Newsletter #249 - Making Clear The Generation Gap

04 Mar 2015

MichaelPinkusWineReview Newsletter #249

            March 2015

  • WineReview: Making Clear The Generation Gap

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

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

  • Wine Event Spotlight:  See What's Going on in Wine Country


WineReview:  Making Clear The Generation Gap

A little confusion over the article in the last newsletter which may need a little clarification, and I’m here once again to (hopefully) add that clarity.

The title of the newsletter was ‘The Generation Gap’ and was meant to show what happens when mom and pop bestow the running of the winery to Juniors 1 & 2.  The inference was that mom and pop would want to continue to sell grapes and thus get paid by the winery – creating a two tier system within the winery – the other problem, even amongst families, is that the need to over crop for extra dough would supersede the need to drop fruit for better quality.  Ma & Pa can’t bring themselves to throw money on the ground, even if it’s for the betterment of their new winery venture and its wines; thus the butting of heads with the next generation.

Clear explanation comes from Prince Edward County’s own Geoff Heinricks, as to why some families would chose to pay themselves, seemingly it just moves money around in a usually cash-strapped business … and this can complicate things:

“A lot of wineries have a company for the vineyard, and one for the winery. In that case, they do 'sell' one to the other, for revenue purposes (to keep a farm tax rate, there has to be $7,000.00 gross revenue).  I suspect that duality is behind the 'that's not the way it works around here' comments you got from other operations. One company has the GGO number.  The other the purchasing company has the manufacturer's license.”  

An interesting by-product issue was brought up in one of the responses I received to the newsletter from an industry insider who puts some of the blame for the industry’s woes squarely on the shoulders of the Grape Growers’ of Ontario (GGO) for other reasons:

“Actually, we don’t pay for our own grapes. We do pay fees and levies (most of which are used to fund the GGO and their industry lobbying, often against us), and they amount to ~$10 ton.”

When asked to elaborate on the “often against us” comment the response was immediate and quite telling about why there is a rift between growers and producers:
“The GGO claims its sole role is to negotiate the price of grapes. This is a farce. They spend two days, every three years doing this.  Once every ten years, we can’t all agree, and it goes to arbitration. This costs $100K+, and the GGO pays for it with … our money.  Their number one role is to lobby gov’t to do such things as:  1) Defend their pricing positions; 2) Lobby against privatizing the LCBO and 3) Ensure that grape pricing isn’t done in a free market.  Again, paid for [with] our money.”
This opens up a completely different, yet telling can of worms within the wine industry, one of its own making and that cannot be bridged until there is a greater understanding between the two sides:  each believing the other (Winery versus Grape Grower) is trying to screw the other.  Only when these two entities come together and realize that one does not work without the other and that they must work together towards a common goal will the industry see real growth and prosperity; until then this industry will languish and continue its bitter embattlements.

A healthy, confident and well-run industry does not need protection it needs partners that work together and not in adversarial roles.  Ontario dooms itself by pitting levels of its industry against one another – there’s the GGO versus producers; the Wine Council of Ontario (WCO) versus Wine Growers Alliance of Ontario (WGAO); and big wineries versus small producers – and countless other little battles going on, that it makes it hard to really get the big picture of Ontario’s wine industry.  The only way this works is with a united front, all sides joining together for the betterment of the industry; this doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon.

 


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

Leaning Post 2012 Syrah, Keczan Vineyard - $42.00 (W)
www.leaningpostwines.com
This fruit comes from the Keczan Vineyard located in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation of Niagara.  Nose has cranberry, smoked meat, lavender and cracked white pepper.  The palate follows in lock-step with the nose keeping the wine fresh and clean with a white pepper and slightly herbal-esque finish that ends up feeling more spicy than herbal.  Price: $42.00 – Rating: ****+

Fielding 2012 Red Conception - $18.95 (W)
www.fieldingwines.com
Here’s Fielding’s perennial value red blend that seems to over-deliver … 68% Cabernet Franc leads the charge with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and only 6% Petit Verdot in the bottle … good news is everyone seems to take a turn to shine.  Aromas of red currant, raspberry, tobacco and hints of pepper which shows up on the palate with oak notes before backing off to reveal dark fruit, smoke, blackberry, blueberry, cocoa and an anise/coffee like finish.  This one’ll easily sit 5+ years.  Price: $18.95 - Rating: ****

Hillebrand 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, Clean Slate - $32.00 (W)
www.triuswines.com
Here’s an interesting spin on Sauvingon Blanc: wild fermented.  Winemaker Craig McDonald has achieved a Sauvingon Blanc that blends the goodness of lemon with the surprise of tropicality and hint of vanilla – a true delight, but not for you purists.  Price: $32.00 – Rating: ****+

Inniskillin 2012 Cabernet Franc Reserve - $24.95 (W)
www.inniskillin.com
A 15-month oak housed wine using 80% French and 20% American, 30% of which was new.  The wine has a big, for Ontario, 14.5% alcohol, but that can be expected from the hot 2012 vintage.  A nice mix of herbal and fruit with raspberry and cassis dominating, plus some tobacco and smoke sweeps in for good luck.  Price: $24.95 – Rating: ****+

Malivoire 2013 Gamay, Alive - $17.95 (W, L)
www.malivoire.com
There’s no question as to why Vintages picked this up as an “Essentials” wine on their list, it’s a consistent wine year after year – good or bad vintage - this wine seems indifferent to vintage variation.  Nose is fresh cherry dominated; palate shows more complexity with sour and fresh cherry and subtle white pepper with good acidity – this is a great chilling wine … in all senses of the word.  Price: $17.95 – Rating: ****

Marynissen 2013 Cabernet Franc Icewine - $50.00 / 375ml (W)
www.marynissen.com
Aromas are very alluring, to the tune of luscious strawberry which follows on to the palate with touches of honey and great acidity for balance … definitely a strong case for making Cabernet Franc into Icewine.  Price: $50.00/375ml - Rating: ****+

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


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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

Regular Weekly Videos

Video #119 - Coyote's Run 2012 Ravens Roost Cabernet Merlot
Video #120 - Featherstone 2012 Merlot

Subscribing to the YouTube channel by clicking here

Coming in March ... National / International wine videos brought to you by Schott Zwiesel

On the Road with the Grape Guy (blog)
(Trips, tours and tastings – join me as I review the highs, and sometimes, the lows)
Tasting at Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja)
Tenute Silvio Nardi Dinner in Italy
Badia A Passignano Older Vintage Tasting and Tour
Anteprima Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Anteprima di Toscana, Hotel Baglioni

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) 
Taste it Again: Closson Chase 2009 Sans Chene Chardonnay

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 21, 2015 - Vintages Report can be found here
March 7, 2015 - missed tasting due to being away


Wine Event Spotlight: See What's Going on in Wine Country

 


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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