THE FRUGAL OENOPHILE
Wine Appreciation through Education
email newsletter: march 2005

BYOW: The Government giveth. Will their retailer taketh away?

After years of listening to consumers whine about high restaurant mark-ups and lack of "bring your own" privileges, the Ontario Government has decided that BYO isn't such a bad idea. At the very least, it gives wine lovers one less thing to complain about.

It seems like a bold and perhaps even altruistic move. It means that, as of January 28/05, Ontarians will be able to take a bottle of their favourite tipple and pay only a hopefully modest corkage fee, likely in the range of $15-20. The change could be a good one for restaurant goers and also for those who would like to be but are turned off by 300-500% mark-ups on wine.

Does this mean that you can grab a bottle of plonk-du-jour and save a bit of money? Not really. You cannot bring along a bottle if the restaurant has it on its list. So scratch all the mainstream wines. You'll need to call ahead and see what's not available. Also note that restaurants are not required to participate in BYOW or in the "take home the rest" program.

There could be some very good fallout from the move, along with some effects that may undo the good. If people show up in droves with their own wine, restaurants that want to sell wine will have to compete on price. That's good news. But we might also see a dumbing down of wine lists -- lists that are overloaded with popular brands to discourage you from bringing them yourself. This would leave little room for more distinctive wines. It might also help to increase the mark-up on the house's "special" brands.

But the real risk here is greater market domination by our government distribution system. It is, despite a few exceptions, a monopoly. If you decide to take your own bottle, you will probably buy it, guess where: the LCBO. This is a very smooth move, and one that I'm guessing the LCBO didn't object to. A bottle a patron takes to a restaurant is most likely a sale for the LCBO and a No Sale for independent importers and local wineries. And these people are having enough trouble staying alive in a business they love. With this new government sanction, small importers may become an endangered species and Ontario wineries may lose the few inroads they've made.

I hope that restaurants will fight us on this by lowering prices to compare to their corkage fees, and then load up their wine lists with great, fairly priced wines that you can't find on store shelves. Unfortunately, I'm not optimistic.

One more thing: I called the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to find out more about the BYO law. When I asked what wines were allowed, I was told that the wine had to be purchased at the LCBO. So I asked about taking wine that I bought at a winery or other wine shop. Yes, you can do that too, but at no time did the phone rep volunteer any source other than the LCBO, something that I thought was a slap in the face of Canadian winemakers. The bottom line is that you can take any wine that was purchased at any retail wine shop, winery boutique or consignment dealer. In fact, only U-vint or home-made wine is not allowed.

Malivoire Chardonnay Musqué Sparkles

When I first experienced Malivoire's fizzy chardonnay last year, I immediately wanted to sing its praises. But a call to the winery revealed that, of the mere 225 cases produced, only about 40 remained, and most would be gone before I could get my newsletter out the virtual door. This year the wine is even better and, if you hurry, you may be able to pick up a few bottles.

Musqué is a chardonnay clone that is unlike any other chardonnay. It has the body and authority of chardonnay, overlaid with an intriguing muscat-like quality -- leaning toward grapey but not quite getting there.

Martin Malivoire was both brave and wise to allow winemaker Ann Sperling to give this style a shot. Normally we would be limited to Muscat d'Alba, which this wine resembles. In fact, the wine is dangerously drinkable, only 9% alcohol, and in far too limited a supply. It seems to have found a firm following. I just hope that Malivoire can find more grapes in years to come so more of us can enjoy this stunning creation.

Malivoire Chardonnay Musqué "Spritz" 2003 - $18. Available only at the winery.

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Canadian Wine Loses a Great Friend

I was greatly saddened when I learned of the recent death of veteran Canadian actor Jonathan Welsh. You may remember Jonathan from his appearances on The Littlest Hobo, or as the anal retentive department manager on Adderly, or as the openly gay producer on E.N.G.

I remember Jonathan as an avid wine enthusiast and as one terrific guy. Although I only met him on a few occasions and was only able to spend a limited amount of time with him, I quickly developed a warm spot for this host of New World Wine Tours. The first time I met Jonathan, I told him that he was an inspiration to short, balding men everywhere. We spent the rest of the afternoon tasting wines and comparing hairlines. Canada has certainly been impoverished by Jonathan's untimely death. He will be missed.

Best Comment By A Wine Writer

From "The Frugal Oenophile's Lexicon of Wine Tasting Terms"

QbA/QmP

Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete -- German standard for quality wine, similar to appellation systems. Qualitätswein mit Prädicat (QmP) indicates a higher standard of quality based on grape ripeness at harvest

For information on purchasing my Lexicon, visit www.frugalwine.cam
Or purchase it on-line at www.chapters.indigo.ca

Time in a Bottle: 50 Years of Wynns Coonawarra

Vertical tastings -- the same wine from a sequence of vintages -- are rare, and one that reaches back a full 50 years is pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was privileged recently to attend a tasting of 24 vintages of Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, from a crusty 1954 to a barrel sample of the 2004. Current winemaker Sue Hodder was on hand to shepherd us through the wines, which were presented in three flights of eight, divided roughly into decades and winemaker tenures.

