LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2023

Check out these great South African wines— new to the LCBO and always available.

Essay Chenin Blanc Viognier Roussanne LCBO 414144, $15.95

Viognier from the Agter-Paarl region and Roussanne from the cooler hills of Stellenbosch add richness and complexity to the Chenin Blanc that makes up 58 per cent of this blend. The wine has a supple and creamy texture and is packed with lush tropical fruit and melon flavours—versatile, to be sure, but particularly great with Southeast Asian dishes. Each bottle proudly sports Essay’s IPW certification seal, a guarantee of its commitment to sustainable viti culture, wherever the vineyards may be.

With Love From The Cape Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO 30695, $16.95 This line of wines from Rascallion features grapes from the Western Cape area, typified by bright, intense fruit flavours. The Cab is ripe but elegantly textured, perfect for steak, while the Chenin Blanc ( LCBO 30694, $16.95 ) glistens with tangy pear and apricot notes. Every purchase helps support Dignity Dreams, an NGO that provides menstrual health education to young women from disadvantaged and at-risk communities in South Africa and other parts of Africa.

Tête de Lion Chenin Blanc LCBO 32460, $12.95 Another superb Chenin, this time from the abundant Robertson Valley in the Western Cape. Pineapple and passionfruit abound, but the variety’s bright acidity ensures a clean, lively finish. Tête de Lion Cabernet Sauvignon ( LCBO 32461, $12.95 ) also offers incredible value; it’s a big red with soft tannins and ripe plum and blackberry flavours. As well as its IPW certification, the winery is a member of the Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association (WIETA), a non-profit organization that promotes ethical trade, social responsibility and community development.

Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 231282, $18.95 Farming its Stellenbosch property sustainably—even tilling by hand—is great for the land and also provides additional employment for the community, a priority that Ken Forrester Wines backs up with schooling and transport initiatives for its workforce. From the solar-powered winery comes this splendid, full-bodied Chenin, which gets its complexity from old, low-yielding vines. Look for melon and spicy baked apple aromas with a touch of honeycomb and caramel from careful oak-ageing.

Arniston Bay Shiraz LCBO 33148, $14.95

Coastal vineyards at Africa’s southernmost tip make for fresh, crisp wines like this juicy Shiraz, as well as a refresh ing, fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc ( LCBO 33147, $14.95 ). For every bottle sold, the winery makes a donation to the South African Founda tion for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, with a focus on the endangered African penguin. It’s also Fairtrade-­ certified and provides youth education bursaries within local communities. Father and son winemakers Francois and Abraham de Villiers work closely with their growers to ensure sustainable and ethical practices are maintained throughout their supply chain.

BOSCHENDAL WINE ESTATE

A special VINTAGES offer! On September 21st, premium wines from top South African producers—Mullineux, Leeu Passant, Boukenhoutskloof and Boschendal— can be purchased online at VintagesShopOnline.com, while stocks last. PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT) ARIADNE VAN ZANDBERGEN AND (RIGHT) HEMIS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO