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ARCHIVES 2004-2006 brought to you by the FOOD and BEVERAGE TESTING INSTITUTE of CANADA
 
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2004


• December 31, 2004
A Bountiful 2004 Harvest at Vintages ~
Many outstanding-well priced selections


• December 24, 2004
For Immediate Consumption ~
Bubbles on the Brain


• December 18, 2004
Taking a Shine to Argentina ~
Best Buys in today's Vintages Release


• December 11, 2004
Wine Books for Discerning Palates

• December 4, 2004
Vintage Holiday Treasures Galore ~
California Gems from Bubbly to Pinot Noir


• November 27, 2004
Making the Gift Count! ~
Getting into the Holiday Spirits


• November 20, 2004
Vinous Restaurateur Perfection ~
Half Bottles to the Rescue


• November 13, 2004
Classic Remnants ~
Uncovering Impossible-to-Find Best Buys


• November 6, 2004
Argentina in the Spotlight ~
Five Vintages Release best buys


• October 30, 2004
New Vinous Tricks & Treats ~
New Barossa Valley Estate releases


• October 23, 2004
The Law of Rising Prices & Diminishing Returns ~
Being expensive is no guarantee of deliciousness


• October 16, 2004
LCBO Events Galore ~
The best tasting deal in town!


• October 9, 2004
Eau de Vie "Pearfection" ~
Spirited Thanksgiving Choices


• October 2, 2004
Fall Wine Fairs ~
From Sonoma to Spain


• September 25, 2004
New Spirits with a New Look ~
From Great Fruit Eau-de-Vie to "Lion's Milk"


• September 18, 2004
A Serious, Delicious, Head-Turning Rose

• September 11, 2004
From Sizzling Sauvignon to Great Riesling

• September 4, 2004
Too good to be true ~ Red Vintages Values

• August 28, 2004
A summer cookout ~
When home-made means delicious


• August 21, 2004
Bargains Galore ~ Vintages Summer Sale ~ Discounts on 1,215 items

• August 14, 2004
The Best of Summer Sparklers ~
Finds at the LCBO


• August 7, 2004
From a zesty zinger from Zilliken ~
To Mythos - a great Greek brew


• July 31, 2004
A Splash of Spritz ~ What is classified
as “white” called “green” but is “yellow” in colour?


• July 24, 2004
Preparing for the deluge ~
The best from today’s Vintages release


• July 17, 2004
The LCBO Yours to Discover! ~
From Limited Time Offers to Undiscovered Classics


• July 10, 2004
The Birth of Vintages ~ It started 30 years ago!

• July 3, 2004
Getting the best of Vintages in Cottage Country ~
Winners from British Columbia


• June 26, 2004
A Survivor’s Guide to White Port ~
And other Portuguese Sweeties


• June 19, 2004
“A Rose is a Rose” but not a rosé ~
Digging one up for daddy


• June 12, 2004
Face-Off Time for Summer Whites ~
From Sauvignon Blanc to Chardonnay


• June 5, 2004
Mice in Gonzalez Byass Sherry Heaven ~
A dry white standout in a sea of sweeties


• May 29, 2004
Classics ~ Too Few & Far Between ~
Unearthing best buys from the upcoming Classics release as well as the previous release!


• May 22, 2004
Seeing Red on Victoria Day ~
Perfect matches for discerning palates


• May 15, 2004
Bringing French wine back to the fold ~
Gems from Southern France


• May 8, 2004
Chardonnay is still a Mother’s best Friend! ~
Mum’s the word for old & new world Chardonnay


• May 1, 2004
May First ~ Wee Nips for Morris Dancers,
Marching Workers & Oppressed Wine Agents


• April 24, 2004
From Austria’s Svelte Velt
To Classics from British Columbia


• April 17, 2004
Spring Sippers from Spicy to Sweet ~
Buying the best of today's Vintages release


• April 10, 2004
Why Big Movers Hog LCBO Shelf Space ~
Or how to make money by reducing choice


• April 3, 2004
A great Beaune is hard to find

• March 27, 2004
Fair Competition from World's Wine Regions

• March 20, 2004
Best Buys in Today's Vintage Release ~
A spicy new Hungarian blend


• March 13, 2004
Points of Contention ~
What do those numeric wine ratings really mean?