The mystique of an older wine carries a lot of weight. I've voiced my views on ageing wines in previous issues, and this tasting confirmed much of what I hold to be true. Yes, some wines can last for a long time, Cabernet especially. But there is a limit to how long any wine will continue to improve in bottle, and if the wine doesn't have all the necessary pedigrees, then that limit gets moved back somewhat.

A few attendees paid lip-service to the oldest wines, obviously swept away by something, but I don't think it was necessarily what was in the glasses. The 1954, for example, was remarkable for a beverage old enough to have grand-kids, but I think it would have been better 10-15 years earlier. I wouldn't write off all 50-year old Australian Cabernet, but my guess is they don't have quite the same staying power of some of the greatest cabs and cab blends. And, even though some of these wines were on the downward side of the ageing slope, they bear testament to just how well they can age.

Here are my notes from the afternoon's session.

1954: Bright brick and mahogany colour. Somewhat rancio, delicate leather, old vanilla and maple sugar. Quite dusty with a rich acidity and flavours of old leather and prunes. Quite full with good length. Seems old, with acids dominating.

1957: Deep brick colour. Fresh yet subtle aromas of mineral and berries. Tannins are still out front, even at this age. Very good body with good length, but an overly dusty finish. A bit of a challenge.

1958: Deep brick-mahogany colour; somewhat bitty. Aromas of vanilla, leather, cedar and tobacco. Slightly bitter on the palate with cherry flavours. Good body and length. Consistently dusty and somewhat coarse.

1960: Rich ruby with brick highlights. Quite gamey with a layer of oak on top. Sweetish, with good fruit and soft tannins. Good body and length. In a more contemporary style and still seems quite young.

1965 (magnum): Deep, inky prune-red. Somewhat closed right now, showing some floral and strawberry. Still a bit crusty, with mixed berry flavours. Very good body and length. This one's a palate killer.

1966 (magnum): Deep brick colour. A bit closed in -- green and vegetal -- showing cedar, caramel, dried cherry and subtle spice. Round with silky tannins, sweetish with dried berry flavours. Very good body and length. This one's ready now.

1970: Rich ruby red with brick tones. Lots of barnyard and blueberry. Very smooth yet with solid tannins and good berry flavours. Fuller bodied, with very good length.

1973: Rich garnet colour. Aromas of dill, floral, with nuances of rose and vanilla. Fabulously silky, round and juicy. Very good body and length. Totally at its peak with well controlled tannins.

1975: Medium ruby/garnet. Quite fruity, showing plums and roses: a delight. The palate shows a firm acidity, with major juicy berries, cherries and solid tannins. Huge in the mouth with excellent length. Showing classic middle-age stability with vigour.

1976: Medium ruby with a touch of brick. Mainly barnyard and "hard tack". Quite gamey, with a hint of sugar and soft tannins. Medium-full body with good length. Overly gamey on the back palate.

1980: Orange-garnet colour. Hard to pin down, showing aromas of nuts and wet cement. A bit tart on the palate, vaguely fruity with soft tannins. Medium full bodied, with good length. The acidity has the day here.

1982: Deep garnet with an orange rim. Some sediment. Young, fresh, with aromas of cedar, barnyard, and wood. Quite gamey with sweetish berries, medium tannins and a firm acid core. Medium-full bodied with very good length. A modern style, fruit forward and juicy.

1984: Full prune-garnet colour. Aromas of dill, pepper, floral and cedar. Very solid; a classic style with juicy berries and firm tannins. Very good body and length.

1986: Inky prune-cherry colour. Aromas of mint, red currant, cloves, and sweet oak. Huge fruit on the palate, with juicy berries. Downright big, with very good length. Juicy and totally fruit driven with excellent oak balance.

1988: Medium black-cherry colour. Aromas of cherries, leaf and cedar. Juicy with mint, berries, spice, cherry and strawberry. Very good body and length. Gobs of elegance here.

1990: Full black cherry colour. Quite closed -- may be slightly corked -- with subtle pepper and plum aromas. Quite juicy but otherwise ordinary. Very good body and length.

1991: Deep black cherry colour. Aromas dominated by prune and pepper. Up-front fruit, blackcurrant, blueberry and soft tannins. Medium-full body and very good length.

1994: Full black cherry colour. Somewhat sherrified, showing little else. Palate is sour and angular. Medium body and length.

1996: Full black cherry colour. Quite closed, slightly herbaceous, with a hint of cherry. Angular with good berry flavours and dusty tannins. Quite full, with good length. Still a youngster.

1998: Deep black cherry colour. Closed but showing some black cherry flavour. Very good balance on the palate, with gobs of blackcurrant. Quite tannic at this stage. Quite full and with good length.

2000: Deep black cherry colour. Aromas of dried cherry, rosebuds and green pepper. Round and juicy with blackcurrant and cherry flavours. Very full with excellent length. A totally up-to-date style.

2001: Inky black cherry colour. Rather closed, showing subtle plum, cherry and tobacco aromas. A fruity palate showing blackcurrant and rather hard tannins. Very full bodied, with very good length.

2002: Deep ruby colour. Forward dried cherry, rose, pepper, and mint aromas. Somewhat flat and hollow, with medium body and length.

2004 (barrel sample): Deep, deep black cherry colour. Aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant, cassis, dried cherry, and perfume. Showing very little flavour at this stage. Time will tell!

The space between what the wine writers say and what the wine novice tastes is a standard subject of satire - Adam Gopnik