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Ontario Wine Review:  Three Issues That Plague Ontario … This Month
(Print a .pdf version of this newsletter.)

Sure it’s a New Year, but it’s the same old confusion, sniping, backbiting and complaining in the wine world – especially the Ontario Wine World.  Let’s start with a very recent article published by Sun Media (Province Must Emphasize its Ontario Products – January 12, 2009).  The writer promotes the idea of VQA wine stores, or even Ontario-only wine stores (more on that distinction in a moment), but it’s this quote that infuriates me, and yet again will cause more confusion amongst Ontario’s wine buying public:  “[The government] could also help by revising the Wine Content Act to ensure more Ontario grapes go into each bottle of wine sold and enhancing and expanding education efforts that help consumers understand the difference between VQA wine … and blended wines …”  I’ll spell it out for those who didn’t catch it.  “More Ontario grapes go into each bottle of wine sold,” that makes it sound like foreign grapes go into all our wines, when in fact it’s only the Cellared in Ontario wines where we have foreign content.  If the Wine Content Act is raised to 50-50 or 70-30 in favour of Ontario grapes (from the current 70-30 in favour of the foreign stuff), it’s still has foreign content and it is still not 100% Ontario wine (which is what VQA always has and always will stand for).  Put it this way, even a little bit of e-coli in the water is considered contaminated water.  Talk about muddling an issue, this writer had a full head of steam going, and I was with him up to that point … and then, Oh Brother, it’s amazing how one simple line can change an article from good to bad.  This is what happens when non-wine writers get involved in wine related stories armed with only a few of the facts.  They muddy the waters.  You have to be crystal clear about the difference between VQA (100% Ontario wine) and Cellared in Canada product, absolutely crystal clear.  On this issue, we have to educate  Ontarians, we have to hammer home VQA, VQA, VQA – 100% Ontario grapes go into this product; always have always will.

Speaking of Ontario wine, my sweetie made this off-handed comment to me while watching Food Network Canada, “I wonder if those wines on his wine rack are Ontario wines.” (After all, the host was talking about eating and cooking local).  To that I replied, “In the U.S., wine is from California, Washington, Oregon, etc.  In Italy, it’d be from Piedmont, Veneto, Puglia and the likes.  In France, it’s Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne; Australia’s the Barossa, Chile’s the Maipo.  In Ontario, it’s from the U.S., Australia, Chile, Argentina …” She looked at me confused, “Ontario makes wine,” she said.  While confusing to an outsider from the United States this makes perfect sense to you and me (I am speaking to Ontarians here).  It’s a sorry comment to make about a wine-producing region of the world, but it’s true.  From the same article mentioned above, I quote these lines:  “One would be hard pressed to find any other wine region in the world that promotes imported competitors as much, or more, than their domestic brands.  This would be akin to government-sponsored commercials encouraging people to buy foreign cars or imported produce.  The idea is inconceivable, yet in Ontario liquor stores it’s accepted as a standard course of action.”  When I was in Michigan over the holidays, I discovered that in any wine store or shop, I was hard pressed to find “foreign wine” (not from the US).  Sure it was there, but the American brands were all front and center.  When in Italy, this past September, I noticed the same thing.  In Ontario LCBO stores, I find myself searching for the Ontario section which is sometimes as little as half of an aisle, while the Aussies take up half of the store.

We have a third issue to discuss and I brought it up in the first paragraph and promised to come back to it:  VQA wine stores vs. Ontario-only wine stores.  I am sure that many of you have seen the “Official map to the Wineries of Ontario”; did you know that approximately 50% of all of Ontario’s wineries do not appear on that map?  For those not so good in math that’s “approximately half”.  Many of those wineries come from non-DVA (Designated Viticulture Area) regions of Ontario (Niagara, Prince Edward County, Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island); it is important to note that not all the wineries from these regions are on the map either, only those that belong to the Wine Council of Ontario (WCO).  When it comes to the WCO there is more muddy water here and it gets very political.  Some folks don’t believe in what the WCO stands for, don’t like their politics and believe that the big wineries have more clout because they pay more dues.  I am not here to get involved with this sordid issue, I want to discuss what all Ontario wineries want:  access to their own market and recognition that their product is all-Ontario.  In this day and age of ‘slow food’ and the ‘100-mile diet’ it is imperative to a growing number of consumers that their food and drink come from the place/province in which they live.

Now acronyms are thrown around like water in the hopes of people remembering them.  For example, VQA, which as we should all know stands for 100% Ontario product in the bottle; to get that designation, you have to be part of one of those DVA’s I mentioned earlier.  This means you have to be growing your fruit in a specific part of Ontario … if you are not, and your bottle still has 100% Ontario product in it, you can not use the VQA symbol; you can’t even put the word “Ontario” on your label, because the VQA owns that term when it comes to wine.  I say we need another acronym for these wineries; might I humbly suggest the new acronym that could appear prominently on the neck of these bottles of non-DVA, 100% Ontario wine be OVA.  OVA stands for the Ontario Viniculture Association and currently represents 75 Ontario wineries.  Their mission is to boldly go where no organization has gone before, “to advocate on behalf of all producers of 100% Ontario wine in order to achieve equality of opportunity for all Ontario wineries.”  It does not look like VQA is going to relax any if it’s rules or policies anytime soon (re: VQA wines being from only recognized DVAs), and nor should they, but I think its time for those wineries making 100% Ontario product outside of recognized DVAs to have their own logo to ensure their wines are 100% Ontario too – OVA.  Sure that’s requires more educating the public, but why not add another three letters to all the acronyms we now try to teach people.  We can then say that both VQA and OVA wines are all 100% Ontario fruit.  While we are at it, since it does not look like we will be ditching the Cellared stuff anytime soon, we should find a cute little acronym for those wines too - C.R.A.P. comes to mind, though I have no idea what it would stand for – if you have any ideas please email them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - I will publish the best in an upcoming newsletter.

