THE FRUGAL OENOPHILE Wine Appreciation through Education email newsletter: nov-dec 2006

In This Issue     Reality Check on Wine Packaging An Embarrassing Moment Another Inconvenient Truth How to Avoid Lineups 1000 Best Wine Secrets Seasonal Bubbley   Reality Check Reader Patricia O'Hara had an interesting experience at a local store and asked for some clarification: Hello Richard, I've been receiving your newsletter for several years and if I have never said how much I appreciate it, let me say it now: it's terrific and I like the website. (Aw, shucks - RB.) I guess I have a comment and question: recently I'm seeing more and more of the screw-top bottles in the stores and while this can be great if you are going on a picnic, a visitor in town and want a bottle in your suite, I just hope this doesn't become the new 'norm'. The plastic (or whatever they are are made of) corks are bad enough! I cannot tell you how many corkscrews have been ruined attempting to remove a plastic cork! I have a fairly high-end corkscrew and can tell you I've had great difficulty removing plastic corks. I was actually told by a clerk that ALL wines will, in the future, have screwcaps because "the cork spoils - taints - the wine" (Yes, that's exactly what she said: admittedly she was quite young and I HOPE said without solid knowledge). Okay ... finished my rant. thanks again for a great newsletter. (Again, aw, shucks.) Yes, the packaging industry is at a crossroads, and the Ontario liquor distribution system in particular. After stonewalling the issue from day one, the LCBO is now aggressively pushing what they claim is "enviro-friendly" packaging. The simple truth here is that the industry -- indeed the environment -- has no choice. Reusing isn't an option, the Blue Box program has had only limited success with glass, and Ontario is having a tough time finding places to put its garbage. The move to alternative packaging follows hard on the heels of an industry-wide embracing of screwcaps. Throw in plastic corks, Alcan's glass stopper, the 'Zork' and other innovations, and the result is one large group of very confused consumers. It's been nearly a year and a half since the LCBO presented its vision for the future: French Rabbit in Tetrapak. A lot of other companies have followed with various types of non-glass packages, all with mixed results. So, I think it's time to do an alternative packaging reality check. First, what's the deal with corks? For more than 350 years corks have been doing the job quite nicely, with a few exceptions. But the whole cork taint business has put a lot of pressure on wine companies to find a more reliable alternative. Now, just how bad is the cork taint problem in the first place? A lot of pundits claim failure rates as high as 1 bottle in 10; others peg it around 2-3 %. That's a lot of wiggle room, and that's why cork makers have done a lot of cork taint research. And what did they conclude after analyzing thousands of supposedly corked wines? Only about a third of the bottles submitted actually had TCA problems. The rest were faulty, to be sure, but the cork didn't do it. What about plastic corks? Good news/bad news here. A lot of people just don't like them. I think it's the aesthetics. Some people can't get a corkscrew into them. (Hint: it's in the wrist). Winemakers don't like them because they get a lot of the wine coming back as 'corked', leaky, oxydized, or otherwise spoiled. Hmmm, natural corks are starting to look pretty good. Screwcaps Rule For minimal problems and ease of use, screwcaps are the closure of choice -- but where and for how long? Screwcaps work very well, but for years the public wanted nothing to do with them. Then as wine drinkers became wiser, they began to complain about faulty wines. Having failed to interest anyone in screwcaps before, winemakers gave it one last try before going broke replacing defective bottles, this time using a different approach. They stormed the market with fine wine sealed with high-grade screwcaps. Some even boasted about the type of cap they were using. Consumers are still wondering what's going on, but the better informed will buy good wines with screw caps and stand the bottles vertically in their cellars (is there a market opportunity for space efficient, vertically-oriented wineracks) knowing that cork taint won't get a foothold. And they're so darn easy to open. BTW, I've only had four noteworthy failed seals in the past year, and three of them were screwcaps. I think we can look for screwcaps to take over on all but the best wines. The best -- the true 'vins de guardes' -- will continue to have high-end corks (with a few screwcapped exceptions). New technology is helping to eliminate the problems found in natural corks, plus the corks themselves can be an essential component of cellar age. They are made of oak, after all. But for your every day wine, expect to see screwcaps as soon as the factory can make the switch. Paper or Plastic -- or Aluminum? The real battle in the packaging wars right now is between Tetrapak and P.E.T. I see some cans showing up, but I really don't think they'll survive. P.E.T. is far easier to handle, before, during and after the entire process. It's probably an aesthetic thing once again, but I think P.E.T. bottles will win this war. As for Tetrapak, I truly expect them to fail for decent wines. I've seen very little that would raise them above the 'jug wine' category. Plus the recycling warriors are now telling everyone how bad they are from an environmental point of view. George Kostiuk writes: "As an environmentalist (and WWF Canada Board member for the past 6 years), I resent the LCBO's Tetra-pak approach. The Tetra booth at the Gourmet Food/Wine Show was all done up with 'green' environmental messages....what a complete crock! I took the opportunity to chew them out for their misleading marketing messages, but the best tactic is to simply boycott Tetra packaging." An interesting note here is that P.E.T. bottles for wine have a specified shelf life of one year. In fact, the first company to venture into this territory says they will be on patrol in stores and will remove any unsold bottles more than 300 days old. So much for ageing like a fine wine.   