Back in Japan

Just spent my first day in Japan. Noticed some very interesting things right away. We arrived in the afternoon. The flight was ok, not too painful. For me that is. My aunt's new place is awesome, great location.

We spent today shopping. I needed to get a suit, and luckily, there was a huge sale going on at the store close by. I'm having a suit made for me - it's not as expensive as it sounds. And it's good quality as well, 100% wool, two buttons, side vents, pants that hugs everything right. I also bought an Aquascutum suit jacket, single button with peak lapels. And a pair of checked light grey cotton pants. Beautiful.

What comes across most is that it is a country of unfailing courtesy and formality. Almost excruciatingly polite everywhere you go. The people here have an attention to detail that is unsurpassed. After a day of polite smiling and bowing, things begin to seem fake to you. I mean, it just isn't natural to act this way. Let me give you an example: I was in UNIQLO, buying maroon dress socks. The girl at the cash was bowing and smiling and saying all these things as I was giving her money. I asked my cousin what she was saying, and he told me that she was just saying, 'Please give me a moment to give you change'.

Speaking of my cousin, Kazuhide is definitely by far the coolest person I know. Without a doubt, Kazu is just cool. He's completely mastered the 'I don't give a shit about anything' look. If there ever is an unpretentious and effortless sense of style, the kid has it. There's cool people that have to work really hard at it, the kinds that want to make sure other people notice it as well. Nothing Kazuhide does is ever forced. He just has that way about him - the slouching, the quiet demeanor, the way he carries himself. And he's only going to reach 19 at the end of next month! I was an absolute mess at 19. Wow, what a cool kid.

We're in the heart of Yokohama, right next to Tokyo Bay, so there's a lot to see. Excited to begin exploring the food here. I went with Kazuhide to the local grocery store today. You can learn so much about a culture just by buying groceries, trust me. I saw so many interesting things inside, especially the seafood. Tonight, we had sushi - not those cheap hand rolls that North Americans believe is sushi. No, the authentic kind. It was fantastic - fresh and beautifully structured firmness and weight to it. And I visited the local wine shops already. Of course I did - no one should be surprised. The selection at the more expensive stores is impressive. They sell a 2001 CH. Cote de Montpezat, AC Cotes de Castillon, as well as a 2000 Bodegas Lan Gran Reserva, both of which I have in my cellar, and both of which I thought was quite obscure. The markup is even higher, compared to LCBO, which was a shock. I bought a bottle of Suntory red wine, a Japanese bottle. Havn't tried it yet, but eager to do so. I also bought a bottle of Chianti Classico, which we tried tonight. Not good. That's all I want to say. Candied fruit, weak structure, at least it was cheap.

Very excited to be able to try some new Japanese cuisine. New, in the sense that I've never tried before. I'm beginning to see this country in a new light, and hopefully I'll be able to communicate that through here in the next few posts.

Tokyo and Shanghai

After months and months of planning and discussing, I'm going to Japan again after exams are over. It'll be my first trip back in nearly 8 years, so I`m looking forward to it very much. More importantly, it means that I'll be able to spend some time with my cousin and aunt. The second leg of this trip takes me back home to Shanghai. I can't believe that it`s been 18 months since my last visit, so also looking forward to that.

I remember quite a few things from my last trip to Tokyo. Admittedly, I was far too young to appreciate the culture. This time, I just want to relax and enjoy spending some time with my family. Also, I definitely want to experience Japanese cuisine. Interestly enough, I understand that there's quite a vibrant French cuisine scene in Tokyo, so we'll absolutely be visiting a French restaurant. And finally, the Japanese have quite an interesting relationship with French wine. I'm very excited to see for myself. After all, I did buy futures from a Bordeaux Chateau owned by Suntory, Chateau Lagrange.

We'll also be spending some time in Shanghai. But that trip is completely family-oriented, as there are several things to take care of there. Just being in my hometown will be enough.

Some thanks.

The term is over, and what an amazing 4 months! Firstly, I need to thank my roommates, Bebe and Sis. You guys made living in Waterloo fun and were the best roommates I could have asked for. And you tolerated all my drinking.

My buddy Pris is leaving for Europe, and won't be back for a year. So best of luck Pris, and take care of yourself. Have lots of fun, and we'll try our best to organize a trip up to visit!

My sister is going to Europe as well, but not as long. Take in the culture, try to stay away from the shopping! Lol, and rehearse your story when you go through customs!!

Christie, have a lot of fun in Cuba. You need to get out of Canada and just...be away from everything.

So, everyone is going somewhere. Even you Rocky. Everyone have fun and take care. We're not going to be together for a while, but I'm sure there'll be tons of great stories to tell once we're all back.

Goodbye.

Today was a busy day. But a good and productive day. For some reason, I woke up quite early today, and got up at 9am, on less than 7 hours sleep. Funny how you never seem to need sleep when you know you have a big day ahead of you.

First stop: Capelli at Bayview Village, haircut appointment with Super Mario. Met a girl named Georgia, who works for L'Oreal. She suggested I try this product in my har, not bad, but I think I'll stick with my paste. Nice girl though.

Second stop: Bayview Village LCBO. Time to pick up my Vintages orders! 12 bottles of wine: 3 bottles of 2005 CH. L'Arrossee, 3 bottles of 2005 CH. Rauzan Gassies, 2 bottles of 2004 CH. La Lagune, 2 bottles of 2000 Bodegas Lan Gran Reserva, a 1980 Kopke Colheita Port, and finally, a 1981 Kopke Colheita Port. I was so so happy. My goodness, I was so happy today.

Third stop: Lunch with the roommates, Pris and Rocky. Last time we'll all be able to get together for a while.

So, that was my day. Had to wash my Civic today, Waterloo made it absolutely filthy. And of course, I needed to start packing. I'm leaving tomorrow, won't be back until late May. So, unfortunately, I may not be able to post for a while. We'll see.

Home for...good?

Just settled back home. Tonight's exam was brutal. Really brutal. I feel shell-shocked, like, what the fuck just happened?



Feel very tired, but still wrote up the tags for the bottles that I brought home from Waterloo. Two bottles of 2005 CH. La Fleur Jonquet, Champagne J. Lassalle, CH. La Bastide Blanche, CH. Faizeau, and finally, a CH. Du Trignon. Desperately running out of space, I guess the rest will have to go in the basement closet.

Big day tomorrow, lots to do. Finally, I'm home.

Like getting your wisdom teeth pulled

This is getting so painful. My last exam is tonight, 7:30-10. My professor is an asshole. Who the hell picks the last possible day to have the exam, and at the last possible time slot? I wouldn't mind if something bad happened to him, because he's trying his hardest to make life as difficult as possible for us. It's like he sits in his dinky office all day, just thinking of ways to screw us over.

