That was an excerpt from the first time I tasted a truly exceptional Riesling wine. This happened in Niagara back in 2004 at Maleta Winery . Since then, I have been collecting Rieslings and have a decent collection of older vintages now. Note: the petrol and granite smells come out more as the wine ages.

This month, The Niagara Grapevine Magazine had a fantastic article by Ange Aiello all about why Riesling is her grape of choice.

My Heartbreak Grape

There, I said it, Riesling makes me weak in the knees. Forget Pinot Noir, Riesling is my “heartbreak grape” and definately my go-to varietal.

Fantastis quote! Ontario produces amazing Riesling and it is almost always the first wine to be released each year. Get out and stock up for the holiday season and find out for your self what makes this grape so good!

BTW: You can read Ange’s entire article online at: The Niagara Grapevine Magazine

Note: The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents workers at the Crown-owned LCBO, are mounting a campaign to convince the government not to privatize the monopoly liquor board. Here is the press released issue on June 1.

Toronto (1 June 2010) – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) is ramping up its campaign to prevent the sale of Crown corporations, especially the ultra-profitable Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).

“In the face of Ontario’s $21 billion dollar deficit, selling Ontario’s crown jewels is getting another round of debate,” the union notes.

“Our message on this is clear: selling off any of Ontario’s assets, including the LCBO, is foolish. Why sell the goose that lays golden eggs year after year?”

Last year alone the LCBO, OLG, formerly the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), brought in $4.3 billion dollars in profits. Each year these funds go directly into the provincial coffers to support health care, education and other public services that benefit the people of Ontario.

“The Ontario government is reportedly considering combining these enterprises into a ’super corporation’ and selling a minority stake to private investors,” OPSEU says.
“Premier Dalton McGuinty is attempting to soften privatization by claiming that this ’super corporation’ will be partially privatized. It is more than likely however that the scheme is to work towards complete privatization. It will be a déjà vu, reminiscent of the days when Petro-Canada and Air Canada were publicly held, before being gradually sold off to the private sector.”

OPSEU notes that the Ontario Liberal government has turned to Goldman Sachs, the notoriously greedy New York investment bank, to provide advice on the sale of Ontario’s crown jewels.
“With Goldman Sachs offering advice to McGuinty on privatization, it is unlikely that the ‘best interests’ of the people of Ontario will be served,” OPSEU argues.

“We don’t want Dalton McGuinty to make the same mistake Mike Harris made when he sold off Highway 407 at a bargain basement price.”

OPSEU says the experience of Albertans since liquor sales were privatized in 1993 has shown that the idea is not only bad socially but costly financially. Impaired driving rates went up and crime increased.

“As a public agency, the LCBO has a mandate to sell alcohol responsibly,” OPSEU says.

“Each year, LCBO employees refuse to serve thousands of people who are under-age or intoxicated. Social responsibility keeps our communities safe.”

To hear more about my opinion on LCBO Privatization read “To privatize or not to privatize that is the question”

My first introduction to Ravine was last year at Wine Camp Toronto when they poured their 2007 Riesling. It was a good by itself but was amazing with some of the cheeses.

Their winery is beautiful and a cool place for a wine tasting. Wine tasting at Ravine are held along a long bench in a renovated house. Next door there is a little snack shop with great selection of cheese and other ‘winery snacks’. If you are done in Niagara (St. David to be exact) drop by… you won’t be disappointed.

The Ontario Government is, once again, investigating the potential sale price of the LCBO and Hydro One (other Crown Corporations are part of this but none are as interesting).

The Globe and Mail had a great article talking about the way the province is going about the process…both now and in the past.

The article mentions a possible sale price of $10B for the LCBO! That would be a great chunk of change for the province but would be VERY difficult as the Globe points out:

Any plan to sell Crown corporations that touch the lives of every Ontario voter would likely run into opposition on a number of fronts, including from unionized employees. In 2001, Ontario’s then-Conservative government planned a $5-billion initial public offering of Hydro One, which owns many of the power lines crisscrossing Ontario, but that was derailed, in part by a union-backed court challenge.

The article goes on to mention how parts of  HyroOne could be sold off to get around the union-backed problems. But there was no suggestion about what to do with the LCBO…here is my suggestion.

Since moving to Ontario five years ago, the ‘privatize LCBO’ debate has always been an ‘all-or-nothing’ discussion. My question has always been: “WHY?” Like the Globe mentioned in their article “lets sell off some parts”.  Maybe sell off 30 LCBO stores (about 5%) around the province as a test! Or better yet, leave all the LCBOs private but sell off ‘private liquor store licenses’ this won’t raise $10B but could easily bring in $500M! And would bring the money in FAST!

