Wines For Autumn

Red Shift

Welcome back to Wine Bargains for November.

As you have undoubtedly noticed there was no Wine Bargains newsletter in October because of the BCGEU strike that eventually closed all of the BCL stores.

Happily, there is a tentative agreement in place and the stores are now back open. Though there will still be some catching up to do on some products in a few stores, overall they are pretty well stocked. Also, as usual, the monthly bargains have a link you can click to see which stores carry the wine. Yes, U.S. products are still off B.C. government liquor store shelves.

The November wine discounts in BC Liquor stores again cut deeper than usual. There are 42 bargain selections this month with prices ranging from 7.99 to 25.99. Discounts range from $2.00 to $6.00 with most in the $4.00 to $5.00 range.

There are six new wines this month including wines from Chile, Hungary, Italy and Spain.

Just a reminder that the wines are organized alphabetically by country now instead of by wine style, with new wine picks placed first in each country category. All the other information is still present - wine style, score, review, price change if any and a clickable link to see which BCL stores carry the wine.

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Best Value Picks For November

(NEW) VINA LEYDA RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2023 - LEYDA VALLEY, CHILE

$17.99 reduced to $13.99 until November 22 - 750 ml.

Look for typical pinot noir notes of pomegranate, dusty cardboard and light strawberry with a touch of blueberry and blackberry skin. The flavours are quite similar. It’s well balanced, correct pinot noir grape expression with a clean finish that lingers a little. It delivers the pinot noir goods quite nicely with no negatives for a price way under $20.00 this month. From the same Leyda brand who produce a great value sauvignon blanc that has been reviewed here before. Great, great value. Tasted ✓ 88 Points Lighter Fruit Red

Find Store Nearest You SKU: 138982

TERRE DI MARIO 2022 - MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO, ITALY

$14.99 reduced to $11.99 until November 22 - 750 ml.

Classic, simple but honest, food friendly Italian red with flavours of pomegranate, savoury cherry, olives, dried roses and berry notes. On the lighter side, well balanced with a bright acidity and moderate tannins. Straight forward, authentic Italian red at an unbeatable price. If you like this style, get a bunch, you won’t be sorry. Tasted ✓ 88 Points Savoury Fruit Red

Find Store Nearest You SKU:459342

GRAO VASCO - DAO, PORTUGAL

$11.99 reduced to 7.99 until November 22 - 750 ml.

With wines under $12.00 or so, wine drinkers have to be realistic. You are very unlikely to find something grand, complex or fascinating under the cork or cap at that price level. So, when tasting very economically priced wines, I find it more practical to look for what’s NOT there. I am hoping for no factory wine taste, no medicinal tang, no candied fruit flavours, no watered down taste, no mouth puckering tannins or grimace-producing acidity. Each to their own but any smug satisfaction I may have enjoy drinking a wine costing very little, the party is definitely spoiled if the wine has something negative that I have to put up with. Good value yes, buyer’s remorse, no.

Viewed through that lens, here is a great value wine. Grao Vasco has the advantage of being based mainly on a couple of indigenous grapes - touriga nacional and tinto roriz that are inherently flavourful and rich. The wine also seems to be non-vintage so they are able to blend multiple vintages to create a consistent wine.

The wine is very simple with cherry, wood and a touch of tar as well as tobacco on the nose. Likewise on the flavour, dry and savoury with some plum as well. Here you have an enjoyable, cheap and cheerful, complementary accompaniment for pizza or lasagna without any of the drawbacks mentioned above. This is the lowest priced wine I have ever included in the newsletter. Save money and enjoy.

Tasted ✓ 86 Points Savoury Fruit Red Find Store Nearest You SKU: 14977

Best Flavour Picks For November

FAUSTINO RIVERO ULECIA RESERVA - UTIEL REQUENA, SPAIN

$18.99 reduced to 14.99 until November 22 - 750 ml.

From a little known wine region in Spain between Valencia and Madrid, called Utiel Requena 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 the addition of charcoal, tar and cocoa. The palate is not overly long but dense and very smooth textured with big velvety tannins. Tasted ✓ 90 Points Savoury Fruit Red

Find Store Nearest You SKU: 496451

MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - COLCHAGUA VALLEY, CHILE $27.99 reduced to $23.99 until November 22 - 750 ml.

Full bodied and very juicy, cabernet sauvignon, rich and intense. Much flavour and pleasure for the money Tasted ✓ 89 Points Ripe Fruit Forward Red

Find Store Nearest You SKU: 322586

ALL NOVEMBER MONTHLY BARGAINS

The wine bargain reviews below are independently and originally written by me (no AI ever) and the wines are widely available from B.C. government liquor stores.