Bebe left just before noon, so I'm alone in the suite. Everything's so dusty, but at least I've packed neatly, so it should be quick and easy tonight to load the car up. Just want to go home and sleep in my own bed, for the first time in a month. You know what? I've been in Waterloo since late March, so this is the longest time that I've ever stayed in this town. Three consecutive weekends. And I'm reminded why I don't mind leaving. My window is open, and I'm receiving a noseful of fresh Canadian geese droppings. Kind of like the Rioja and Bandol that I drank a few months back. Barnyard.

I don't want to study this stuff. The textbook is garbage. I've been awake since 5:15 am, and up since 8. Let's get this over with. I need at least a 40% to be in good shape for this course. I just want to pass. May have trouble doing that.

I don't want to study!!!!!!!!!!

What wine am I?

I feel so mentally drained. Didn't sleep last night, as I was studying for my Health Economics exam this morning. After all that - going into the exam, there wasn't a single topic that I was really confortable with. And that feeling sucks. Like, all you want to do in an exam is to survive - not to excel, not to ace it, but just to survive.

Thanks very much to my dear friend Christie, who dropped by this weekend to give me an early birthday gift. And what else, but a bottle of Gigondas? I loved the birthday card, and your rationale behind choosing this bottle.

Which got me to thinking: If I were a wine, what kind of wine would I be? What flavour profile would I have? What kind of structure? I have yet to come across the exact bottle, but I think I have a pretty clear idea.

Firstly, the wine would have to be ripe. Nice, fresh fruit. It must have a fragrant, complex bouquet, one that speaks directly about where it's from. A bouquet that you can get lost in, and one you don't mind sniffing all day. The wine must have solid acidity, to the point of austerity. It must be well-structured and solid. Something that isn't heavy, but delicate and steely, and a wine that would show infinitely better with a good meal. And above all - the wine must be honest. It must be honest about where it comes from, and speak truthfully about itself. No excessive human manipulation, it is what it is.

So...I'm an acidic, fragrant, well structured, honest wine. I'll let you know if I ever come across.......myself.

Adding to the collection

Today was a good day. Good, but I had one of those introspective moments that makes you stop and think. My Humanities final exam was today, with my roommate. My sis. It was also her last exam in Waterloo. I still can't get over the fact that we're done living with each other. It's weird - it'll take an adjustment, not seeing someone that you've spent every day with for the past year. Having pulled an all-nighter, I think I did well during the final. Professor suprised me with the fact that there was going to be 200 questions. I went in under the impression that there was only 100.

We all went out for dinner tonight, my roommates and Alan. There's not that many dependable places in Waterloo to eat besides Ben Thanh, and even this place isn't all that great. Our last dinner together in Waterloo.

Some great news today. Arranged with the LCBO stores at First Canadian Place and Bayview Village to transfer a few bottles of the 2004 Chateau La Lagune. Very, very excited to receive this wine, it's a Troisieme Grand Cru Classe of the Haut Medoc. It's the first property entering the Medoc, and personally, it's one of my favourites. I've drank the 1986, and the elegance and purity of the wine were stunning. Absolutely stunning.

Some other wines coming my way are of course, my 2005 Chateau L'Arrosee and the 2005 Rauzan-Gassies. Also, my 1980 and 1981 Kopke Colheita Port. And finally, the icing on the cake, the centerpiece, the bottle I've been waiting for, for 6 months: my 1986 Glenfarclas Family Casks Scotch.

Unfortunately, I'll only have one day to pick up my wines. The 24th. Hopefully, everything will have arrived.

And by the way, I opened a bottle of Muscat de Rivesaltes. First time I've had wine from this region. It's a sweet, fortified wine made from the muscat grape. Velvety in all its fruit-bomb glory, and just not for me. Lacks...something.

No sleep for the hard-working

It's now 6am. I've been up all night, studying for my Humanities exam later today at noon. Professor was nice enough to let me do the exam earlier, instead of on the 23rd. This is probably my last all-nighter I'll pull in a while. Feeling ok now, just a little bit hungry. I'm used to still being awake when the birds start chirping in the morning. It's gotten to the point where I can identify what kind of bird it is just by the sound of its chirp. I'm sure I'll start feeling wasted right after the exam.

The course is called Humanities, but why change the name? It used to be Western Civilizations. I really enjoyed this course. Really gives you a broad understanding of Western culture, and the forces that shaped it. Really interesting stuff. Unfortunately, there was no mention of wine.

Now, there HAS to be someone that agrees with me when I say that without wine, there is no civilization. There just can't be. You learn about politics, economics, science, and so much more just by studying wine. Without wine, we're nothing more than savages.

Anyways, still have some re-reading to do and then I'll go over the quizzes again. I havn't had a drop of wine since the 5th, and I think I can't take anymore. I'm heading to LCBO after my exam today, depending on how tired I feel. Maybe I'll get a half bottle.

Middle of exams

I just completed my second final exam today, for my monetary economics class. It was nerve-wracking. Not sure if I wrote enough for each question. It was a huge exam too - 23 pages. Really, really nervous about it. I havn't had any wine since April 5. Seriously. I really could use a glass now, starting to get antsy.

Just discovered that LCBO has a few bottles of the 2004 CH. La Lagune. It's an estate that I've been following for quite some time. I'm trying to build up a collection, I've had the '86, and it was magnificent. I have a few lots of the 2005 and 2006 locked up already, but I'm looking for a few earlier vintages.

Oh, and I received an interesting response to my paper I posted earlier. Appreciate the correction. I now know that LCBO is not the world's largest importer of liquor. Whoever googled that up and posted the right answer, thanks so much. I'd respect you so much more if you didn't name yourself 'Anonymous'. At least be more creative and make up a nickname if you have to, so I know its not some loser who's fact checking other's people's writing. If you're not even confident enough to do that on the internet, how confident can you be in real life? Just wondering, don't take it personally.

Anyways, 3 more exams to go. Key is...just to survive.

Read a Book!

I've had several people ask me how to start learning about wine. I don't know if I'm the best person to ask...you realize that I've only been earnest about this for about 4 years right? Mr. Choi, this isn't about you, I enjoy talking wine with you. It's about other people, who shall remain nameless.

At the moment, I'm pleased at my progress, but clearly, I will be learning new things about wine until I die. There is truly, endless knowledge and endless experiences in wine. I don't mind talking about specific bottles of wine. It's always good to see what other people are drinking.