• March 6, 2004
A Survivor’s Guide to Upcoming Wine Events ~
May the tastings begin!


• February 28, 2004
Under-$20 Relief ~ Upcoming Vintages Highlights

• February 21, 2004
Today in Vintages Uncovering the Better Buys

• February 14, 2004
Heart-throbbing Vintage Valentine values

• February 7, 2004
A New Look ~ For an award-winning Sherry

• January 31, 2004
Young Winemaker Winners Hit the LCBO shelves

• January 24, 2004
A Little Something with your Offal? ~
What goes with haggis?


• January 17, 2004
Great 2002 Burgundy Expectations ~
Patrice Rion's newest releases


• January 10, 2004
From a Sublime German Red
To an Amorous Amarone Vintages Discoveries


• January 3, 2004
The Lowdown on Lodi ~
North America's most exciting viticultural area


2005


• December 31, 2005
Cognac Unconquered ~ From $1.30 to $74.88 an ounce ~ Sipping Your Way into the New Year

• December 24, 2005
LCBO Gifts ~ Buy Carefully ~ Juicy cherry & tangy cranberry flavours for your Turkey

• December 17, 2005
The Best of the Season ~ Seasonal Gifting: From Books to the Best Buy Champagne & '1876' Scotch

• December 10, 2005
Great Holiday Wines in Today's Vintages release ~ From the Bargains to the Jewels

• December 3, 2005
From the Perfect Pear Martini ~
to a Vintage Port to Remember


• November 26, 2005
Wines to Buy & Wines to Avoid

• November 19, 2005
Beaujolais Nouveau Celebrates 54 Years

• November 12, 2005
Vintages Release Best Buys ~
From California to Bordeaux


• November 5, 2005
Eyes Wide Shut ~ Taste, texture and scent in motion

• October 29, 2005
Tricks & Treats in Today's Vintages Release ~
Some Awesome Aussi Highlights


• October 22, 2005
Perfect Fall Libations ~
Obscure varieties from Welschriesling to Semillon


• October 15, 2005
Hop Scotch ~ The biggest whisky release on record

• October 8, 2005
A Toast to the Turkey ~
Many whites, some reds and even a sparkling rosé


• October 1, 2005
Barolo the King of Italian Reds

• September 24, 2005
A Flood of Upcoming Tastings ~
but not a Vintages Classics in Sight


• September 17, 2005
A Great Ontario Harvest ~
From just-released wines to a terrific new guide


• September 10, 2005
Film Fest Fizz ~ Finding that Oscar-Winning Drink

• September 3, 2005
Delicious Long Weekend Drinking ~
All but one under $20!


• August 27, 2005
A new way of coding drinkability ~
And getting the best out of that bottle


• August 20, 2005
The "New" Vintages Catalogue

• August 13, 2005
Bargains Galore ~ Spirited Summer Matchmakers ~ From Boulard Calvados to Grand Marnier

• August 6, 2005
Dealing with Disappointments ~
This Bicyclette has a flat tire!


• July 30, 2005
LCBO Alternatives? ~ Regulations handcuff importers to LCBO warehouse

• July 23, 2005
A French Sparkler & Greek Whites in Today's Vintages Hit Parade ~
In-Store Discoveries Reviews Disappear


• July 16, 2005
French Rosé Rocks ~
Too bad you can't find them at the LCBO


• July 9, 2005
Today's Vintages Release ~
Small in size but big in buys!


• July 2, 2005
The Wines of Canada by John Schreiner ~
Interesting but a little thin


• June 25, 2005
Boning Up for Canada Day! ~
ABC - Anything But Chardonnay A Best Buy ~
Trilogy of Grass-Free Sauvignon Blanc


• June 18, 2005
Austria's Wines on a roll

• June 11, 2005
Where there's Chardonnay there's Hope ~
2,879 cases at Vintages! ~
Plus 79 New Items in Today's Vintages Release


• June 11, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Kim Crawford 2004 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ~ Kick starts the screwcap revolution

• June 4, 2005
Bodega Norton 2004 Chardonnay ~ A too-good-to-be-true Argentina gem from the General List ~ LCBO Price Book now a thing of the past!