Pushing the Consumption envelope Aside from being unable to pour without spilling, another reason I don't like tetrapaks is because of the 250 ml. 'single serving' angle. These look too much like juice boxes, and I don't think that the resemblance will be lost on under-age drinkers. I also don't think the bar should be raised on what constitutes a serving. The Tetrapak army is also pushing a full litre for the price of a bottle. That means an extra 250 ml. at no extra charge. Now, most people I've talked to tend to finish off the bottle. Will they do the same with 1-litre Tetrapak wines? What the heck, why not? It's not that much more -- only one glass, right? This strategy sends the wrong message, especially to one group that is likely to embrace these wines: the youngest drinkers. It won't take much time for the new standard to become three 250-ml juice boxes of 13.5% wine (that's 750 ml. -- a full bottle) rather than the traditional three 150-ml glasses of 11-12% wine.   My Most Embarrassing Moment ... almost Whilst tasting Beaujolais and other nouveau wines recently, I commented to one of the agent reps that I thought the sample in my glass was 'corked'. The agent grinned knowingly and showed me the bottle. It was a screwcap. Ooops. I prepared myself for a tongue lashing, but I was certain that something was wrong. The agent was skeptical, but offered to open a second bottle (to prove me wrong?). Guess what? Bottle number two was fresh, fruity, lively ... all the stuff you look for in Beaujolais Nouveau! What happened? Well obviously not corked, but some other nasty and possibly even the chemical responsible for cork taint, 2,4,6 Trichloroanisole (TCA for short). So for those of you looking for a panacea for cork ills, looks like screwcaps aren't it. Ontario's Inconvenient Truth After fighting for years against vagaries in LCBO shelving policy, Ontario wineries have won an important concession. The LCBO will no longer put Cellared in Canada bulk wines in the VQA section, and has established a separate section for these wines, which we hope will help consumers distinguish true Ontario wine from the imported blends. Now, when you visit your local LCBO, you'll now see how truly one-sided the business is. BTW, did you know that Ontarians buy more Yellow Tail than VQA? What this means is that a single brand has more market share than the entire Ontario wine industry. Just for fun, why not buy a bottle of VQA wine as well as that bottle of Aussie wine.     A Really Good Seasonal Shopping Tip I make a point of avoiding LCBO stores any time during December. The lineups are so long they have to be policed by store staff. And it can take up to an hour to select and make your purchase. And the Beer Store is only slightly better. Instead, head for the independents. There are rarely any lineups at winery stores and craft breweries, and there's likely one within driving distance. Plus the shops always feature lots of clever gift items. Here are a few links to help you plan your excursion: Lincoln Wine Route A guide to the wineries of Ontario's Beamsville Bench. Prince Edward County Just two hours east of Toronto, 'the County' is where things are happening these days. Taste Trail More on the County, this time with food. Magnotta Magnotta has seven stores around southern Ontario. Colio Wines  Colio Wines, located in the Erie North Shore wine region, has 14 retail outlets around Ontario. VQA Ontario Ontario's wine standards agency has a list of (and links to) member wineries. Wines of Ontario  Home base for the Wine Council of Ontario. Note that it links only to member wineries. Wineries of Niagara-On-The-Lake Ontario's favourite tourist spot is surrounded by wine. Fruit Wines of Ontario A great alternative, especially for those with red wine sensitivity. Ontario Craft Beer Route There's probably a micro brewery or two near you. Unique Wine Book Hits the Mark I wasn't sure what to make of this book on first examination. It seemed like 1000 bits of disjointed information. Actually, it is 1000 bits of wine lore, but disjointed it is not. You can approach this book from a number of directions. Start at the beginning and work your way through; go to any of the sections listed the table of contents and a study up on something you're interested in; look up specifics in the highly detailed index; or just open it anywhere. Ms Hammond writes with both authority and simplicity, in a frank, from-the-hip style. The depth of her wine knowledge is not always obvious, but makes itself known whenever necessary. With a few exceptions, each entry is a single, easily digested paragraph -- perfect for short stints of reading. Even though Carolyn is a Canadian (and a fellow member of the WWCC), her book is truly global in scope -- "from Italy to India", as the intro states. There's a lot of education, wisdom and honesty here, and even the odd bit of heresy! As it says in item 38: "Although all of the secrets listed above are true, none is the truth." Priced well under $20, this would be a terrific stocking stuffer for the Oenophile on your list.   