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Welcome to this not-for-profit paywall-free resource database & website created by Michael Vaughan PhD
An award-winning weekly columnist for Canada's top newspapers including the National Post, Globe & Mail and Financial Times
Sunday October 11, 2026
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About Vintage Assessments
our roots - check it out here
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NOW AVAILABLE IN VINTAGES
October 10 Release

SEE PRELIMINARY RELEASE BUYERS GUIDE
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CHARDONNAY FOR THANKSGIVING
Choose from a Great Canadian Classic

Domaine Le Clos Jordanne
Jordan Village Chardonnay 2023
Bright, Gently Toasty, Ripe *** 92-point Best Buy
$29.95 #20455 - Vintages September 12

LAST DAY
Crowd-Pleasing French $2 LTO Bargain

Calmel & Joseph
Villa Blanche Chardonnay 2025
Smooth Ripe Pear **/**+ 88.5-point Best Buy
Now $16.00 #375071 - on the LCBO General List

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A Classic RECOMMENDED Beajolais
 Mommessin Mary & Thomas Bachelder Beaujolais-Lantignié '23
Fresh, Bright, Raspberry-Plum *** (91-points)
$24.95 - Vintages #48377
This one-of-a-kind collaboration wine from Mommessin hits the spot. Bright medium purple colour with an attractive, bright, fresh, ripe, raspberry-plum nose. Dry, medium bodied, gently juicy, ripe, plum-crancherry flavours with a lingering, nicely textured, lifted, minerally finish. It is the first Beaujolais-Lantignié DOC I have tasted and a genuine winner at $24.95. This ready-to-drink distinguished effort from Thomas and Mary Bachelder has13% alcohol and 2 g/L residual sugar. Agent: UNIVINS
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September 26 Release

SEE OUR RELEASE BUYERS GUIDE
see our linked agent summary & case numbers
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Vintages 2026 Buyers Guide

SEE ALL OUR 2026 BUYERS REVIEWS
UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 15
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THE THANKSGIVING PERFECTION RED
A Classic Niagara 2023 Single Vintage Cru
Bachelder Lowrey Old Vines Pinot Noir
Elegant, Bright, Ripe, Cassis-Plum-Cherry
Vintages Oct 10 - $65 #361816 ***/***+ (95-points)

This exceptional, limited-edition St. David's Bench 2023 from old vines dating back to 1984 has a pale light red colour. Extremely elegant on the nose with floral roses, ripe plums, raspberries and cassis with some minerally, gently complex toasty notes. Dry, medium-plus bodied, nicely textured, fresh, perfectly ripe, just-picked, raspberry-cassis-plum flavours with some hints of frais de bois all followed up by a lingering, refined, very bright, vanilla-tinged finish. It has 12% alcohol and was aged for 20-months in French oak. Comparable to some top Burgundies fetching $100+
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Surviving 50 years at 6º C

Last Fall a single bottle of Ontario 1975 Chateau-Gai Gamay Beaujolais sold for a world-record $1,000 at a Waddintons auction. Three bottles of this 1975 were opened last October and were tasted by dozens in attendance at the CELEBRATION OF LIFE for winemaker Paul Bosc Sr. All 3 bottles stored at the ultra-cold temperature for 50 years were in perfect condition.
See Rick VanSickle's report.
 


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Copyright Michael Vaughan 2026
Contact Michael Vaughan at mbv@uniserve.com