Newsletter #227 - That Would Not Be a Good Plan

17 Apr 2014

OntarioWineReview Newsletter 227

April 2014

 

  • OntarioWineReview: That Would Not Be a Good Plan

  • Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch: New and Noteworthy Wines

  • Bi-Weekly OWR UpdatesWine Videos, Blog Additions and more

  • OWR Extra: Op-Ed Piece by MP Dan Albas

  • Wine Event Spotlight: Music and Moseying around


OntarioWineReview:  That Would Not Be a Good Plan

Two weeks ago, just before publishing the newsletter, two things happened, Ontario’s finance minister, Charles Sousa, announced the next Ontario boondoggle to “help” Ontario wineries gain access to market and at the same time “help” Ontarians gain better access to beer and wine; and an op-ed piece by MP Dan Albas was forwarded to me.  (You can read Mr. Albas piece below the Picks of the Bunch section) …

What the hell is wrong with Ontario's provincial government? The last time I asked that question I got emails telling me the liberals were not corrupt and that we live under the best regime for alcohol selection "in the world" ... Well I think there is no longer any doubt this government is corrupt; if you think the Wynne Liberals are different from the McGuinty Liberals then you have obviously never heard the old saying about putting lipstick on a pig … hint: it’s still a pig.  And if you still believe the LCBO is the be all and end all of liquor retailers might I suggest you head south to places like Total Wines, ABC Liquors, Costco or Premier Liquors in the US of A and then come back and tell me that (if you’re still convinced of the LCBO’s supremacy after that then I have some swampland in Florida with your name on it …)

But I’m not here to bash the wrong thinking members of our society, who are not part of the provincial government ... What I want to address today is why our provincial government continue to consistently believe the liquor monopoly we loving call the KGBO is the answer to all our liquor woes here in Ontario.  The rest of Canada is beginning to see the light yet the Ontario government continues to pile more responsibility for the sale of alcohol onto the LCBO. Be it Ontario wine boutiques, or now in-store kiosks.  This government continues to ignore the basic facts: opening more LCBO stores does not increase the market access it waters in down.

The LCBO buys a lot of booze, there is no argument there, but by opening more "stores" they have to continue the supply chain and buy high-volume produced wines ... The reason is the general list products have to be maintained ... And only large producers can supply the amount of product to feed "the beast" ... Basically, and inevitably, squeezing the little guy out further.  Large companies like Constellation and Gallo enjoy dealing with the liquor board because they have, and continue to come out with, more labels that look like a wider selection of wines, but when you find out that half of the wines in general list California section come from a handful of companies it should make you stop and wonder:  “Are they really different wines, or the same wines under different labels?”

The same question should be asked to Charles Sousa, whom two weeks ago announced Ontario’s newest brain-dead answer to the growing problem of market access for wineries and better access to Ontario wines for all Ontarians:  Are these kiosks really different ways to buy, or the same way under a different guise?”

It’s not hard to realize Mr. Sousa that all you are giving us is more of the same usual channels.

Here’s a quote from that peacock-preening news release … “Modernizing Ontario's liquor laws and supporting the domestic wine, beer and spirits industries are part of the government's economic plan that is creating jobs for today and tomorrow. The comprehensive plan and its six priorities focus on Ontario's greatest strengths -- its people and strategic partnerships.”

In the same release Sousa himself is quoted as saying:  “Ontarians have been asking for greater access and convenience to buy their favourite beer, bottle of wine, or spirit. These new Express stores are a way to balance that convenience with social responsibility while further supporting our local industries.”  

This is the answer to the big question that this government has come up with?  I’m trying to keep my cool here but are they all f’in insane at Queen’s Park?  These people are our leaders, the ones who took all the information that was available to them, the studies, the opinions and this is the best idea they could come up with … in 2014 … Seriously?  My 8 year old niece makes better decisions.  I am really struggling as to where to begin here:  Ontario wineries have been asking for greater market access in the form of private stores or VQA-only stores, in other words: more places to sell their product besides the LCBO, cellar door and restaurants … more places, different places … more access.  NOT more of the same places.  It’s as if the government said, “you want more places to sell your wines we’ll open up a few more restaurants”; which again would equal more of the same places.  

Isn’t doing the same thing but expecting a different result the very definition of insanity?  Yet this government continues to believe that the LCBO is the answer to all the wineries woes.

This whole news release and the policies it promotes, is exactly what you think it is and what the wineries are afraid to tell you it is, a big, steaming, extra smelly pile of excrement (be careful, it’s fresh, so don’t step in it) … it’s just another way this government is going to fleece you into believing they are helping, but instead stand in the way of progress in this province.