• June 4, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Codorniu Brut Clasico ~
Puts some sparkling Classics to shame


• May 28, 2005
A Trip in a Glass ~
Fine wines to transport you to far-away destinations


• May 28, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Zoom-Zoom-Zoomers! ~ Campari: Seeing Red ~ Setting the World Ablaze

• May 21, 2005
Toasting Queen Victoria ~ With Discounted Reds! ~ Grab these bargains while they last!

• May 21, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Putting a little spice into your Victoria Day Long Weekend

• May 14, 2005
Sprouting Up Like Tulips ~
Excellent 2003 Whites at Vintages


• May 14, 2005 Bottle of the Week
2004 Terra Boa Blanco ~
A Bargain Priced Springtime White from Portugal


• May 7, 2005
Prince Edward County's Field of Dreams ~
Long Dog Winery - No Long Shot!


• May 7, 2005 Bottle of the Week
For Mother's Day! ~
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Champagne


• April 30, 2005
An increasingly confusing Vintages catalogue ~ Hard to find what you are looking for & plan purchases

• April 30, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Rosemount Shiraz on a Roll!

• April 23, 2005
The Wine Glass ~
The Key to getting the most out of your wines


• April 23, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Making the Rum Transition

• April 16, 2005
All we are saying is give pink a chance

• April 16, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Talus 2002 Zinfandel ~ A Zinfully Good Anti-Luddite!

• April 9, 2005
Don't be screwed by a bad cork ~
Screwcaps are the answer


• April 9, 2005 Bottle of the Week
2003 Mouton Cadet Blanc ~
Canada's best selling white Bordeaux


• April 2, 2005
From Fizz to Pop ~ Putting some zip into Spring

• April 2, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Underberg the Ultimate Digestif! ~
Only a full bottle will do!


• March 26, 2005
Canada's #1 Wine Festival 27th ~
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival


• March 26, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Smooth & Satisfying ~
A Luxury French Brandy at a Great Price!


• March 19, 2005
German Classics for Easter

• March 19, 2005 Bottle of the Week
A liqueur that Grows on Trees!

• March 12, 2005!
Ontario's Vinous Peaks ~
Great quality directly from the wineries!


• March 12, 2005 Bottle of the Week
A Special Treat for St. Patrick's Day

• March 5, 2005
Today at Vintages ~ Chardonnays starting at $8.95!

• March 5, 2005 Bottle of the Week
Cynar: A One-of-a-Kind Aperitif

• February 26, 2005
Cuvée Throws a Curve Ball at Ontario's Best

• February 19, 2005
A Vintages Jackpot for Shiraz Fans ~
But Slim Pinot Noir Pickings


• February 19, 2005 Bottle of the Week
It's Canadian fortified and exudes sweet raspberries: Southbrook Framboise - Summer in a Bottle

• February 12, 2005
The Apple of my Heart ~ Calvados to the Rescue

• February 12, 2005 Bottle of the Week
It's French, it's spirited and a little bit sexy: Mon dieu, it's Green Chartreuse

• February 5, 2005
Uncovering the Best Classics Red

• January 29, 2005
Ooh la la! ~ Fine French Values
that Won't Break the Bank


• January 22, 2005
Frisky Whisky for Robbie Burns Revellers

• January 15, 2005
Pinotage Perfection ~
Exploring South Africa's Sole Indigenous Grape


