Newsletter #228 - Beer Store Antics

01 May 2014

OntarioWineReview Newsletter 228

May 2014

 

  • OntarioWineReview: Beer Store Antics

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

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

  • Wine Event Spotlight: Music and Moseying around


OntarioWineReview:  Beer Store Antics

If you're anything like me the Beer Store has really started the piss you off.  

Let me explain:  The majority of Ontarians don’t waste a lot of thought on the Beer Store, yes it’s a place to buy beer, but most don’t think about it as having a foreign multinational ownership between Molson Coors Brewing Co., Anheuser-Busch InBev and Sleeman Breweries Ltd. (Sapporo Breweries Ltd.); after all it has Molson in the name right?  And that’s as Canadian as maple syrup and icewine (except when it’s made in Vermont and Germany respectively; but we don’t think that way).  And the fact that the majority of the brands sold there are in some way controlled by the three owners never even crosses our collective minds’.  Fact is, those of us who drink more wine then beer think of them as the place to drop off our bottles.

Of course, there are folks like my brother who frequent the Beer Store more than the LCBO ... first and foremost he’s a ‘beer guy’,  second the Beer Store is convenient and easy for him to swing in and out of on his way home.  But last month I think both beer and wine people united in our what-the-heck-were-they-thinking mindset when the Beer Store put out attack ads against corner stores and told us (in not so direct terms) "we think you're immature and stupid".

If you have not seen the ads I'll give you a couple of minutes to take a look:
#1 … Glenn Howard - http://youtu.be/6q3Zh5s2iTQ
#2 … Good Kids - http://youtu.be/_OLn5QojMH8

Now, hopefully you've calmed down a bit.

Not sure which one I object to more, the lies of the first or the total misrepresentation of variety store owners in the second. The biggest lie to me in #1 is the implication of impeccable customer service:  the visual of a beer store employee (Glenn Howard) showing a customer to her beer selection (can woman not find the beer they are bringing home to their man on their own?  Is that another implication here?)  or is he giving a recommendation of what beer to serve?  Either way it’s a complete falsehood:  I have been to plenty of Beer Stores in my day and NO ONE HAS EVER 'showed me’ to the beer I was looking for, in fact, Beer Store employees are some of the surliest bunch in the customer service world, second only to LCBO and Home Depot staff for the most un-helpful in  retail.  

Ad #2 makes variety store owners look complacent in the act of minors buying alcohol in their stores, the only thing the Beer Store did not do was put an ethnic minority behind the counter (that should be your first clue that the Beer Store is out of touch with corner stores) ... But seriously what a load of absolute garbage that ad is.  I was thinking that a good acronym for the Beer Store is “The B.S.” which is exactly what they are peddling to the public with their ads and “beer facts” campaign … hopefully you see right through it: all they are trying to do is protect their bottom line through the guise of social responsibility.  Heck the LCBO has been using that excuse for years and look at the monopoly they’ve built.

When it comes to the illegal sale of booze to minors, no one is protected more than the liquor store employees of this province.  First, both LCBO and Beer Store employees are protected by unions, so if they were to sell to minors that employee would continue to keep their job.  A sting by reporter David Menzies for SunMedia proved that not only can minors get alcohol at the LCBO but nothing befell the employees who sold to that minor.

On the other hand, a variety / corner store would face harsh penalties, stiff fines and I am sure the loss of their license to sell booze and quite possibly lose their store, their livelihood, everything they’ve worked for – not to mention the civil lawsuit that might be a consequence of their actions.  Most variety store owners are hardworking, law abiding people who work long hours in their own store’s, and usually rely on their family members to help out.  They aren’t about to give up their way to make a living to sell a couple extra bottles of Blue to 15-year-old Joey Ripkin.  Now, I’m not saying there aren’t any rotten eggs in the basket, but you’ve had LCBO workers sell booze out the back door of stores and warehouses and clerks sell to friends – there’s always someone who takes advantage of the system, but to paint them all with this absurd brush is clearly ridiculous.  The BS the Beer Store is pushing is practically see-through.  