So let’s recap, cause this is a lot to take in in one sitting:  VQA is 100% Ontario grown and produced wines, always has and always will.  To reinforce this into the hearts and minds of the Ontario public, we should be working towards eliminating, not reducing, but eliminating the mixing of foreign content with our home grown product.  This can be done.

There are plenty of Ontario wineries making good quality, 100% Ontario wines who are unable to publicize this information.  They are not part of any DVA and they can’t even put the word “Ontario” on their label.  We need a new logo (a la VQA) to designate these wines as 100% Ontario product – I suggest OVA.

It’s time to level the playing field for all Ontario wineries.  It’s time to promote Ontario product in our own backyard – buy local, eat local and all that jazz – but when we’re still promoting foreign wines over our own domestic product and when media and wineries continue to confuse the public between 100% true Ontario product and blended product – how can anyone be expected to keep it all straight?  The answer is easy, eliminate the stumbling block, ditch the part that causes the confusion: the practice of blending foreign and domestic product together.  Our practice of doing this is antiquated and archaic, made for a time when we were not self sufficient in grape growing.  In 2008, we dropped 4000 tons of fruit to the ground and with more vineyards coming on line in years to come that number could easily double.  Does that sound like an industry that is no longer self-sufficient … an industry in need of foreign aid?  We should also be recognizing all Ontario wineries and not segregating them.  Yes DVAs are important, but so are the other wine growing and producing areas.  All major wine producing countries state their origin on the label, some at different levels of classification:  Even lowly French table wine (Vin de Table) has the words “product of France” on it, and all California wine at least has the state on the front label – not say Product of USA.  If you are not in a DVA and thus not VQA, than you can at least be OVA (or something equivalent) …  I recently read a quote, sent to me by an Ontario fruit winery, and although it deals with fruit wine, it can be applied to ALL wineries (both grape and fruit), “With fruit wine, all of Canada is a wine region” … with so many growing grapes/fruit in all four corners and reaches of this province, there must be some way to designate its origin.  To achieve this goal, I turn to Jack Nicholson’s Joker for the final word, “Why can’t we all just … get along.”

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Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch:  Something New and a Pre-release

See winery's individual website for details

Fielding Estate Winery 2006 Syrah - $27.00 (W)

www.fieldingwines.com

This wine was released late last year, and was originally offered to visitors in April as part of the Fielding futures program.  I liked this wine then and now that it’s been bottled and has had time to settle into its new glass home I still like it – even more.  The nose has a smoky characteristic, with cinnamon, raspberry, floral and earthy notes, and as it opens up in the glass, there’s the definite, unmistakable smell of Montreal Smoked Meat (I love smoked meat).  The taste echoes the nose, matching it smell for taste and even adding in a touch of white pepper.  Finish-wise, we’re looking at one elongated lingering finish that’s all smoky, earthy and cinnamony.  This one’s full of finesse and very tasty.  Price: $27.00 – Rating: ****

 

Huff Estates 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $ TBA (W)

www.huffestates.com

 

Not many people believe that Cabernet Sauvignon has a future in Prince Edward County, but Frederic Picard does, which is why he has put together this 2005 edition from what many are saying is the best growing season (for grapes) to ever hit Ontario.  To that end, Picard decided to take his chance with making a ballsy, gutsy and powerful Cabernet from the County.  He carefully selected his Cabernet Sauvignon, put it into French oak for an extended period of time (22 months) and decided that a little bottle age would help it too (16 months).  Upon its release this spring, the wine will be 38 months, or over 3 years, from vintage date.  And what has all the care and concern wrought, I shall tell you.  Currently, it’s a very closed nose with a bit of black cherry poking its way through … even with a maximum of stirring and aeration, I could not get it to open anymore than I did. Waiting will be the answer, or maybe a decanter.  In the mouth, there’s a different story, big black cherry, blackberry, spicy-cidery notes and just a hint of green pepper (but this blows off quickly).  The finish is spicy, cinnamon, cedar and plenty of in your face tannins.  I am rating this wine a 3.5 stars now, but it has potential to go to 4 in the next two years.  Only 300 cases made.  Price: TBA – Rating ***½

Weekly Wine Notes and More:  3 Taste it Agains - 2 White and more

The Grape Guy presents the "Weekly Wine Note"! A savoury selection of Ontario wines to impress, enjoy, or just plain drink!  A NEW Wine Selection is added every Tuesday or listen to the Podcast.

Here are the Weekly Wine Notes that were added to the Blog and Pod in the past two weeks:

 

January 13, 2009 – 13th Street 2007 June’s Vineyard Riesling (read)  (listen)
January 20, 2009 – Hillebrand 2007 Limited Edition Gewurztraminer (read) (listen)

NEW Reports in the On the Road with the Grape Guy section:
It’s been a quiet couple of weeks.

13th Street 2004 Cabernet-Merlot
Stonechurch 2004 Reserve Pinot Noir
13th Street 2004 Cabernet Franc
Coming Soon

 

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