THIS IS THE FIRST BLUE MOON RELEASE OF THE YEAR: three issues this month of April !!

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for APRIL 1,  2023 release.

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.
These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).
Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling.
 
** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season -- 

The Event: Drink Chile wine trade show of November 2022
The Venue: Arcadian Lofts
The Target Audience: wine trade, wine writers, agents
The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue was actually printed, not electronic, in view of the general public coming in at 6:30PM. There were 16 pages of text on the wines and grapes and valleys, plus descriptions of the wines and some prices.
The Quote/Background: There was a masterclass (with a large turnout) at 11:30, specializing in four categories of wine: new wave whites, Mediterranean-style reds, red Bordeaux-style blends, and a cabernet sauvignon terroir tour.

The Wines: I did not taste every every wine-–there were about 120 from 16 different wineries.
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Anakena Alwa Cabernet Sauvignon Blend Colchagua & Maipo 2017, $64.95  Bacchus Group
-Anakena Ona Red Blend (Shiraz,CabSauv,Carm) Cachapoal 2019 $27.95 Bacchus Group
-Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2020  Lexellent
-Aresti Trisquel Series Vichuquen Costa Chardonnay Curico 2021 Lexcellent
-Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2019 $21.25 +353086
-Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2020 Iata $18.95  LCBO
-Cono Sur 20 Barrels Chardonnay 2020 Casablanca $30 Vintages  n/a
-Carmen Delanz Alto Jahuel Estate Blend Maipo 2020 Icon Fine Wines
-Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo $23.95 +337238
-San Pedro 1865 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Curico $34.95  +27202 Vintages
-Cono Sur Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Colchagua 2019 Authentic Wine
-Montes Alpha M Colchagua 2020  Profile
-Montes Akpha Special Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Colchagua  Profile
-Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Cauquenes 2020  Charton Hobbs
-Santa Carolina Reserva Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2020  Charton Hobbs

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Montes Wings Colchagua 2019 Colchagua  Profile
-Espiritu de Chile Rose Grenache Desert 2020 Curico Trayvino
-Espiritu de Chile Explorador Gran Reserva Maipo 2020 Trayvino
-Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Syrah Limari 2021  Icon Fine Wines
-Carmen Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca 2022   Icon Fine Wines
-Amayna Sauvignon Blanc Leyda $28.95  Marentette
-Las Veletas Estate Viognier 2022 Maule Heritage Cellars
-Miguel Torres Cordillera Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Maipo Andes $22.95 Vintages
-Montes Purple Angel 2020 Colchagua   Profile
-Anakena Nuna Chardonnay Cachapoal 2020 $18.95  Bacchus Group
-Casas del Bosque Botanic Series La Cantera Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca $19.95  +28583
-Aresti Trisquel Series Semillon 2020 Curico  Lexcellent
-Garces Silva Catalino Pais 2019 Maule $19.95  Internet Exclusive  Marentette
-Las Veletas Almaule Pais 2021 Maule
-Montes Outer Limits Cinsault 2021 Iata
-Perez Cruz Grenache 2020 Maipo $21.95 Vintages
-Emiliana Coyam 2019 Colchagua $29.95  +63891
-Miguel Torres Gran Reserva Andica Caberent Sauvignon 2020 Iata $17.95
-Veramonte Primus The Blend 2019 Colchagua $19.95  +712463 Vintages

The Food: a variety of cheeses with dried fruit and breads; mini-empanadas; salmon canapes, and more...
The Downside: it got crowded really fast.
The Upside: there was a media room where writers could contemplate their tasting samples.
The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 84

** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these  are good value...on sale  through Sunday April 23 -- 
White+24133 ANDREW PELLER RIESLING THIRTY BENCH, save $3 LTO price $19.95
White+326728 OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY MARLBOROUGH, save $3 LTO price $16.95
White+258699 J. LOHR RIVERSTONE CHARDONNAY, save $2 LTO price $17.95
Red+394783 DONA PAULA ESTATE MALBEC, save $3 LTO price $13.10
Red+50203 BERONIA RESERVA  RIOJA, save $3 LTO price $18.95
SPLURGE Red+352583 BERINGER KNIGHT'S VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON, save $5 LTO price  $41.95
FIZZ Rose+365205 CONO SUR SPARKLING ROSÉ, save $3 LTO price $15.45 [buy a case]

MAJOR THEME:  PERFECT EASTER FOOD PAIRINGS: New World vs. European

Wines Under $20
=========
W+356873 FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 
W+745349 DOMAINE JACKY MARTEAU SAUVIGNON TOURAINE 2021 LOIRE $16.95 
MVC/QPR: 89
R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2020  VQA $19.95  MVC/QPR: 89
R+981175 DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2021  $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+28545 DOMAINE FOND CROZE LE SERRE DE LA GARDE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 Org
$16.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+981399 TERRA D'ALIGI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+488007 PERIQUITA RESERVA 2020 PORTUGAL $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89
Rose+498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2021 VQA$19.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Wines Over $20
=========
W+22985 TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2019  AUSTRALIA $24.95  MVC/QPR: 89
W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90
W+30158 MUDDY WATER GROWERS' SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 NEW ZEALAND $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+29937 DOUDET-NAUDIN BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2020  $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89