Michael Pinkus Wine Review - Newsletter #229 - Ontario Wine Awards Wrap Up & Observations

Newsletter #229 - Ontario Wine Awards Wrap Up & Observations

15 May 2014

Details: Category: Newsletter Archives

OntarioWineReview Newsletter 229

May 2014

OntarioWineReview: Ontario Wine Awards Wrap Up & Observations
Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch: New and Noteworthy Wines
Bi-Weekly OWR Updates: Wine Videos, Blog Additions and more
Wine Event Spotlight: Music and Moseying around

OntarioWineReview: Ontario Wine Awards Wrap Up & Observations

Twenty years is a long time to keep doing anything, so you have to hand it to Tony Aspler for sticking with the Ontario Wine Awards all these years. Last Friday night marked the 20th Anniversay of the awards, held at the Queens Landing Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake … you can see the Gold Medal winners and my off the cuff remarks (posted just hours after the awards were handed out) on the On the Road blog as well as go to the official Ontario Wine Awards website release to see all the other awards (silver and bronze) that were handed out that night.

As I sat there during the “awards ceremony” a number of thoughts drifted through the transoms of my mind and now that a week has passed I’d like to share a few of them with you.

What’s Up with the MCs? ... I’m not the only one to think this. Over the years many people have approached me and wondered the same thing. Deacon Dr. Fresh? I have met the good doctor on many occasions since. I’ve had the opportunity to lift a glass with him on a few occasions and I’ve even bumped into him in the lobby of the Festival Theatre in Stratford, Ontario … great guy – but hardly the right choice to host the more staid Ontario Wine Awards (but if MTV is reading …).

There was the year Tony tapped the Szabo “brothers” (John and Zoltan, not really brothers they just share the same last name). This was a questionable choice at best as many in the industry don’t view Master Sommelier John Szabo as a friend or fan of the Ontario wine industry.

The two that stand out from the last number of years are Christine Cushing (TV Chef) and Laura Calder (French Food at Home); both television personality that brought an air of charm and decorum to the post, they are most notable for being serviceable and without controversy.

But this year’s choice was the most curious of all: Andy Brandt, former head of the LCBO … and no offense to Andy personally, but he really was the poop floating in the pool on this night. A room full of winery principals who have no doubt clashed with the man in the past for more shelf space in the liquor monopoly stores. He made few friends in the Ontario wine community as head of the LCBO, who have and continue to treat the Ontario wine industry as its major competition, and to this day continue to bring in more off-shore wines, and open Ontario boutiques right in the wineries own backyard. No one in the room wished him dead, but they sure did not wish him well either. Let’s just say he was not a liked man when he held his position and the industry’s memory of him runs deep and long.

The long and the short of it is this: the choice to use Andy Brandt as MC was insensitive, inconsiderate and a slap in the face to the industry assembled.

The fix to the MC situation is self-evident. After 20 years it’s time Mr. Aspler tapped himself to be the MC … after all his name is synonymous with the Ontario Wine Awards … Jerry Lewis hosted his own telethon, so why wouldn’t Tony Aspler do the same, it only makes sense.

Why the Big Boys Win … The after awards get together for beer, icewine and dessert in the lobby is a mix of congratulatory back slaps for winning winemakers and winery principals and grumblings from small wineries who were shut out and had to endure the likes of Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Peller and Trius walking away with a plethora of awards (Vincor: 10 / Peller: 12), of the 91 awards handed out this year 24% went to the big two. It’s easy to explain with this anecdote: When visiting Darryl Brooker one year at Hillebrand he told me he was testing 12 different yeast strains on Chardonnay, including a wild ferment or two, in 12 different barrels; (to some wineries 12 barrels is their entire output) … in Darryl’s words, “whatever didn’t work out he would blend away”. Small wineries can’t compete with that scale of production, so stop the comparison, small to medium sized wineries still took over 75% of the awards and besides, the big story of the night was about a small winery that did something unprecedented: Exultet Estates took home the Gold for Oaked Chardonnay over $20 for the 4th year in a row, and wineries don’t get much smaller than that.