• January 8, 2005
Gems from Chile ~
Be selective in today's Vintages Release

2006


• December 30, 2006
Fine Wine Buys ~ Event Highlights for the New Year

• December 23, 2006
Getting the Bull from Santa

• December 16, 2006
Birds of a feather may flock together

• December 9, 2006
Champagne Dreams & Caviar Wishes

• December 2, 2006
Sitting Pretty ~ Great Wines for the Holidays

• November 25, 2006
Getting Into the Holiday Spirits

• November 18, 2006
Come to the MasqueRave ~ A Cornucopia of Events

• November 11, 2006
A Pinot Noir Pilgrim ~ From Burgundy to New Zealand

• November 4, 2006
A Class Act ~ Surviving Wine-Savvy Dinner Guests

• October 28, 2006
Today's Vintages Double-Header

• October 21, 2006
Fan Feedback

• October 14, 2006
Malt Mania

• October 7, 2006
Two Companions for Thanksgiving

• September 30, 2006
Bordeaux ~ A Consuming Passion

• September 23, 2006
An Australian Avalanche

• September 16, 2006
Spotlight on Ontario

• September 9, 2006
A Wine Lover's Guide to TIFF

• September 2, 2006
Take out a Tuscan for the long weekend

• August 26, 2006
Don't change wine, change the glass!

• August 19, 2006
Let's hear it for Pink & Yellow

• August 12, 2006
Taste of the Danforth is not all Greek to me!

• August 5, 2006
Today's Vintages Highlight ~
A Terrific Greek Chardonnay


• July 29, 2006
Celebrating their 10th Anniversary ~
Lurton's Winery in Argentina's Sky


• July 22, 2006
Today’s Vintages Pinot Noir Release

• July 15, 2006
Ontario Winery Destinations

• July 8, 2006
Discovering Alsace ~ Challenges in Buying the Best

• July 1, 2006
Canada Day's Top Ten, Eh - The Endless Search

• July 1, 2006
The Top Ten Canadian Wineries

• June 24, 2006
Best New Releases for Discerning Palates

• June 17, 2006
The World Cup of Sauvignon Blanc

• June 10, 2006
Buy it in Alberta & Bring it home to Daddy!

• June 3, 2006
Thinking Pink - A Rosé for Every Taste

• May 27, 2006
Vintage Plays Havoc with Classic Contenders

• May 20, 2006
New Zealand's Explosion of Flavours

• May 13, 2006
Ra! Ra! Riesling! ~
Good ones, bad ones, fat ones, lean ones


• May 6, 2006
When it comes to wine lists ~
Bigger isn't necessarily better


• April 29, 2006 The Top Shelf
The Joyous Harbinger of Spring

• April 29, 2006
A Hole-in-One Twice for Greg Norman

• April 22, 2006
Gambling on Wine Dinners ~
Three recent positive outings


• April 15, 2006 The Top Shelf
Canada's Ultimate Wine Weekend

• April 15, 2006
Putting a little "hop" into your Easter brunch

• April 8, 2006
A Survivor's Guide to the 2006 California Wine Fair

• April 1, 2006 The Top Shelf
German Wine and Jazz April 4th

• April 1, 2006
Waking Up & Smelling the Flowers ~
A Bouquet of Springtime


• March 25, 2006 The Top Shelf
Sicily never tasted as good

• March 25, 2006
Tracking Down Vintages Best Buys

• March 18, 2006
In Homage to Cabernet Sauvignon ~
Great Cabernet Sauvignon can last for decades


• March 11, 2006
Ireland: The cradle of Whiskey

• March 4, 2006
The Best of Today's Vintages Release ~
South Africa's Answer to Tequila


• February 25, 2006
Mining for Gold in South Africa ~
Great Pinotage & Shiraz


• February 18, 2006
Going for Gold at Vintages

• February 11, 2006
Beware of great wine reviews that don't deliver ~
Is it me, the critic or the bottle?


• February 4, 2006
Spanish Wines Take Flight

• January 28, 2006
D-Day at Vintages 724 ~
Vintages items go on sale today!


• January 21, 2006
Today at Vintages ~ A Fine Trio of Accessible French Whites ~ The Many Faces of Syrah/Shiraz

• January 14, 2006
Ontario's Icewines Shine ~
The Icewine Oscars for the Best 2004


• January 7, 2006
A Quality Vintages Kick-off to the New Year Easy Quaffing Southern Hemisphere Shiraz

 

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