Newsletter #247 - Ontario at the Crossroads (part 2a): The Generation Gap
04 Feb 2015- Details
- Category: Newsletter Archives
MichaelPinkusWineReview Newsletter #247
February 2015
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WineReview: Ontario at the Crossroads: The Generation Gap (part 1)
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Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch: New and Noteworthy Wines
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Bi-Weekly OWR Updates: Wine Videos, Blog Additions and more
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Wine Event Spotlight: See What's Going on in Wine Country
WineReview: Ontario at the Crossroads: The Generation Gap (part 1)In this on-going series we look at the trials and tribulations facing the Ontario wine industry, be they government made, industry made or winery made … today we look at part one of what I’m calling “The Generation Gap”; because there are two parts to the gap I want to address each separately.
Ontario has a big problem that it has been staring down for quite some time now, and alas the industry is the maker of our its own demise with this issue; anybody who says they didn’t see it coming is lying to themselves … I’m not talking about my last newsletter article about failing wineries, but it is along those same lines and a contributing factor to a winery’s meager bottom line. I’m talking about the generation gap that exists in family owned wineries, especially those that started out as grape growers, and the gap between the past generation’s way of thinking versus what we know today.
Over the years many a grape grower has gotten tired of selling his/her grapes to wineries who then turn around and create award winning wines from them. Watching their hard spent labour go unnoticed while certain wineries gain fame and acclaim for the grapes grown by someone else. Yes there is a trend afoot these days to mention the vineyard on the label – but this is relatively recent.
With this in mind, grape growers have turned into winery owners and wine producers, but have never gotten out of their heads the rules that Ontario has put into place with regards to selling grapes, which is governed by the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) – and this is where the story takes a dramatic turn, but also can get confusing, odd and murky and unless fixed (and soon) will be part and parcel of the Ontario wine industry’s demise.
Surprisingly, Ontario and wine go together like a horse and carriage – it’s a match that many thought was frivolous at one time, but the intrepid amongst us proved that not only could it be done, but it could be done well. Ontario and wine selling is a mix of oil and water: overly regulated, overly complicated, with more hoops than your average circus; which makes it almost impossible to make your fortune in them-there grape fields. Add to that the way we sell grapes and you have a menagerie of laws and regulations that baffle even the best vineyard and winemaking minds.
The aforementioned GGO dictates that grapes must be sold by the ton and they "negotiate" the prices for the industry accordingly. The grape grower has been programmed that to get the most out of his vineyard you have to maximize tonnage. Over the years winemakers have figured out that to make the best wine you have to limit yield (tonnage), maximize ripeness and concentrate the vines efforts on a limited amount of berries. And there within lies part one of your generation gap – those who grow thinking that more is better, and those who make having learned that lower equals better.
The fix is easy, you might think, own your own vineyard and thus you can limit your yield to whatever you want. Not so fast my friend, because the GGO has found a way to screw even that simple plan up for you …
Next time out we’ll look at how the GGO contributes to both the generation gap that exists between family owned / run wineries and the erosion of a winery’s bottom line.
Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch: New and Noteworthy WinesClosson Chase 2011 Pinot Noir, Malgoraza
www.clossonchase.com
Here’s a wine that came to my door with no price on the bottle what-so-ever, so if you need to know call the winery, as for the wine in the bottle: nose and taste go hand-in-hand here with a floral/violet beginning that moves into a maraschino/sour cherry mix with some choke cherry and a touch of pencil shavings – there’s good balancing acidity that keep the wine delicate which it is both flavour-wise and colour-wise. Price: ??? – Rating: ****
Hidden Bench 2011 Pinot Noir, Beamsville Bench - $32.75 (W)
www.hiddenbench.com
Hidden Bench’s winemaking team seems to have a good handle on Pinot Noir, and this 2011 Beamsville version isn’t a departure from their knowledge base. Lots of earthy-black cherry greet the nose, while the palate is silky and sexy with beet root and cherry along with good balancing acidity. Price: $32.75 – Rating: ****
Jackson-Triggs 2012 Merlot, Grand Reserve - $24.95 (W)
www.jacksontriggswinery.com
This is a seductively enticing wine from the folks at J-T who seen to have made the most of the 2012 vintage. Aromas seduce from the get-go with sweet blue and red berry fruit – but the palate is where the real treasure trove lies with its juicy red berries: raspberry and cherry, which it has by the ton – there’s great balancing acidity to keep everything focused and a blueberry skin/cocoa finish, just to show a rougher side. What a delight. Price: $24.95 – Rating: ****+
Malivoire 2012 Gamay, Courtney- $25.95 (W)
www.malivoire.com
What makes Courtney Gamay so special isn’t just the vineyard, it’s the way it is treated in the winery: 30-35% new oak for up to 16 months … this is some serious wine made from the “lowly” Gamay grape – and good for Malivoire for doing it this way. Nose is earthy with black cherry and cranberry notes … Palate has tannins that grab the tongue, but delicately, with smoky red and black cherry fruit along with vanilla, cinnamon and a real lengthy finish. Price: $25.95 – Rating: ****+
Palatine Hills 2012 Merlot, Neufeld Vineyard - $25.00 (W)
www.palatinehillsestatewinery.com
The 2012 single varietal Neufeld Vineyard wines from Palatine shows plenty of grip and power, and will need a few years to develop into something you’ll wanna take out for dinner and even longer if you’re just looking for something to sip on. The Merlot has pretty blueberry, raspberry and toasty-smoky notes matched up with big tannins. The rich, ripe fruit hiding in the shadows needs time to shuck its shyness. Price: $25.00 – Rating: ****
Westcott NV Brut, “Violette” - $24.95 (W)
www.westcottvineyards.com
Checkout the pretty label on this Charmat method Brut that follows the layout of the Westcott vineyard (66% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay), it foregoes the fauna that adorn a lot of labels for flora (which is also becoming a trend). It’s fresh and fruity with lively apple and a nice biscuity note on the finish … it’s well balanced and tickles the tongue in all the right ways, very refreshing … this sparkler bodes well for the traditional method bubblies soon to come from this new winery (in a about a year’s time). Price: $24.95 – Rating: ****
Availability legend: W (Winery) – L (LCBO/Vintages) – OL (On-Line).
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Bi-Weekly OWR Updates: Wine Videos, Blog Additions and moreThe 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
Regular Weekly Videos
Video #115 - Hidden Bench 2010 Locust Lane Pinot Noir
Video #116 - Thirty Bench 2012 Red
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Weekly Posts on Quench (formerly Tidings) … #Wine Wednesday (see them all here)
Mission Hill's High End
On the Road with the Grape Guy (blog)
(Trips, tours and tastings – join me as I review the highs, and sometimes, the lows)
Mark Anthony 2nd Annual Portfolio Tasting
NEW - Taste it Again / Lost & Found (blog): the two blogs have merged
(Find out what happened to some favourites and to those that never were tasted)
Nothing New This Week - More Coming Soon
NEW NAME - Uncorked 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)
February 7, 2015 - Vintages Report can be found here
February 21, 2015 - coming soon
Wine Event Spotlight: See What's Going on in Wine Country
Days of Wine and Chocolate returns to Niagara-on-the-Lake, all 4 weekends in February (Friday/Saturday/Sunday). Check out all the details here.
The Stratford Chefs School will present their annual Gala Dinner and Auction on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at George Restaurant in Toronto. For details click 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.
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