Read a book. People want easy and fast solutions to everything. Why do you think critics are so successful these days? People just want other people to tell them what the best wines are, and want to know whether they're drinking wines with high scores or not. They want fashionable wines, and wines that make them look like they know what they're doing. There's a fantastic lack of creativity and a lack of desire to really learn things the right way. So read a fucking book.

Also there's this incredibly misguided notion that wine connoisseurship is all about identifying the different flavour elements of wine. That if you can tell that a wine tastes of strawberries and violets and hints of leather and tobacco, then wow, you're a wine expert! That's a shitload of nonsense. The Americans are to blame for this phenomenon.

In part, Robert Parker is the one most responsible. This is the easy way to taste wine. To describe wine in this manner makes sense to the general public. Everyone is more or less familiar with these tastes, and using these descriptions, people feel like they really are fully experiencing a wine. But that is a huge mistake. What about these descriptions tells you where a wine is from? The quality of the harvest and vintage? The techniques used to make the wine? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Of course, how can I forget Gary V? He makes it popular to use quite ridiculous terms to describe taste. But I suppose that's the knowledge level of the majority of his fans. It works for him, and his wine business is making lots of money, so I can't argue against that. But is it really increasing the average American's wine knowledge? I mean, one of his fans started his own blog, with his own "tasting notes" - I won't name him, I promise. And I put "tasting notes" in quotes, because I've read some of his stuff and to put it gently, it sets the American wine industry back 30 years. All the work that Robert Mondavi has done to revolutionize American wine? GONE, with the increase in people like this; the kinds that learn about wine from hyperactive online video hosts, who encourage and bloat their tasting abilities far beyond reality.

Taste is such a subjective thing. You don't need me to tell you that. So to describe all these wines in such simple terms is doing an incredible injustice to wine. Well, I shouldn't be surprised that Americans have popularized this. No matter how defensive they get, these people have simple, unrefined tastes. Come on, this is the country that invented fast food. No need to say more.

So, you want to learn about wine? Try as many different wines as you can. Try everything. Once you have a more experienced palate, and have some idea of what you're doing, it's a good idea to focus on one region, to really gain a stronger understanding of what you're putting in your mouth.

This isn't a rant. This is the truth. I don't glorify, or advertise that I enjoy wine. Wine is very personal - why does everyone need to know how much knowledge or expertise you have? So learn on your own, and then when you can talk intelligently about it, let's have a glass together. And if you ever describe a wine as having flavours reminiscent of Fruit Loops cereal and Juicy Fruit, I'll slap you right in the face. Rocky, we should however, have more wine together.

LCBO and Organizational Change

Umm...don't know if anyone's interested. But for my MSci 311, I wrote a piece on LCBO and how they've instituted organizational changes. Thanks Professor RD for the 80. Maybe a little undeserved, but see for yourself:

Tastes have changed, but what about the LCBO?

March 24, 2008
D.Fang


The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has come a long way from its founding mission to enforce strict control on the sale and consumption of liquor, as well as provide social responsibility in protecting the public from the potential ravages of alcoholism. However, that mission statement dates from over 80 years ago. The LCBO’s mandate and organizational structure has revised over the years, to adapt to and take advantage of changes in the market. It has demonstrated that a government owned corporation can succeed and indeed, thrive in today’s market. The LCBO is a model for organizational change, and has demonstrated that with the right management in place, sweeping changes can be implemented, while producing immediate benefits. The government is not the only beneficiary of the LCBO’s success. The organization has been instrumental in bringing a wide variety of products to consumers, allowing access to products that are near impossible to locate otherwise, due to the LCBO’s purchasing power. While the future looks bright for LCBO, it did not arrive at its current state without some hardships. Not only must we look at what caused these changes to occur, but also to what changes the LCBO needs to make in the future.

Let us first examine the internal make-up of the LCBO. It is the single largest buyer and retailer of liquor in the world, operating 602 stores across Ontario and holding 50.5% of the province’s alcoholic beverage market share. LCBO stores offer 19,226 products and 5,935 products offered through its Vintages program.[1] It employs about 6,500 full and part-time employees. The LCBO is run by a 9-person board. Members are appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor, through Orders-in-Council, on the recommendation of the Premier and the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, for terms of up to 5 years. The LCBO has 6 major divisions: Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology (IT), Retail, Merchandising and Distribution. Divisions are responsible for coordination amongst themselves, whenever an issue affects more than one division. However, there are no systematic policies in place to ensure daily coordination between the various divisions. Also, the LCBO does not have any benchmarks for measuring communication and information flows across organizational departments. Requests for interviews with LCBO regional store managers for further information were refused, and the requests were instead directed to the corporate website.

As the LCBO moves away from simply being a distributor of liquor to a full-fledged retailer, the most important thing to focus on is the customer. More precisely, what type of alcoholic beverage is most attractive in the market, and how can the LCBO capitalize on it? The answer is quite simple. In one word, wine.

It does not take a wine connoisseur to discover the increasing popularity of this drink. New wine producing regions are sprouting all over the world, and consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated in their knowledge and appreciation of wines. An inspection of the LCBO’s annual reports shows that in 2002-2003, wine sales totalled $819 million, a 6.4% increase from the previous fiscal year.[2] In 2005-2006, wine sales were $988 million, an increase of 3.1% from the previous year.[3] In 2005, Canadians consumed 396 million bottles of wine, which shows an increase in consumption of 23.23% from 2001-2005.[4] As consumers continue to demand more wine from all parts of the globe, the LCBO must adjust its distribution system, and streamline its own internal structure to maintain efficiency and effectiveness.

As explained in Gareth R. Jones’ Organizational Theory, Design, and Change, Fourth Edition, planned organizational change is normally targeted at improving effectiveness at one or more of four different levels: human resources, functional resources, technological capabilities, and organizational capabilities.[5] While not clear cut, organizational change in the LCBO as the result of increased demand for wine falls under several of these levels. Effectiveness at the human resources level is important because of the increasing knowledge of consumers. Staff at the retail level must be able to articulate product details, whether to novice wine drinkers or more seasoned connoisseurs. With the wide variety of wines available, staff must be trained not only to be knowledgeable on basic wine facts but also to be able to offer recommendations to customers. This requires more than buying everyone a copy of Robert Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide. A framework must be laid down to familiarize store staff with existing inventory as well as each new release of wines, so as to be able to act more as an advisor to customers rather than just a salesperson. In terms of functional resources, the LCBO must be able to handle rising levels of inventories. This means better coordination between its distributors and its retail locations. Systems must be in place to ensure that manageable levels of inventory are maintained in the stores, without sacrificing selection and choice for the consumer. Technological capabilities must increase. New IT systems must be implemented to keep track of inventories and shipment times. It is also useful for customers who are looking to see if certain bottles of wine are available in other locations. While laws forbid the online purchase and shipping of alcohol, an online database to view wine selections would be very useful for customers. We must now make a comparison of actual changes the LCBO made, to see if theory can make it into practice.