Imagine, a store called “Bob’s Fine Wine” on the corner of Yonge and Dundas that specialized in Ontario only wine (notice I did not say VQA-only), now that’s a new place … this is not a hard concept to grasp, yet this government continues to side step the real issue and shove the LCBO down our throats.  Do we as Ontarians really need this style of babysitting?  Are we really that socially irresponsible that we need the LCBO’s and government’s guiding hand to keep us on the straight and narrow?

I have been in business for many years and my thought has always been, if someone gives you advice and that same vein of advice comes at you from a number of sources, then maybe it’s time to not only investigate the notion further but find a satisfactory way to implement it.  Other provinces are taking and making strides in alcohol reform and in Ontario … no so much … when what we should be doing is following the advice given in the title of The Cranberries first album “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”

Yet this government has consistently ignored plea after plea for loosening the reigns and opening up the system – no one is saying they have to turn the tap handles on full blast, but even a trickle might give us a taste of what might happen if … heck I think Fred Flintstone had better access to booze in Bedrock than we here in Ontario do; here in Ontario it’s Yaba Daba Don’t-Even-Think-About-It.

Four weeks ago I preached revolution, which sparked an #OntWineChat on twitter, but here’s a new thought:  Maybe Ontario wineries should take a page out of Premier Litigious’ book and sue her and her government for competitive disadvantage or any number of bad ideas, backward thinking and crimes against free enterprise and the inability to make a proper living.  We talk these days about raising the minimum wage for a better standard of living; how ‘bout we look at the standards our wineries are dealing with and the oppressive regime they work under while trying to make a better living for themselves.

Speaking of self-serving and out of touch, don’t even get me started about those new Beer Store ads … okay maybe next time.

 


Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch: New and Noteworthy Wines

Cattail Creek 2012 Cabernet-Merlot - $14.95 (L)
www.cattailcreek.ca
At under $15 this is a bargain wine that should, by all rights, cost a little more thanks to the 2012 vintage it hails from.  Only 10 months in a mix of new (20%), 1 year (40%) and 2 year old oak (40%) – all of it French.  The nose comes across as simple with raspberry and smoke being the most prominent, but it’s the palate that likes to show off here:  vanilla and black cherry with raspberry backing … this is a highly drinkable wine that’s pleasant for all occasions and carries with it a lovely long red berry finish.  This is what I like to call a “stock up” wine and you might want to do so because BBQ season is upon us.  Price: $19.95 – Rating: ****

Cave Spring 2011 Pinot Noir, Dolomite - $21.95 (W)
www.cavespringcellars.com
I keep scratching my head when I taste the Pinots from Cave Spring because most of us consider them a Riesling house first and foremost (with 7+ under their belt), yet their Pinots continue to impress.  This version from their Dolomite series is light yet full of flavour.  Delicate red fruit: strawberry, cherry and cranberry on the nose followed on the palate with a cran-cherry mix of acidity and spice.  Price: $21.95 – Rating: ****

Coyote’s Run 2012 Pinot Noir - $19.95 (W, L)
www.coyotesrunwinery.com
Here’s a value Pinot which is 25% Red Paw vineyard and 75% Niagara-on-the-Lake purchased fruit … and this year it’s an even better value bottle than in previous years.  Nose has that Pinot-esque earthiness and sour cherry mixing with black cherry richness and violets.  Taste keeps that rich black cherry and cranberry, but it’s the rich fruitiness that stands out adding acidity to keep it fresh on the palate … a real surprise at this price point, and pleasantly so.  Price: $19.95 – Rating: ****+

Niagara College 2012 Sauvignon Blanc – Balance - $15.95 (W)
www.niagaracollegewine.ca
A new look bottle that suppresses the Niagara College moniker in favour of a subtle bolded “nc” in the word “balance” … ingenious; thus limiting criticism that the wine is made at a College, which might be a detractor to some for their table experience.  But here it’s all about the wine in the bottle, not the label and this one is a beauty.  Aromas are extremely aromatic: vanilla, peach and lemon … palate shows hints of the 30% barrel it rest in for 4-5 months, but not enough to overwhelm:  citrus pith, melon rind, fresh, clean and lively – well-balanced with good acidity on the finish.  Price: $15.95 – Rating: ****+

Redstone 2010 Syrah - $39.95
www.redstonewines.ca
You’re Morey Tawse, you have successful winery ventures in both Ontario (1) and Burgundy (2), so what do you do for an encore?  Start another.  With the purchase of the Thomas and Vaughan property in 2009 Morey went looking for new adventures in terroir in this own backyard.  This is one of the inaugural reds from that venture.  To say this Syrah is a beauty is a real understatement.  Made with grapes planted between 1998 - 2000 on the Redstone property, then aged 18 months in 50% new French oak; considering the robust year that was 2010 these grapes suck in all that oak and barely shows it on the palate or the nose; instead there’s a real peppermill-like nose complementing the smoky and meaty aromas while adding cassis and a touch of violet.  Palate comes off as youthful with lots of blackberry, black cherry fruit all mixed in with those smoked meat and peppermill notes; chalky mineral-tannins kick in on the finish.  There’s a real silkiness on the palate but the wine still has that purity of Syrah, not just in name.  Price: $39.95 – Rating: **** ½

Availability legend:  W (Winery) – L (LCBO/Vintages) –  OL (On-Line).