So, lets change the discussion, the LCBO discussion should no longer be:

To privatize or not to privatize

Instead it should be:

One small step for provincial coffers, one giant leap for Ontario consumers!

Over the next three-five years something has to give with regards to the LCBO…lets hope the government listens to the public.

Mammian’s (now closed) received alot of press when the BYOW law was passed here in Ontario for offering $5 corkage on Ontario wines and $10 on all other wines. Let hope that Pangea will get the same support…spread the word about ‘Free corkage on VQA wines’.

BTW: if the lobster risotto is on special at Pangea…order the appetizer size…it is CrAzY rich.

The first overpriced wine, that is on alot of menus in Toronto, is: Bogel 2007
Petite Syrah

Today, I had a fantastic dinner at the Harbord Room (crazy high corkage of $35) and noticed Bogel listed at $44 per bottle. This is crazy marketed up! In California Bogel 2006 Petite Syrah sells for $8.49! That is right $8.49.

This Bogel Petite Syrah seems to be a big money maker for restaurants; note, I love restaurants and want many to be around and making money. But this markup seems CRAZY to me.
If you see Bogel on the menu, then skip it and try a glass of an Ontario or British Columbia Wine.

Luckily if the LCBO goes on strike we can still get our libations at a few places:

1. Beer Store ….hmmmmm beeerrrrrr
2. WineryToHome.com – buy all your wine here; your chance to try Ontario wine
3. Ontario Wineries – take drive to Niagara and stock up

The LCBO is doing a better job promoting Ontario wines but it is easy to improve on doing nothing. I actually hope the LCBO goes on a prolonged strike…because in the end it can only help Ontario Wineries.

One of the biggest shocks for me was that Lailey’s 2007 Syrah did not wine at the Ontario Wine Awards, I assume it was entered, because it is amazing. At WineCamp it was the most popular wine and in everybody’s #1 or #2.

If you try these wines… let me know what you think…

Ontario White Wine of the Year

30 Bench Wine Makers 2007 Riesling

Ontario Red Wine of the Year

Vineland 2005 Reserve Cabernet Merlot

Sparkling Wine Winner

Maleta 2006 Old Vines Brut

Dry Riesling

30 Bench Wine Makers 2007 Riesling

Semi Dry Riesling

Tawse Winery 2008 Misek Vineyard

Dry White Varietal

Fielding Estate Winery 2007 Viognier

Gewurztraminer & Aromatic Varietal

Tawse Winery 2006 Quary Rd Gewurztraminer

Pinot Gris

Pelee Island 2008 Pinto Grigio

Oaked Chardonnay under $20

Mike Weir Estate 2007 Chardonnay

Oaked Chardonnay over $20

Peninsula Ridge 2007 Reserve Chardonnay

Unoaked Chardoonay

Vineland 2007 Chardonnay

Rose

Legends Estates Winery 2008 Malbec Rose

Gamay

Malivoire 2007 Gamay

Pinot Noir

Tawse Winery 2007 Cheery Ave Vineyard

Red Hybrid

Malivoire 2007 Old Vine Foch

Cabernet Sauvignon

Creekside Estate Winery 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc

Colio Estate Wines 2005 Reserve Cabernet Franc

Merlot

Creekside Estate 2005 Butler’s Grant Vineyard Reserve Merlot

Syrah/Shiraz

Stonechurch Vineyards 2007 Reserve Syrah

Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot Blends

Vineland Estates 2005 Reserve Cabernet Merlot

Late Harvest

Château des Charmes 2007 Estate Bottled Late Harvest Riesling

Vidal Icewine

Wayne Gretzky Estates 2005 Vidal Icewine

Vinifera Icewine

Riverview Cellars Estate 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine

Sparkling Icewine

Inniskillin 2006 Sparkling Vidal Icewine

Blended White Award

Caroline Cellars 2006 Momentum Enchantment

Blended Red Award

Wayne Gretzky Estates 2006 Estate Series Shiraz Cabernet

The consumer tasting for the Ontario Wine Awards is coming up on June

16th  and is a great chance to try some fantastic wines. Hope to see you there…

Most of the judges thought the 2005 Claystone Terrace chardonnay was a french wine.

Read more at details at the Toronto Star …

Having been a big fan of Ontario wine since moving to Toronto in 2003, I am not surprised that an Ontario wine won on a world stage. We have great wines and the wine makers are getting better and better each year. Try an Ontario wine this weekend…

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/630991