The organizational structure of the LCBO began to change in earnest in the late eighties. In 1988, the LCBO used no computers in its stores and all accounting and payroll tasks were done manually. Quarterly sales results took 6 months to reach upper management. It was obvious that things needed to be modernized. Every facet of the operation needed to be overhauled, along with its unknowledgeable and overstaffed stores. A new board and upper management was brought in, to bring accountability to the LCBO. New programs were introduced to improve on its organization, distribution systems and retail services, as well as a redesign of its stores. Customers began to respond favourably to these changes, as well as an aggressive new marketing campaign that sent the message that drinking wine was simply a part of a healthy lifestyle.

In recent years, LCBO has changed a great deal, to meet these new challenges. While not all of these changes can be attributed to the rising consumption of wine in Canada, it certainly has played the largest role in increasing profits and cash flows to the government. One task that the LCBO’s top management wanted to improve on was its supply chain procedures. A large part of the supply chain is the flow of inventory. The objective was to get 80% of deliveries straight from the trucks into the stores, without having to be stored in warehouses. To make this happen, store managers had to be retrained to work with smaller inventories that arrived just on time. Inventory managers used a centralized inventory replenishment system, which delivered inventories to stores several times a week, in smaller loads. The result is an inventory turnover rate of 7.6 compared to 5.2 times in 2001, a cost reduction of $86 million and an increase of $1 billion in sales.[6]

In 2003, LCBO instituted a system called New Item Submission System (NISS). This was provided to its suppliers, in an effort to bring new products to the market faster. It led to cost reductions of $1.18 million annually and nearly $130 million in new product revenue by managing new products almost immediately. In 2004, the LCBO introduced a more secure, flexible, and high performance Enterprise Project Management system (EPM). It wanted to provide its staff with an efficient way to collaborate on projects, and this software was the answer. Benefits were immediate: improved project management and resource allocation, streamlined communications and collaboration among IT teams, and reduced time spent on administrative tasks.

LCBO is also making a concerted effort to train its employees as well. All staff undergoes mandatory product knowledge training, and because of the improvements in supply chain procedures, are able to spend more time dealing directly with customers. There are also highly trained product experts that can provide customers with very detailed information; there are 190 employees who have received this designation. Finally, LCBO is dedicating more and more space for its Vintages section in their stores, specializing in more premium wines. All these changes and enhancements indicate that LCBO is not resting on the fact that it is a monopoly, and is actively pursuing opportunities that this new demand for wine can provide. It demonstrates that the LCBO is willing to do whatever is necessary to improve, whether it’s hi-tech solutions at the management level or training solutions at the store employee level. Every stage of the operation is crucial to its success.

Over the years, the LCBO's general trend has been towards innovation and learning. It has fostered this sense of learning, in order to better cope with changes in the marketplace. The LCBO has created a learning centre to gather research on changes made by its competitors. There have been new employee training techniques, such as teaching videos and new marketing strategies such as venturing into the gift market. An increase in IT has also been witnessed, as well as more product testing and knowledge management, to maintain a competitive edge. Most promisingly, upper management has displayed that it is able and willing to implement major changes. There have been significant efforts to increase the organization’s ability to handle and implement change, and as a result, the LCBO has become less bureaucratic and more responsive to the needs of its stakeholders.

Looking forward, there are some more improvements that can be implemented. A system to order wines online to be picked up at the store would be more efficient than the current system of sending in order forms and waiting for sales representatives to call for payment method confirmations. Also, more availability of premium wines would satisfy the die-hard wine collectors. While greatly improved, the distribution process is still in need of tweaking. Orders from special Vintages catalogues can take months to be delivered, even after arriving in warehouses. A more transparent tracking system, similar to the ones used by post offices, would allow customers to track their purchases online, without having to call LCBO over and over.

The LCBO truly is a model corporation for organizational change. It has shown that it has not only the ability to implement change, but also the willingness to do so. It always keeps an eye on the market, anticipating its next move so that there is no surprise. As for the future? Wine sales will only go up, and as wine consumers become more and more savvy, will LCBO be able to keep up? It will be a challenge to keep everyone satisfied, not only among the wine drinkers but also with the beer and spirits crowd as well. It is a challenge that LCBO has shown it can master.

References:

Barrows, David and Arthur Barrows., Change Management & the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), IPAC IAPC Ryerson University Case Study 2.19

Bird, Malcolm G., Revolutionary Change: The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, 1985-2005, The Department of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, (June 2006), from: http://www.cpsa-acsp.ca/papers-2006/Bird.pdf

Cirillo, Jennifer., Beyond the Bottle, Beverage World, Vol. 126, Iss. 1781. (Dec 15, 2007), pp.60-68.

Genosko, Gary and Scott Thompson., LCBO: Profits vs. Social Responsibility, Toronto Star, (July 25, 2005), from: http://agora.lakeheadu.ca/agora.php?st=83

LCBO Annual Report 2002-2003, from: http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/ser/7892/2002-2003.pdf

LCBO Annual Report 2005-2006, from: http://www.lcbo.com/images/pdfs/lcbo_an_report.pdf

LCBO.com, Media Centre, from: http://www.lcbo.com/aboutlcbo/media_centre/faq.shtml

Maclean, Natalie., The Grape Canadian North, Nat Decants, 2007, from: http://www.nataliemaclean.com/articles/canadian_wine_facts.asp

Patrick, Ryan B., LCBO keeps supply chain flowing, itWorldCanada, (July 9, 2004), from: http://www.itworldcanada.com/pages/docbase/viewarticle.aspx?id=idgml-034cf823-efba-4517&portal=extended%20enterprise&s=395692

Vintners Quality Alliance 2007 Annual Report, from: http://www.vqaontario.com/aboutVQA/AnnualReports/vqa_annual_report_07.pdf

Wines of Ontario, Media Centre Fact Sheet, from: http://winesofontario.org/MediaCentre/html/FactSheet.htm






[1] LCBO.com Media Centre
[2] LCBO 2002-2003 Annual Report, Wines, pp.24
[3] LCBO Annual Report 2005-2006, Wines, pp.10
[4] CNW Group, The increase in wine sales in Canada is twice as high as in the rest of the world, (Feb 8, 2007)
[5] Jones, Gareth. Organizational Theory, Design, and Change, Fourth Edition. Pg. 302
[6] Cirillo, Jennifer., Beyond the Bottle, pp.62

LCBO plastic bags

The Toronto Star finally produced an article that's worth reading. It's about the LCBO and how our premier is working towards a ban of plastic bag use. And it's something that I completely agree with.