An Ontario Wine Award is hard to win, only three awards per category are given out (unless there is a tie), that’s a tough nut to crack, if it were easy it would be called the Finger Lakes Wine Festival (rim shot). The answer is not more awards competition (as some wineries were suggesting), the answer is to make the best wine for your customers – know your audience and the awards will come in time.

Can the Campaign Speech … every year the MPP for Niagara-on-the-Lake stands to say a few words. This year it was Wayne Gates (NDP - MPP) who stood up and delivered a ten minute campaign speech which included the promise to work more closely with the LCBO! Get to know your audience Wayne, a vast majority of those in attendance want a freer market like Alberta or a mix of free and government (a la British Columbia), so the promise to work with the LCBO doesn’t fly in the room. I believe the smattering of applause was from the likes of the Peller and Vincor contingent, who have been around long enough to have many of their products on LCBO shelves. How about this, during an election year let’s forego giving the candidate any floor time, unless we plan to give it to them all (which is an even bigger no-no), a simple introduction, stand up and wave would have sufficed.

Numbers I Heard … Finally, the LCBO had many opportunities to get up and “say a few words” and they always throw out numbers to show they are doing such a wonderful job selling and showcasing Ontario wine (which they are not). Platitudes like “fastest growing wine category”, “numbers are up” and “we’re selling more and more each year” are handed out like Tic-Tacs after a night of binge drinking … well, when the numbers are low to begin with its hard not to go up. I did not catch the exact numbers they threw out but I know the first digit is right in what I am about to tell you:

The Ontario wine industry sells 300+ million dollars’ worth of wine, I suspect that is the total number through all sources (LCBO, restaurant sales and cellar door). The LCBO sells 100+ million dollars’ worth (definitely less than 150 million) … Now think about it, if you the LCBO delivers a $1.2 billion dividend to the government of Ontario … then Ontario is but a drop in the bucket of LCBO sales. So why the majority of the provincial parties insist the LCBO is the answer is beyond me. The real question that needs to be answered is how to get Ontario wineries more profitable, not how to make the LCBO more profitable on the backs of Ontario wineries. When casting your ballot this year keep that in mind.

Those are my thoughts, if you have any of your own I’d love to hear them. But after all is said and done and the smoke clears the night was really about the winners, so congratulations to all the winners of this year’s the Ontario Wine Awards.

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

Coyote’s Run 2011 Chardonnay, Sparkling - $24.95 (W)
www.coyotesrunwinery.com
Coyote’s Run is starting to make a name for themselves in the bubbly department after already mastering the art of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir … seems a natural progression to me. Here we have a 24 month on lees 100% Chardonnay done in the traditional method … delicate nose with mineral notes, good lemon, touch of green apple and some unripe pear … good acidity cleans the palate and readies one for the next sip. Price: $24.95 – Rating: ****

Exultet 2012 Chardonnay, The Blessed - $40.00 (W)
www.exultet.ca
Really, what can you say about this wine that beats this: 4 time winner of the Gold Medal for Best Oaked Chardonnay over $20 at the Ontario Wine Awards ... 4 years, simply amazing, unprecedented and incredibly consistent. Gerry Spinosa seems to have a handle on making great Chardonnay ... And once again this is no exception. The 2012 is extracted and rich as the hot vintage would dictate but along with it there is plenty of fruit like apple and peach, a lovely seam of caramel and great spice finish; outstanding effort and a real coup for the County. Price: $40.00 – Rating: **** ½+