The loss of one’s business and livelihood is a bigger price to pay than the slap on the wrist a Beer / LCBO store employee would see.  Take ten minutes and listen to this segment of the Jim Richards show on NewsTalk 1010 as Jim interviews Jeff Newton, President of the Beer Store, listen to his evasive answer when asked what happens when an employee of his organization sells to a minor.  He couches his answers in phrases like: if the employee is proven to have a   “track record” he’ll get “remedial training” … my ass.  First off, how many chances do they get?  Your average corner store would get one strike and you’re out.  You can see the scenario playing out in your head right now:  

“Joey where did you get that beer?”
“From the corner store mom.”
“ I’m calling the police on them”.

And at least, in this scenario there would be some recourse – these days what can you do, the Beer Store and LCBO are above the law – heck they’re pretty much making up their own.

The Beer Store should be downright ashamed of themselves for their scare tactics and fear mongering and stop standing in the way of progress in an already backward thinking province when it comes to the sale of booze.  I have friends who have already begun to boycott buying their beer at the Beer Store but how long will that last?  Their biggest problem is the choice of where else to go is limited.  So even if they wanted to vote with their dollars and their feet, Ontario has made it almost impossible to show their displeasure. If I don’t like the service at Home Depot I can go to Lowe’s, TSC, Rona or Home Hardware.  But if the Beer Store pisses me off, then I have the LCBO, and if the LCBO pisses me off I have … The Beer Store.  The free market is alive and well, somewhere, but not here in Ontario; and the Beer Store is determined to keep it that way.

_____________________________________

On a lighter note, this weekend the wineries of Prince Edward County are holding the first ever Terroir event at which bottles of wine will be sold to patrons – to take home.  I'm not sure how they have circumvented the rules, or which loophole they have found but the 2014 Terroir event is turning into a Farmer’s Market on Saturday May 3 and I for one could not be prouder to see this kind of forward thinking.  The revolution I spoke about has started and Terroir is ground zero, and good for them.  Why do I say that you ask?

From my experience Terroir has always been a wine dominated event.  I asked a friend who was looking up the rules and guidelines governing the sale of wine at Farmers’ Market and here’s what he discovered:  “This, according to the LLA, is the definition of a Farmers’ Market:  "a central location at which a group of persons who operate stalls or other food premises meet to sell or offer for sale to consumers products that include, without being restricted to, farm products, baked goods and preserved foods, and at which a substantial number of the persons operating the stalls or other food premises are producers of farm products who are primarily selling or offering for sale their own products."   And further… and this speaks to Terroir, “The regulation does not authorize the establishment or operation of Farmers’ Markets at which all or a substantial number of the products sold or offered for sale are VQA wines.””

He then said:  “In other words, if a Farmers’ Market is really just a VQA store then it's not allowed.  If you look at the website for Terroir there's nothing other than wine…and even if there was it's certainly not less than "substantial".  Looks like they snuck one through.”

You know the pencil pushers and bean counters at Queens Park will seal that loophole just as soon as they can, all while the AGCO and LCBO scream into their ears about how unfair it is and that they were duped.  But I think it’s time to take a page from the Terroir wine festival, bring the veggie sellers, the fruit growers, the cheese makers, the mustard peddlers and anyone else to those other established wine fairs and let's show the province that we can be responsible coming home even when we have a car load of booze we bought at the fair.  Let the boundary-pushing revolution begin.  Hey St. Lawrence Market, make room for a dozen wineries upstairs; and Gourmet Food and Wine Expo, it’s high time you became the “Farmers’ Market and Wine Expo.”

 


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

Casa Dea 2011 Riesling - $16.95 (W)
www.casadeaestates.com
At first I was wondering what Casa Dea was still doing with a 2011 Riesling available … was it not selling?  Was there a problem with it?  None of the above.  This is a real appealing Riesling that takes County Riesling to a whole new level.  The minerality (wet stone) and the acidity really fight it out here with stone fruit playing the balancing sweet role between the duo of dries.  Clean, crisp and refreshing with kick-ass citrus on the long finish … a food friendly Riesling that’s a summer sipper for terroir nuts and acid heads alike.  Price: $16.95 – Rating: ****