I appreciate that LCBO has taken steps already to be more environmentally friendly. After all, every true wine lover is also an environmentalist at heart. Which, ironically, is very odd because global warming has been fantastic for the ripening of grapes.

Anyways, over the years, I've noticed that LCBO has steadily changed their packaging of wine. It used to be paper bags for every single bottle, and then a big, thick plastic bag. LCBO plastic bags are without a doubt the thickest bags anywhere. Glass bottles are heavy and need sturdy support. Stores then had a phase where they would paper bag some bottles and use these green mesh nets on the others, to prevent the bottles from breaking. In the past year or so, they've thankfully moved away from the nets. However, they're still sticking with the paper bags and plastic, although they've trained their staff to ask you whether or not you want a bag. It's a noble effort to try to cut down, but it's not enough. Definitely not enough.

Another issue is returning bottles. My family has always recycled bottles, but apparently the vast majority don't. That's why they instituted the bottle refund system, the same system as with beer bottles. And it's a great success - I don't mind paying an extra $0.20 deposit.

I don't understand why they can't phase out plastic bags altogether. Paper bags, at least you can recycle. But there's no way to recoup the losses of a plastic bag, from the resources needed to produce it, to what happens after you through it away. It's so damn thick that, as the article says, it's going to be in landfills for the next million years.

There's a stigma to carrying your own bag to go shopping. Things like groceries. Why? The Shanghainese do it. So do the French. So why not North Americans?

So, the conclusion is...I promise that from now on, I'll never pick up a plastic LCBO bag ever again. And I'll try to use as little paper bags as possible. The wines that I order from Vintages come in cardboard boxes, so I'm covered there. I can't believe how self-righteous North Americans are when it comes to environmentalism, since we're the most guilty in terms of pollution.

Reference: http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/412876

Bittersweet

My roommate was right - this is really bittersweet for me. I attended my last day of lectures today, as an undergrad at the University of Waterloo.

I cannot believe that I've spent 4 years here. How can it be? I mean, I still remember my first day in junior high.

This wasn't just about the profs, and the courses, and the books. My four years here has overwhelmingly been more about the experience. Being with friends, growing up a little bit, becoming independant.

Today was a long day, about 7 hours on campus. My last lecture was for ARTS 301. I'm pleased it worked out that way. Anyways, enough, have to begin studying. Definitely, I'll come back to this, after exams are over and it really hits me that school is over.

Emptying the cupboard

Both my roommates went back to Toronto this weekend, so I was alone. Finished my last bottle of wine in Waterloo, as an undergrad. Unfortunately, it was a terrible bottle, a very pretentious Chianti Classico that clearly was nowhere close to what an Italian wine should be.

I decided to clear out my wine cupboard last night. Took out all the empty bottles, packed up the ones that I`m taking back to Toronto. For this term, I had 24 wine bottles, 2 bottles of gin, and a couple other things that my roommates bought. When I went to refund them today at the Beer Store, the cashier short changed me as well. I've completely lost faith in the people of Waterloo. Why you can't you count up to 24?

So, getting ready for the final stretch. No more wine until final exams are over, I promise.

Vintages Orders

Things are looking up for 2008! I have a few lots of wines coming in, from both my 2005 Futures, from the March Classics Catalogue, as well as a Vintages special.

Two lots of my 2005 Bordeaux Futures have arrived at Bayview Village already. First thing I need to do when I return home is to pick them up. They are 3 bottles each of the 2005 CH. L'Arrosee and the 2005 CH. Rauzan Gassies.

From the March Classics Catalogue, I just received a phone call from LCBO that both the wines I ordered are in stock. I ordered one bottle each of the 1980 and 1981 Kopke Colheita Port. What's special is how rare colheitas are. They make up about 1% of the total production worldwide of port. Very, very special indeed.

And finally, I`m still waiting for my bottle of 1986 Glenfarclas Cask 3434. This is my bottle of vintage scotch, which I bought last October. For some reason, LCBO keeps delaying delivery, even though I'm told repeatedly that it`s arrived in their warehouses and just needs to be processed.

Hopefully, these will all arrive before April 25th, which I'll explain later. Looking forward to these wines, which I believe will form the foundation of my hopefully soon to be very large collection.

1717 Avenue Street LCBO

Before I dropped into Waterloo this past Saturday, I went into LCBO to pick up some bottles from the latest release. For some reason, which I completely do not understand, these bottles were not available at Bayview Village.

My shopping list:

2005 CH. Croze de Pys, AC Cahors
2005 CH. La Fleur Jonquet Blanc, AC Graves
2004 DOM. La Bastide Blanche, AC Bandol
J. Lassalle Brut Champagne Preference, AC Champagne

I picked up 2 bottles of the Graves white. Have not yet tried the white wines of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage, and Ièm very excited to taste them.

I was very disappointed with the 1717 Ave. LCBO location. Terrible layout and terrible organization. Incredibly cluttered Vintages section, and the wines were so hard to find. They were almost hidden, there were no signs to point you in the right direction, and the cramped quarters certainly did not help. I was terrified of bumping into someone and taking out a whole shelf of bottles. Terrible. I am spoiled by Bayview Village.

Bayview Village LCBO, my love for you burns stronger each day.

Rushes restaurant

I havn't written in quite a while. I didn't abandon this, I've just been...preoccupied. Very pleased today, received our Health Economics midterm marks. Performed a lot better than what I expected.

On Saturday evening this week, we went out to Rushes restaurant, at Waterloo Inn, in Waterloo. Just myself, the roomates, and our neighbour. I made reservations too, because I was under the impression that it was a really well-known place. I even came back early from Toronto, just to make dinner.

I've heard good things about their wine list. And it was impressive. But the quality of the choices? I'm not really sure. Let me give you one example. They represent Niagara pinot noir fairly well, with Malivoire and Flat Rock Cellars. But no Lailey. And you know how I feel about Lailey pinot noir. Looking further down, they offer a cabernet-merlot from Lailey. I don`t understand how they feel that that bottle is a better represention of the estate. For dinner, I ordered a bottle of 2004 Malivoire Estate Pinot Noir. Just a wonderful wine. Earthy, bright cherry notes, hint of herbs, and of course, that racy acidity. Really, really indicative of the Beamsville Bench sub-appellation, but how well do these wines age?

