Something special happens when you

open a great bottle of wine. You’re decanting

the passion and skill of the winemaker, the history of the

vines, and colourful stories about the past and present of

the region. A great bottle of wine can be magic, whether

you sip it on its own, savour it with a fine meal or just

enjoy it with casual fare. A great wine is something you

experience, not just something you drink. We can help

shape your experience with a fun and fascinating journey

of discovery into the world of wine.

Vintages is the boutique side of the LCBO, a purveyor of

unique, high-quality, limited-availability wines. We’re

passionate about wine and want you to be too, so we search

the world to bring you a curated selection of the best that’s

UNCORK SOMETHING GREAT

out there. Consider us your personal connection to top

wineries and winemakers. Our special relationships with

them mean we’re always discovering new wonders and have

access to a huge range of wines – from famous icons crafted in

the top regions, to little gems found off the beaten path. Read

on to discover everything that we offer!

UNIQUE WINES - We search the world to bring you a curated collection of the world’s best.

W E U NC RATE THE WORLDEVERY TWO WEEKS

AN EVER-CHANGING SELECTION - 100+ new wines are introduced into our stores every second Saturday.

Vintages is all about discovery, and we share the excitement

with you, with new and interesting wines from all over the

world. Every second Saturday, we introduce over 100 new

products into stores, each one selected by our experts. They’re

tasked with searching the world’s many wine regions to bring

you a vast array including unique, handcrafted and small-batch

offerings. This ever-changing collection offers great value at

a wide range of prices, from approachable wines under $20 to

the most exclusive bottles. Just look for the “New Arrivals”

signs in stores. These extraordinary wines are on our shelves

for a limited time – while supplies last – so shop early for the

best selection.

Our free bi-weekly magazine offers insights into each of

our new wines. Every issue is an educational read that

helps you learn about wine, with feature stories that focus

KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRATION

on well-known and unusual grape varietals, wine regions of

the world and wine producers of all sizes and renown. And,

of course, you’ll also get helpful tips on chilling, storing, food

pairing and so much more. Pick up a copy in the Vintages

section of your local LCBO or have it mailed free to your home

(visit vintages.com to subscribe).

THE VINTAGES MAGAZINE - Explore the people, places and stories of the wine world.

Many Vintages locations have knowledgeable Product

Consultants in store, ready to help. These passionate experts

W E’RE HERE TO HELP

have first-hand knowledge of the wines in our collection – in

fact, they’ve studied and tasted many of them. They know all

about regions, grapes, wine styles and more, and can show you

the perfect wine(s) to complement your meal, or recommend

wines that make great gifts or that are perfect for cellaring.

When you need help, just look for their white shirts.

PRODUCT CONSULTANTS - Get expert guidance, whatever your level of knowledge.

ALWAYS AVAILABLE

beloved French Chablis, and pretty much everything in

between. These proven favourites are a great way to explore

different wines and regions. Essentials are in-store every day.

All Vintages locations carry some Essentials, although the

selection varies by store. They’re also found in some stores

that don’t have a full Vintages section.

As much as you may like discovering new wines, sometimes

you just want your “go-to.” That’s why, along with our New

Arrivals, we have a permanent collection of over 130 wines

called Essentials – all benchmarks of their region, style or

varietal, from classic California Cabernet Sauvignon to

THE ESSENTIALS COLLECTION - Proven favourites are ready and waiting in stores. Always available, every day.

MORE TO DISC OVER

wines. We introduce a new Classics Collection each month,

which can be viewed in advance at vintages.com/classics (or

you can have the Classics catalogue mailed to your home). Find

what you want, order online at vintages.com/shop starting

the first Thursday of every month, then pick up your wine at

your local store.

CLASSICS COLLECTION - There’s even more to explore

with our special online Classics Collection, where you’ll

find some of the world’s most celebrated and inf luential

TOP WINES ONLINE - Explore special collections of wines and spirits from the world’s best producers at vintages.com.

BORDEAUX FUTURES - A lot more fun than the stock market!

Futures are wines that are reviewed by critics while they’re

still in the barrel. They’re bought by customers in advance and

delivered once bottled, after two years of ageing. Especially

when the initial reviews are stellar, these wines may cost

much more once they hit the store, or they may be snapped up

and never get to stores at all. Serious collectors buy them as an

investment, but it’s also a great way to access and explore top

wines at potentially lower prices.