Bi-Weekly OWR Updates: Wine Videos, Blog Additions and more

The Weekly Wine Videos
Just as the name suggest … every week I'll introduce you to another fabulous Ontario wine that you've just gotta try – Check out the YouTube Channel Now

Sparkling Wine Week
Video #67 – Flat Rock Cellars 2012 Nadja's Vineyard Riesling
Video #68 – Rosehall Run 2011 JCR Chardonnay

NEW – Quench By Tidings … #Wine Wednesday (see them all here)
The Bubbling Under Rieslings
The Face of Canadian Rose-eh!

On the Road with the Grape Guy
(Trips, tours and tastings – join me as I review the highs, and sometimes, the lows)
Nothing New This Week

Lost and Found (blog):
(Wines that got "lost" in my cellar - some are Treasures others Trash … Find out what happened)
Nothing New This Week

Taste it Again Grape Guy (blog)
Find out what has happened to some of my favourites over the years
Night of Old Vines Wines

What I’m Drinking Tonight (blog)
When it’s not an Ontario wine, here’s what I’m pulling out of the cellar
New Posts Added

Vintages Release (blog)
April 12 release up NOW
April 26 release coming soon


Advertising

The date for the 8th Annual Six4Six has just been announced
Legend has it that this event was thought of over a barrel tasting between Huff winemaker Frederic Picard and Chef Bryan Steele.
While tasting the same grape through various barrel vintages they came up with the idea to match particular dishes with various
barrel samples of chardonnay and pinot noir, Six Barrels for Six Chefs was born.

Book your tickets now for one of the best food and wine events in Ontario.
Friday July 11, 2014 at Huff Estates in Prince Edward County

Find all the details here

Advertising


OntarioWineReviewOWR Extra - Op-Ed by MP Dan Albas

Op-ed pieces and pleas like this have fallen on the deaf ears at the top tiers of our provincial government for years, allowing other provinces to legislate more progressive policies and achieve greater access for consumers and, in the case of British Columbia, expand access for their burgeoning wine industry, all the while Ontario remains stuck in the stone age with antiquated laws and stagnant linear thinking.  We need leaders to take us into the future, not followers who are beholden to the past … here is MP Dan Albas’ piece that has been making the rounds (reprinted with kind permission) – it can also be found here:


“Back in August of 2012 I wrote an Op-Ed on how the Ontario Government could utilize private liquor stores to help support and grow the Ontario wine industry. I sent the Op-Ed out to 369 Ontario media contacts who were clearly so excited about an Op-Ed from a Conservative backbench MP from BC exactly none of them (to the best of my knowledge) ever published it. As Op-Ed media campaigns go, it was a complete disaster.

So what has changed since 2012 when I first wrote this particular Op-Ed? BC now has over 270 wineries– that is huge growth and is part of the reason why the BC wine industry is now credited with having an economic impact of $2 Billion dollars. Part of the credit for this success is owed to the BC Provincial Government who consistently has demonstrated leadership in consistently adopting Canada’s most progressive wine laws - some of these policies are noted in the Op-Ed I sent out.  

When it comes to wine policy, currently the Province of Ontario continues to support the status quo and restrictive pro-LCBO monopoly policies such as opposing the Free My Grapes inter-provincial movement of wine and opposing increasing private retailing options that can benefit the wine industry.  As there is again some discussion on the topic of private liquor stores again in Ontario here is my original Op-Ed on this subject that was sent out in 2012:

How the Ontario Government can better support the Wine Industry, taxpayers and consumers

During my recent work in Bill C-311 that amended the prohibition era “Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act” I became very familiar with Canada’s various liquor jurisdictions as they exist among our Canadian Provinces. One fact that I found both surprising and disappointing is that currently nearly 7 out of every 10 bottles of wine sold in Canada are imported from other countries. We know Canadian wineries produce some of the best wines in the world and yet our own domestic market is largely dominated by foreign wines. How can we reverse this trend and expand our Canadian wine production?