Buy it now from Amazon.com Buy it now from Amazon.ca 1000 Best Wine Secrets Carolyn Hammond Sourcebooks www.sourcebooks.com ISBN: 1-4022-0808-1 $16.95 Cdn ($12.95 US) Bubblies for the Season There's a lot of good fizzy stuff on offer this season. You should be able to find any of the following on store shelves. Cora Spumante - $8.35 Style: Medium Dry (9.5% alc.) Italy: Piedmont Pale almond straw with a medium mousse. Pleasant muscat and orange zest aromas with a touch of almond. Crisp and cleansing on the palate, with orange and muscat flavour. Quite a nice little wine for the price. (LCBO 17301) Freixenet Carta Nevada Brut - $11.35 Style: Dry Spain Fine mousse, mid-straw colour, subtle apple, and quince aromas with traces of grass and mineral. Very fine mousse on the palate, with apple/lemon flavours, crisp acid spine and a slight tartness. A very good nose and excellent value. (LCBO 74757) Spumanti Bottega Il Vino dell Amore Petalo - $11.80 Style: Medium Dry (6.5% alc.) Italy Light almond-straw with a very fine and long lasting mousse. Bright aromas of grape, lemon and orange pulp. Creamy mousse, silky smooth, nicely sweet, with a hint of a smoke at the close. A terrific example of the style. (LCBO 588780) Freixenet Brut de Noir - $12.05 Style: Dry Rosé Spain Bright candy-apple pink with a medium mousse. Rich raspberry, apple and spice aromas with some toasty lees down deep. Somewhat tart, crisp and lemony, with raspberry in the background and a biscuity close. Very good body and length. A bright and vigorous example. (LCBO 352369) Yellowglen "Yellow" - $12.95 Style: Dry Australia Rich almond-straw colour and full mousse. Oodles of baked lemon, ripe apple and lime peel with a touch of caramel. Light and lively, with rich citrus and apple flavours, crisp acidity and a smoke close. This is terrific value in an unassuming sparkler (LCBO 15859) Freixenet Cordon Negro - $13.30 Style: Dry Spain Pale lemon-lime straw with a medium mousse. Toasty apple and quince, with traces of butter and toast at the back. Nicely tart with baked lemon, green apple and a smokey finish. A good one to bring to the table. (LCBO: 88591; also 1500 ml @ $24.05 / 180588) Colio CEV 'Lily' VQA - $14.95 Style: Dry Ontario: Erie N. Shore Bright lemon-straw colour with lively, medium mousse. Loads of citrus and apple on the palate, a hint of biscuit and a lively acidity. Very good body and length. Terrific performance in this price range. (Vintages 509083; also at Colio stores) Chandon Blanc de Noirs - $21.95 Style: Off-Dry USA: California Light straw with just a hint of pink and a very fine, vigorous mousse. Rich aromas of raspberry, lime and toasty lees. Just off dry with apple and citrus flavours and creamy smooth texture. Very good body and length. First class all the way, and a virtual steal at this price. (Vintages 100693) Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad - $29.95 Style: Dry Spain Medium straw colour with a medium mousse. Lively apple, quince, lemon, and pine aromas. Gentle on the palate with a good mousse, subtle lemon/apple flavour and a trace of smoke at the close. Very high quality for the price, rivaling the "good stuff". (Vintages 558825) Pol Roger Reserve Brut - $52.90 Style: Dry France Very fine, long lasting mouse. Toasty lees dominates, followed by lemon, quince and a trace of vanilla. Round, full and easy going with citrus and quince flavours atop a solid acid core. Very good body and length. Splendid performance in this price range. (LCBO 51953) Perrier Jouet Grand Brut - $53.70 Style: Dry France Pale almond-straw colour with a very fine mousse. Rich, toasty lees and dried apple on the nose, with nuances of spice and mushroom. Fresh, lively, creamy smooth with lemon/apple flavour and a refreshing acidity on the palate. A credit to its lineage and price. (LCBO 50278) Louis Roederer Brut - $59.95 Style: Dry France Almond straw colour with a medium mousse. Subtle green apple, quince, and pine bough aromas, with a touch of woodiness. Rich and creamy with loads of citrus and apple flavour, and a vigorous mousse. Splendid, and good for another 5 years in cellar. (Vintages Essentials 268771) From "The Frugal Oenophile's Lexicon of Wine Tasting Terms" Finesse A wine having balance, style and quality from start to finish. Elegant You can buy my Wine Lexicon and other items at my Online Store   Looking for Weekly Wine Recommendations? Every week I pick a moderately priced wine for your enjoyment, which I now post as a blog. Each wine recommendation will stay on-line so you can refer back to previous posts. You can also share your impressions with other readers. Click here to see my W-O-W blog. If you'd like to receive update notices, sign up here.   Inspirational Quote Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water - W. C. Fields       If you're not already a subscriber and would like to receive future editions of this newsletter, please reply to this message with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To unsubscribe, reply with REMOVE in the subject line.

All material is Copyright 2006 by Richard Best - The Frugal Oenophile.
Reproduction by any means must be accompanied by proper attribution.