The dining room was nice. Tasteful interior design, perfectly dim lighting, quiet, and clean. It had a partition in the middle, giving you quite a bit of privacy from other tables. A nice cozy feeling. The only problem was the wrinkly tablecloth. That was embroidered with this floral pattern. And it wasn't pure white. Also, the very busy table arrangement. Too many useless utensils on the table. The fresh daffodils? Unsure about that, maybe another flower would have been a better choice.

I ordered the chicken and rice soup for appetizer. It looked like canned chicken soup. No exaggeration. Too much vegetables - carrots, celery, corn...keep it simple. And quite simply, too much herbs. Much too much rosemary. It would have been better to cook with the rosemary, then remove it when you're serving. Instead of placing a few leaves on top as a garnish. When you bite into fresh rosemary, it's so strong that it completely overwhelms the palate. The vegetables were overcooked, probably the result of not enough soup orders getting out, and being constantly on a burner. I'm not surprised. At 7pm, only 3 tables were seated. Including ours.

For the main, I wanted to stick with a simpler dish. Duck leg confit. Simple enough right? I mean, a restaurant who presents a menu with a section for traditional dishes better do a simple confit de canard properly. Again, I felt they were off with this dish. It was served on top of a bed of lentil beans, with a side of bok choy. Yes, what we Chinese people eat. And on top? A slice of green apple, tempura fried. What the fuck?! Duck confit is preserved and a bit salty. Apple is sweet. Frying it like tempura makes it sweeter. Bok choy is sweet. Simply, the flavour profiles were way off base. It was 3 seperate dishes combined into one. And let's just not talk about the beans. The duck, however, was the most disappointing. Just - dry. Completely dry. I mean, it is a confit, but come on!!

I decided to forgo desert. Just a coffee. I'm pretty sure no one can screw up on coffee. And I was right. The girls had cheesecake and creme brulee, both of which were less than satisfying.

My overall impression of this restaurant is that the chef is either one of two things:

1: They have no clue what is going on, and they use this fusion cuisine bullshit to hide it. If you cant do traditional cuisine properly, dont even attempt to be all fancy. And all this stuff about using regional ingredients? What a load of shit. Since when did Waterloo grow Chinese vegetables?

2: Business is really bad and they need to think of ways to attract new customers. I dont blame them. But using these techniques is not going to work. Cook good, local food and people will respond to that.

A bright spot of the evening was our server. Very attentive, polite, and professional. But sad to say, I will not be returning to Rushes.

Honest Loire

I moved all the wine in our cupboard at Waterloo back home this weekend. Needed to remove all the temptation before finals begin.

Saturday night, I wanted to finish my last bottle, a Val de Loire red wine, from Chinon. It's made from of course, 100% cabernet franc. I've been very VERY disappointed with the Loire red wines I've had. All had this unripe, and quite frankly, disgusting quality to them. I don't know if the winemakers give a shit up there or not, but these wines are an embarrassment to the entire region.

But, at last, this bottle, a 2003 Couly-Dutheil La Baronnie Madeleine, AC Chinon, was a very pleasant surprise. But I don't want to talk about just this bottle. What struck me the most was that it noticeable showed a strong connection to every single bottle of Loire reds that I've ever drank. They've all featured this vegetal quality, highlighted by bright red fruits and a tart acidity. What a sense of place! This last bottle was well above the quality of the other ones, but no doubt, I knew exactly what I was drinking.

It's these kinds of wines that really make you think. Wines that really represent the soil and land that they come from. I learned a great deal from this wine. Now, if only LCBO would smarten up, and begin importing more quality Loire reds. And whoever made the decision to bring in those bottles of Eric Louis, AC Sancerre, should be shot and skewered on a pole. Palate of a fucking pig.

Wine Glass

It seems that if you want to pick up any kind of hobby, you also need a set of equipment to go along with it. Car tuners needs Civics, photographers need D-SLR's...same for wine. Although there's infinite variations in style and quality, and correspondingly, price, the essentials remain unchanged. What is the most important tool to a wine drinker? The wine glass of course. Also, as it seems lately, lots and lots of cash.


People argue that you should buy different styles of wine glasses for each type of wine. Well, the people at Riedel do. And I think that is a rather large load of bullshit, more suited for douches who'd rather showcase their hobby, rather than enjoy it.


All you need is a wine glass made of crystal, with a thin lip, so as to better deliver the wine into your mouth. You need one with a nice stem, to grip on and so you don't affect the temperature of the wine. And of course, you need one with a sizeable bowl, to properly aerate the wine. Why does it need to be crystal? Because the material distorts the appearance of the wine to a minimal degree. You want to be able to see the colour. The most offensive glasses are the coloured and the cut ones. You might as well drink your wine out of a coffee mug.


The most important thing about a wine glass? The bowl. You need a bowl that's sizeable, that's tulip-shaped, and something that curves in towards the lip. The bottom allows the wine to aerate properly, while the lip focusses all the aromas toward the nose. Why is it so important to be so particular? Because why would you pay $25 for a bottle, only to drink it out of any glass? You won't get the full experience, of all the aromas and components of the wine. I guarantee you, with the proper glass, you're enjoyment will increase 100%. It really does make a difference, try it if you don't believe me.


My favourite wine glasses are from Caban. Unfortunately, for some reason, they've disappeared from Toronto. Another favourite is Spigelau, but it is pricier. The ultimate I'd like to buy, someday, is a set of Riedel Sommelier glasses. But I'm fine with what I'm using.

It is...perfect

I've been tardy about posting recently. The past week has been very hard on me, no need to go into details. I want to talk about this bottle. A 2005 Ch. La Gasparde, AC Cotes de Castillon. It was released 2 weeks ago. The fact that it was a 2005 and from this region caught my attention. If you've been reading about wine, you know that the 2005 vintage has been described in short, as nothing short of legendary. I'm also very attracted to this region, as it produces wines that are quite amazing.

The moment I opened this bottle, I was blown away by how concentrated it was. I mean, a pitch black wine. And the nose! My goodness, such fruit, such freshness! It continues on the palate, showing a very stiff tannic structure, while remaining very balanced. The extract of the fruit, and the hints of complexity are intriguing. This shows very well the potential of the vintage, one of incredible, almost perfect ripeness. There are wines that are 3 to 4 times as expensive, that don't show half as well as this bottle.

So there you go. Never associate price with quality. This bottle left a deep impression, and I hurried out to buy 3 more bottles before it ran out. Fortunately, the majority (90%) of the wine-drinking population have never heard of this region, and quite frankly, I hope they never do. Leaves more wine for the true wine lovers and less for the phonies.