Coyote’s Run 2013 Chardonnay, Unoaked - $14.95 (W, L)
www.coyotesrunwinery.com
I’ll come right out and say it:  as much as I don’t like Chardonnay, I’m an even harsher critic of the unoaked style … bland, boring, uneventful … but wait, this Coyote’s Run version actually has interesting character.  Aromas of peach, pear, pineapple and some floral notes seem to lurk about, while on the palate there’s a bitterness that plays nicely with that white and yellow fruit helping to balance out the sweetness to be.  The finish is round and fuller than expected.  Price: $14.95 – Rating: ****

Foreign Affair 2010 Gran Q - $150.00 (W)
www.foreignaffairwinery.com
I don’t deny the deliciousness of this Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot blend, each made in the Amarone style and all at a whopping 17.5% alcohol.  The aromas of chocolate, black cherry, vanilla and burnt butterscotch/caramel … it’s hard to fault the sweet entry, the plum and cherry on the palate that turns choco-cherry and mocha with a lovely sweetness to the finish … beginning to end the sweetness sticks around and if not for the rough tannins it would come off more like a dessert wine.  Nor can I say anything about the name, a tip of the hat and dedicated to the Amarone legend Giuseppe Quintarelli … Nope the hard part to swallow here is the $150 price tag; it reminds me of my wife’s furniture story when she couldn’t price her furniture reasonably for a garage sale … I believe owner Len Crispino is having the same crisis here.  Will he sell out?  Probably, but not quickly.  187 cases produced.  Price: $150.00 – Rating: ****+

Hillebrand 2011 Cabernet Franc, Red Shale - $40.00 (W)
www.triuswines.com
The 2010 version of this wine won best red in Canada at the All Canadian Wine Championships and for good reason … it was utterly amazing.  The 2011 suffers from a lesser vintage – as 2011 wasn’t as generous with the heat as 2010 – but it’s still a pretty bottle of Franc.  Aromas are typically Franc-esque: cigar smoke and raspberry; palate has good spice and a nice fruit combo of raspberry, cassis and cherry.  The 2011 doesn’t have the power of the previous vintage but it drinks well, and has elegance and finesse on its side.  Price: $40.00 – Rating: ****+

Pelee Island 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon / Petit Verdot - $19.95 (W)
www.peleeisland.com
A 75 / 25 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon versus Petit Verdot that, despite what the label says (VQA Ontario) is actually all Pelee Island fruit (Canada’s most southerly point).  The nose is blackberry, plum and black cherry … the palate is nicely spiced with an abundance of dark fruit.  Price: $19.95 – Rating: ****

Tawse 2011 Chardonnay, Lenko Vineyard - $45.00 (W)
www.tawsewinery.ca
Who knew that someone else could make good wine with Daniel Lenko’s old vines grapes (planted in 1959 – now that’s old) … proving that maybe it’s not the winemaker, maybe it’s the grapes.  Nose has tropical notes, including banana, and an alluring aroma of butterscotch.  Flavours are peach pit, toffee, baked caramelized banana with a full mouthfeel, good acidity and a long finish.  A beauty of a wine but only 4100 bottles made so don’t hesitate to purchase.  Price: $45.00 – Rating: ****+

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 #69 – Big Head 2012 Chenin Blanc
Video #70 – Foreign Affair 2010 Temptress

NEW – Quench By Tidings … #Wine Wednesday (see them all here)
International Pinks for the Patio
One More Time Unto the Rose

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
Chateau des Charmes 2006 Chardonnay Musque
Coyote’s Run 2005 Cabernet Franc
Angels Gate 2008 Gamay
Chateau des Charmes 2006 Gewurztraminer

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 26 release report up now


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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.

CiderFest at Puddicombe ... June 20 and 21 - check out the details here

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 8th Annual Six4Six - Tickets on sale NOW ... 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, and 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

Wine Country's Favourite Summer Festival is Back! ... Trius Jazz: July 12, 2014 and Trius Blues: August 9, 2014.  Trius Jazz & Blues at the Winery has been bringing premier Canadian talent to Niagara's wine country for 25 years. This year marks their 25th anniversary.  Choose from a variety of ticket options and experiences that include Vineyard Lawn Seating, Trius Red Lounge, Trius Winery Restaurant Patio Seating and Backstage Pass.  Get your tickets and find more info here.


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