Fielding 2011 Red Conception - $18.95 (W)
www.fieldingwines.com
I would have to say I’m a fan of the Red Conception wine line, for two simple reasons: good price and consistently good wine. In this edition of the wine Franc dominates the blend at 40% with a nice hit of Merlot (25%) followed up by Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Big cherry, raspberry and white pepper aromas lure one into the glass; while the palate is playful and quite juicy – there are also hints of tobacco and white pepper running down the seam surrounded by spiced red and black fruit … all backed by mouth cleansing acidity … here purity of fruit is backed with oomph! Price: $18.95 – Rating: ****+

Kacaba 2010 Cabernet Franc, Reserve - $44.95 (W)
www.kacaba.com
During the 2010 growing season a grower told me that Cabernet Sauvignon was the grape to make from that year … because Sauvignon is one of the harder grapes to ripen in Niagara it meant that Cabernet Franc was gonna come out all right as well. Spice and fruit show really good intensity with blackberry and tobacco; the finish is smoky with raspberry and vanilla notes. Price: $44.95 – Rating: ****

Redstone 2010 Merlot - $39.95 (W)
www.redstonewines.ca
This Merlot has a long life ahead of it due to those robust, chalky tannins … but I’m getting ahead of myself here. The grapes for this wine are harvested off the Redstone property (formerly Thomas & Vaughan) so they have some age on them. Nose is blueberry and smoky with whiffs of chocolate covered strawberries. Palate is where things get wild: dark fruit dominated with smoky and toasty notes backing it all up and then there are those blue and black fruited gritty tannins that take up the rear … you’ll also find the finish to linger a long time. Price: $39.95 – Rating: ****+

Tawse 2011 Chardonnay, Robyn’s Block – ($45.95)
www.tawsewinery.ca
I just know that I’m going to love a certain percentage of Tawse’s Chardonnays and that no matter how much I yell and scream the tenets of ABC they are going to win me over. This version has an incredibly indulgent nose of vanilla-caramel-apple with a squirt of lemon for balance … it’s a smell you could happily take to your grave; but then you sip and you swoon. Great acid backbone kicks in amongst the lemon and green apple flavours. Spice shows up with citrus pith, lime cordial, green apple puree and butterscotch all making an appearance at some point or another … it’s the depth of flavours that make this a seriously great Chardonnay. Price: $45.95 – 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 #71 – Lailey 2012 Syrah
Video #72 – KEW Vineyards 2012 Marsanne Viognier

NEW – Quench By Tidings … #Wine Wednesday (see them all here)
The Other Side of Summer
Wines That are Right for Rain

On the Road with the Grape Guy
(Trips, tours and tastings – join me as I review the highs, and sometimes, the lows)
Ontario Wine Awards
The New Sip & Sizzle, Niagara-on-the-Lake (Part 1)

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

Taste it Again Grape Guy (blog)
Find out what has happened to some of my favourites over the years
Nothing New This Week - Check out past reviews here

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)
May 10 release report up now
May 24 coming soon

Advertisement

Join us as we celebrate our 2nd annual summer Earth & Sky Music Markets. This May, June, August & September Château des Charmes will be transformed for one day into a unique all-ages supper market featuring local food, local wine and local music. The lineup changes each month so stay tuned for all the details.

Our May 19th Music Market will feature a double bill!
Danny Lamb & The Association as well as The Mandevilles

May 19th Musician's Workshop: The Evolution of the Song.
Is song writing a process or an inspiration? Is there a difference between the Nashville method and the New York method? How do you get your song recorded and published? Come chat with Danny Lamb and Rick Rose to find out the answers to these questions and many more.

Advertisement

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.

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.

Psst, Pass It On … keep the good wine flowing. Forward this newsletter to your mom in Milton, your son in Smith Falls, or any other family member or loved one that you know needs good wine advice.

Socially Speaking …
Follow Michael Pinkus, the Grape Guy’s (almost) daily Tweets at http://twitter.com/TheGrapeGuy .
You can become a friend on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/mepinkus .
Those who are “Linked In” can find Michael at http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/michael-pinkus/14/704/4b8 .

To contact us with feedback, article ideas, comments, concerns or questions – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We look forward to hearing from you!