My taste

I've always felt that I have good taste. In everything. Sure, it's changed a lot as I've grown up, whether we're talking about food, clothing, music, girls, whatever...But I want to talk about my palate regarding wine specifically. Maybe it'll give a better idea as to why I love or hate certain wines.

When I began drinking wine, I followed a fairly standard learning curve of starting on New World whites, a few off dry wines, and lighter reds. It wasn't until maybe just before my 19th birthday that I really began to appreciate red wines, and wines with generally more heavier bodies. But lately, I've noticed that I'm moving away from that - a really clear change in tastes.

I used to really love big, masculine, brutish wines. Not overoaked fruitbombs though - I want to make VERY VERY clear that I've never liked those wines. Ever. I'm not a fucking yuppie fag. Excuse the language. I refer to Rhone valley wines in particular, as well as wines from the Southwest of France and of course, Riojas. I enjoyed an edge to the wine, a coarseness to it. And of course, a wonderful sense of earthiness, of terroir. Certainly, also because I was able to find Rhones in the $10-15, which was the price point that I aimed for in my first 2 years of serious wine drinking.

The problem with these wines is that I found them to be hard to really mesh with Chinese food. At home, the vast majority of our cooking is Chinese, which can sometimes be easily overwhelmed by stronger wines.

Since around October of last year, for some strange reason, I began to notice wines that were leaner, but more focussed. Wines with a really racy acidity to it, with good structure but also delicate enough to go with light foods. The bottle that did it? A 2005 Flat Rock Cellars pinot noir. It had beautiful complexity, underlined with this tight acidity that was really razor sharp. The intensity and the precision just captivated me.

To me, a wine`s structure is very, very important. My friends hear me talking about that all the time. I don`t care much for upfront fruit flavours. Ripeness is nice, but ripeness without backbone is like a building without a sturdy foundation. At present, it doesn`t provide any fascinating secondary and tertiary elements to the wine, and sooner or later, it will collapse.

So this is the wine that I`m starting to learn to appreciate more and more. I want a wine that is focussed. Wines which tells stories, and maybe makes you work a bit to uncover all the elements. Something that is harsher, with an edge. Wines that cut into your palate, that don`t float around. Wines that are meant for the table, instead of these `sipping`wines that I suppose are more fashionable. And definitely, wines that are true to where they are from, that showcase gusto della terra.

A pair of outstanding Riojas

Had dinner last night at Rocky and Pris' place. The previous night, I opened a 2001 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva DOC, that was so amazing I had to save some for them. Had to let Rocky have a taste.

As you know, Rioja was my introduction to Spanish wine. And what a great introduction. I don't think I've ever been disappointed by a Rioja Reserva. Definitely by some of the Crianza, but I can't recall having even a mediocre Reserva. So I definitely had high expections for the Beronia.

It had a beautiful, rich brick red colour, nicely saturated. Just released at LCBO. Wonderful nose - really wonderful. Nice ripe, red fruits, cigar, some coffee, and this wonderful pungent earthiness to it. Great use of oak as well, what's interesting is that this wine was aged for 18 months in a combination of American and French barriques. The aromas translate almost directly in the mouth, with really lush, ripe fruit, and a great stream of well integrated acidity. Tannins are very, very ripe. Over two days, one constant was the ripeness. The fruit, the structure was so well built, and so ripe, almost perfectly ripe. None of that jammy, candied nonsense. Truly, one of the greatest Riojas I've ever drank.

Second bottle was also a 2001, a Bodegas Ondarre Rioja Reserva DOC. This one featured a much light colour, and a more candied nose. Needed a bit more time to open it, this one had a really tight core, which I actually discovered that I really enjoyed. The Ondarre shows much more focussed acidity and was bone dry, just absolute puckered up mouth dryness. Which was fantastic by the way. Just the precision of the wine, the way it "cuts" instead of "floats" on the palate was amazing. What it lacked in complexity, it made up in structure and harmony and focus. Another great effort.

Thankfully, I have picked up a bottle from nearly every single release of Rioja Reservas. I really love this region. The expression of the earth, the solidness, and the masculinity of these wines is just everything I want from a red wine.

I think it's time for a change. I'm going to start moving away from French wines and start exploring Italian. Barbera D'Alba and Barbera D'Asti, along with some Brunello di Montalcino seem like some great wines to start off with. I have some limited experience was wines from Sicilia and Sardegna, so I'm very eager to jump right into Italia!

A little recollecting

Had a wine today that really brought me back to a great term, my 2A term in Waterloo with my roommates Rocky and Ming. We had some great times, and drank some great wine and the bottle I opened today reminded me of that.

I opened a 2001 Bodegas Beronia DOC Rioja Reserva. Beautiful wine, lots of complexity and a really honest earthiness to it. Lovely. We discovered Rioja that term. It was our introduction to Spanish wine, and really, an introduction to full-bodied, masculine wines. The kinds of wine with a punch, that'll make your toes curl a little bit. When I drink these wines, I'm transported to the countryside. It's like I'm back in France, soaking in the sun, looking at the sun-drenched hills, taking in the sights and smells. Truly, a wine that holds a very special place in my heart.

My memories of the time I spent in Nice came back to me today. I was talking about food with my roommates, about duck in particular, and I remembered La Resto. Let me tell you about this very, very magical restaurant.

La Resto is a restaurant in Vieux Nice. It`s near the square, quite a busy place in fact. A small, family-owned establishment. I went there for dinner 3 times, because quite simply, I fell in love with their food and their genuine warmth for their customers. The first night, I had a glass of their vin rouge, a salade nicoise, and entrecote. The salad was good, but just not my kind of food. The entrecote was spectacular - really juicy piece of steak served with fries. Perfectly simple food, nicely cooked. This was the kind food that I was looking for when I was in France. The owner, and especially his son, was so nice that I had to go a second time.

The second dinner I had there, I had a vegetable soup, which was quite good. Nice texture, really fresh. For the entree, I had magrets de canard. Duck breast, pan seared, rare, with a side of fries. So delicious, I will never forget this dish. With a lovely sauce au champignon, really, really wonderful. And the girl that served me, as my roommates know, is my love. She was dressed all in black, and I remember quite clearly that she had a thick, black Chanel bracelet on, with the logo in white. She was a classic French beauty - brunette, and legs that went on forever. Really sweet too. She had this adorable way of saying, Et voila! when she served the food. I talked quite a bit with the owner`s son, David, that night. He spoke some English, and was really friendly. I promised him that I`d return before I left town.