It is important to recognize that constructing even a modest sized family winery can require an investment of roughly $7-$10 million and production can take between 3-5 years before significant cash flow is generated in return. The biggest challenge facing most small Canadian wineries is a lack of retailing options. Currently many liquor jurisdictions (such as the LCBO) can charge what amounts to close to a 50% “commission” to retail wine. Small wineries simply lack the production quantities to be able to afford these significant costs. The alternative to paying hefty LCBO fees is to sell directly from the winery, a practice known as “cellar door” sales within the industry. However there is another option.

In British Columbia the Provincial Government has introduced private liquor stores to compete against the Government Liquors Stores. A Private liquor store operates on a 16% discount they receive off the public posted pricing and otherwise absorb all costs of retailing beer and wine.  For taxpayers this amounts to a gross return of 84% and yields more net revenue when compared to selling through far more costly Government run liquor stores. More importantly for the BC wine industry is that there are now close to 700 private liquor stores that sell BC wine without the costly fee structure imposed in selling through the Government liquor stores. For consumers there is not only more access as a result of better hours, there is also considerably more selection courtesy of competition between the private liquor store operators.

As a result of progressive policies such as these, there are now over 200 wineries in British Columbia with more in the planning and licensing phase. Unfortunately the roughly 130 Ontario VQA wine producers currently lack the retailing options that exist in British Columbia as a result of the archaic practices of the LCBO and a failure of the Ontario Government to take a more supportive role for the industry. Increasingly retail options with the private sector can net more revenue to taxpayers, increase choice and access for consumers and support Ontario grape growers and wine producers. This is a win/win scenario for all involved.”


Wine Event Spotlight: 4 More Events

2014 Jackson-Triggs Amphitheatre Summer Concert Season ... the season has been announced with performed such as Sam Roberts, Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, Jesse Cook, Colin James and the return of Chantal Kreviazuk (plus others) this concert series is one of the highlights of the summer in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  Tickets went on sale yesterday and some shows sell out quick so now's the time to check out whose coming, when and grab a couple of tickets.  See the complete line up here.

Get Fresh in the Valley ... Join the wineries of the 20 Valley as they celebrate spring in Niagara’s Twenty Valley Wine Country. The Get Fresh in the Valley passport entitles you to sample new vintage and aromatic wines paired with fresh spring inspired dishes at 24 Twenty Valley wineries. As an added bonus, collect a recipe card at each winery to assemble the Get Fresh Spring Cookbook. April 5 & 6, 12 & 13 or 26 & 27 - Passports: $40.00 plus HST - here's all the details.

Graze the Bench is Back ... Each spring, 8 wineries celebrate the Bench by pouring new and favourite vintages, inviting their favourite chefs to create inspired dishes, and adding some live bands into the mix. Graze the Bench has quickly become one of the most popular events in Niagara Wine Country, and they're thrilled to share the bounty of the Bench with you again June 7-8, 2014.  Find all the details here.

Tawse Summer Soltice … Jim Cuddy returns to Tawse “for another magical evening under the stars” full of music, food and wine.  June 28, 2014

The Return of the Ironic Chef … In our efforts to keep things fresh, Vineland has turned its annual "Ironic Chef Dinner" on its head and NOW it is up to the wineries to battle as opposed to the restaurants!  Chef Downes and his team will be creating a memorable 5 course meal to which a team from Vineland and a team from Fielding will be pairing wines.  You will get to enjoy the meal, taste BOTH winery selections with the courses and then VOTE for your favourite pairings.  It’s promised to be “an evening of fun, flavour and culinary high jinks!”  Friday April 25, 2014

Wine and Herb has become SIP AND SIZZLE ... What could be better than a spring weekend afternoon with a few friends, a barbeque, and fine wine? Well how about if the Wineries of NOTL do the hosting?  26 wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake each offer a unique grilled food and VQA wine pairing.  It's fun, relaxing, and a great way to discover the Wines of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and a great way to forget the winter we just endured.  Weekend in May, see the details here.


OntarioWineReview’s bi-weekly newsletter is devoted to the love, enjoyment and promotion of the wines of Ontario and the wineries that make them.

What can the Grape Guy do for you … Michael Pinkus (Grape Guy) provides a variety of wine related services that you might be interested in taking advantage of:  he gives lectures, leads seminars, conducts tastings, sets up tours; consults, selects and judges.  He also gives interviews, broadcasts, podcasts and writes.  Contact the Grape Guy if you require any of these services or have any questions.

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© OntarioWineReview.com 2014. All rights reserved. You may use the content of this newsletter by including full credit to Michael Pinkus, Grape Guy and a link to www.ontariowinereview.com

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