince and pear with light ginger, nectarine, honey and more that keeps dancing long into the finish.
Very consistent year to year, this wine is one of the very best white wine values in B.C. Liquor Stores. It would be fair value at twice the sale price here. If you don’t like oak in your white wine, step out from unwooded chardonnay and try this. Food matching for this wine would include lighter Asian fare, chicken with stone fruit, apricot, pear, nectarine or lighter yellow fruit desserts. 89 Points Medium Bodied, Smooth Whites
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 659037
Spain
SIERRA SALINAS BOBAL ROSADO 2021 - SPAIN
$12.99 Reduced to $10.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
This is a great value rosé. It delivers all the basics of a good Summer rosé with notes of citrus, watermelon, light strawberry and more with no off putting tang or bitterness. Well balanced with good acidity and the price is unbeatable. Widely available. Tasted ✓ 87 Points Rosé (dry/off dry)
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 102866
FAUSTINO ORGANIC 2021 - RIOJA, SPAIN
$19.99 reduced to 14.97 until July 25 - 750 ml.
Classic, traditional Rioja is a light to medium bodied wine, based mostly on the grape tempranillo with moderate alcohol and barrel aging in American oak. This style produces some wonderful wines. They are fairly austere though and often need time to show their true charms.
Beginning in the 1990s however, winemakers began branching out the Rioja style to appeal to a wider variety of wine drinking audiences. Generally speaking, some wines will have fresher fruit concentration, milder tannins and the wood could be American, French or not be used at all. A fuller range of allowable grape varieties (Mazuelo, Carignan, Garnacha and Graciano) are now utilized more widely.
This wine shows rounded notes of plums and cherries on the nose and on the palate. It’s easy drinking with relaxed tannins, fresh fruit flavours and no noticeable wood element. Drinks similarly to a young Beaujolais. Great value.
Note that the price ending in “.97” means that the wine is being discontinued so if you are a fan or become a fan after tasting it, you might want to stock up.
88 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 489425
FAUSTINO RIVERO ULECIA RESERVA - UTIEL REQUENA, SPAIN
$18.99 reduced to 14.99 until July 25 - 750 ml.
From a little known wine region in Spain between Valencia and Madrid, called Utiel Requena (ooh-tea-el re-ken-ah) the grapes here are tempranillo and bobal. Bobal is Spain’s second most planted grape and certainly has the biggest influence on this unusual and delicious wine.
The nose is striking, containing a slightly exotic mix of black plum, fig, blueberry, vanilla with drifts of cinnamon, orange peel and walnuts. Sounds like a strange stew but it’s really a very appealing mingle of elements. The flavours are very similar, with light touches of charcoal, tar and cocoa. The palate is not overly long but it’s dense and very smooth textured with big velvety tannins. Interesting, very enjoyable and great, great value at the sale price. Tasted ✓ 90 Points Savoury Fruit Red
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 496451
Until next time.