DISCOVER MORE WINES ONLINE - Visit vintages.com

SPECIAL OFFERS - We often get our hands on special parcels

of rare, small-lot or older-vintage wines that we buy directly

from the producers. Quantities of these treasures are very

limited, and they’re typically available to order online for only

a couple of weeks.

TASTE AND EXPERIENCE

• Structured tastings feature a winemaker or producer who

leads guests through the tasting of a selection of their wines

or spirits.

• Winemaker dinners are typically multi-course dinners

held at top restaurants and feature wines from well-known

wineries. A special guest – often the winemaker – presents

the wines and mingles with guests.

Vintages events are a great way to taste different wines,

get first-hand knowledge about them and meet some of the

world’s greatest winemakers. You can buy most of the wines

you try; some are event exclusives that are never available

in stores. Event tickets also make the perfect gift! We host

three kinds of events:

• Large walk-around tastings are relaxed events where guests

visit different stations at their own pace and sample a range of

wines to compare (always served alongside great food).

VINTAGES EVENTS - Exciting evenings for tasting, learning, ex-ploring and discovering what you like. Visit vintages.com/events

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

tell you all about what you’re sampling. Some stores also host

“Tutored Tastings.” At these engaging mini-seminars you

might learn about wine from a particular country or region,

wine styles, food pairings or entertaining solutions. For more

on Tutored Tastings, visit lcbo.com and click on “learn” to find

our Taste & Experience guide.

At many of our larger stores, along with an even greater

selection of top wines, you’ll find tasting bars where

you can sample New Arrivals, and other wines, for a

nominal charge. Knowledgeable experts are on hand to

TASTING BARS - In-store samplings ensure you’ll go home with wines you’ll enjoy.

EASY TOOLS & TIPS - Tasting notes, wine styles and other details help decode what’s in the bottle.

There’s a lot of wine out there. And choosing a new one can

seem daunting. But experiencing wines should be fun! And we

make it easy. You can start by reading the informative signs

on our shelves, which offer clues to help demystify what’s in

the bottle.

• Tasting notes: These expert reviews tell you a bit about the

wine, the grapes used to make it and its flavours, often with

food pairing suggestions.

C HO O SING A GREAT WINE

• Scores: These give you a quick indication of a wine’s overall

quality, and are based on the reviewer’s palate (not necessarily

yours). As you sample different wines, you’ll find a reviewer

or two whose tastes align with your own. Reviewers typically

score on a 100-point scale, but some use a 20-point scale, or

rate wines out of three or five stars.

• Country and region: Every shelf sign tells you the country and

region, and often the appellation, that grapes came from. Compare

wines made from the same grape from different regions or try a

variety of wines from a single region. Need more direction? We’re

at your service.

• Wine style: Each bottle is identified with a style (e.g., Full-bodied

& Smooth, Light & Crisp; visit lcbo.com/winestyles for detailed

descriptions). These identify the wine’s key flavours and make it

easy to pick out other wines of the same style that you’ll also enjoy.

• Drink/hold symbol: These symbols tell you when it’s best to drink

the wine. 1 means the wine should be enjoyed now. 2 means it can

be consumed now or saved for future. 3 indicates the wine should

be cellared. Most of our New Arrivals can be appreciated right away.

• Sugar code: Beside the price you’ll notice either XD, D, M, MS or

S, denoting a range from Extra Dry to Sweet. These refer to the

perceived sugar content or how dry or sweet the wine tastes.

• Residual sugar: The amount of glucose and fructose that remains

in the wine after fermentation, expressed in grams per litre (g/L).

Typically a dry red or white wine will have less than 10 g/L while a

sweet Icewine could have over 200 g/L.

FIND A STORE, A WINE, AN EVENT - Connect with us online or in person and explore our ever-changing selection with ease!

GOOD TO KNOW

search and much more, visit us online. Remember that our

product selection varies by store, so check here first (or on the

app) for availability.

• Vintages Latest e-newsletter: Get early access to the

Vintages magazine online, plus weekly alerts about events,

special offers and more. Sign up at vintages.com/signup.

• Vintages locations: There are almost 300 Vintages locations

within LCBO stores, ranging from a single wall to large flagship

locations with 1000+ wines. Visit vintages.com/locations.

• LCBO on the Go: Available at the App Store, this lets you

search for products, check inventory, scan barcodes to learn

about a wine, find stores, and save your favourite products.

• Vintages.com: For more about Vintages, product and store

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