I never break a promise, so the last night I was in Nice, I went back to La Resto. David remembered me, and he quickly ushered me to my table. That night, I just wanted something light, because I had a 7am flight the next morning. I hada Perrier and the magrets de canard again. I was the only person in the restaurant at the time, and we talked a bit. The girl was there. Margot. My love. She was dressed all in camel today, a sweater dress, I don`t really know the exact way to describe it. It was a long sweater, that ends in a skirt at the bottom. She was also wearing matching colour cowboy boots, with sparkles. With the outfit, and the hair, and the glowing tanned complexion, it was just too much. I love France! And I really love La Resto. When I go back, this will be my first stop. Definitely. That`s what I promised David on the way out, and I intend to keep my word. Oh and after dinner, he poured me a digestif, this sweet lemony liquer. I don`t know what it`s called, but it was a very nice touch.

So, in conclusion. I`m very thankful for these experiences. Because wine and food aren`t meant to be taken apart and analyzed like some sort of science. It`s meant to be shared, and it brings people together. That`s when you create memories that really last a lifetime.

Cult and hype

Lately, everything here has been negative. I admit it, and I am sorry for it. It's not the purpose of this thing when I started, and I really can't understand how it all started. I suppose it's a reflection of my current mood; just havn't been able to find the energy or the optimism that I usually have. So I certainly don't need anyone else contributing to this, this aura of negativity. I really fucking don't. The weather definitely isn't helping either - I have a serious case of the winter blues. You know why my sinus infection and cold won't go away? This is why!

Moving on to some things that I find partly amusing and also partly highly frustrating. The phenomenon of cult wines and market hype.


Let's start with a relatively new, high profile, Niagara winery, called Le Clos Jordanne. It's a partnership between Vincor, of Canada, and Boisset, of Bourgogne, France. Two giant consolidators of the global wine market. I've tried to visit this winery, but as I was told by the gentleman at Malivoire, they havn't even built a facility to accomodate guests yet. They produce several wines, most notably a pinot noir that's been receiving fantastic reviews from everyone. I've been trying to get my hands on a bottle for 10 months now at least, to no avail. LCBO has released bottles several times over the last year, but getting one is almost like trying to win the lottery. It's just impossible.


How many vintages has Le Clos Jordanne produced? Not that many. Certainly, only enough to be able to count on one hand. Currently, the entry level bottle is the Village Reserve, at $25 per bottle. Certainly a reasonable price, but how are you going to buy it? Not at the winery, because you can't visit it. And apparently not at the LCBO, because it disappears within an hour of release. And the press is just building it up, as one of Canada's first 'cult' wines. What the fuck does that even mean? Are we trying to be Californian here? There's no such thing as a cult wine. There is good wine and there is bad wine. If Le Clos Jordanne does indeed produce the finest pinot noir west of Burgundy, then let the consumer decide. Don't hype it up into something it's not. But then again, I'll still be searching for a bottle. Unbelievable that even little Waterloo, the town of whisky and beer drinkers get caught up in this hype. The King St. LCBO Vintages store was out of stock instantly as well.

Next thing I want to talk about is a post from Eric Asimov's blog, The Pour. Asimov writes for the New York Times, and I enjoy his writing very much.

It's what he wrote on February 29 that really bothers me. He wrote about his meeting with an executive from the famed Krug, one of the most luxurious Champagne brands in LVMH's portfolio. They were releasing a brand new, top of the line cuvee, called Clos d'Ambonnay. This is a single vineyard, blanc de noirs, made from 100% pinot noir and very, very special indeed. I believe it. What made my mind explode was that the suggested retail price was $3000-$3500. Per bottle. Not per lot, not per case, but per bottle. Now, I'm a firm believer that you should splurge on expensive things once in a while. But $3000+ for a single bottle of wine sounds not only excessive, but absolutely criminal. Unless this contains an elixir that cures all your illnesses and keeps you young forever, there is no way that a producer can justify selling wine at this price. And have no doubt, the price will only increase once it hits the market, due to speculators and limited supply.

What is really unsettling is that Asimov seems to say that yes, they are justified in setting this price. He says that it's Worth every penny, if money is no object. Are you kidding me? Really, are you kidding me? I read an article today, talking about Bordeaux producers getting fed up with the futures system. They say that prices are artificially being driven up. A recent vintage of Ch. Mouton Rothschild costs between 400 to 500 Euros wholesale, and once it reaches retail, prices can climb well past 1000 Euros. But as some people argue, it only costs 10 to 12 Euros per bottle to produce. You calculate the markup.

My biggest fear out of all of this is that wine is going to become accessible only to the super rich and well connected, as Asimov clearly is. How can any regular consumer afford these kinds of prices? I can't. Can you? And does the wine industry really want some fucking rich douchebag, who doesn't know shit about wine to be chugging their prized products down? Instead of honest consumers who really care and are passionate about wine? Unfortunately, the hunger for profits most often wins, a slap in the face to us all.

Talking to a brick wall

You ever talk to someone, and you're all excited about what you're saying, and the other person goes on to say something that just kills it? Just totally makes you want to stand up and leave the room? I have that with my father, as I'm realizing more and more.

This weekend, I was eager to go back home. I was sick, with a bad cold, and I wanted a few days to relax and get some home cooking. I was also looking forward to opening a bottle of 2002 Ch. Cesseras, AC Minervois la Liviniere. It's an estate that I've been following for some time. The wine is predominantly merlot, with this combination of grace and power that I've really fallen in love with. It's one of the first producers that I've followed seriously.

Anyways, at the dinner table, we were talking about how wine develops structure, and we were comparing impressions of the wine. I was talking to my father about how the acidity and balance of the wine really stood out, when he remarked that, "What do you think this wine is doing for that cough of yours?" It doesn't seem like much, but it's fast becoming his trademark. To ruin whatever good family moment we're having. To be this self-righteous, preachy, unbelievably negative presence. You know, at this point, I expected for some kind of mutual respect, but if he keeps treating me like a 5 year old, then he can forget about us having any kind of meaningful conversation. If he can't respect my love for my hobby, if he can't stop behaving like an incessant nag, then that's it, I'm not making any more effort. Some people just don't get it. And it's a shame, but then at least my mother understands me. There's a line between parenting and being an annoyance. I'm really, really fed up with it, and I'm done. I've tried hard enough, the man is too thick, and I'm exhausted.

So that's it, c'est fini - I'm still coughing, but nothing will ever stop me from indulging in my wine. Nothing.

What is a grape supposed to be?

Do you take first impressions seriously? I do. Very much so. When I meet someone for the first time, how they act and talk to me tells me a lot of what kind of person they are. I take things very personally. I suppose it's the result of a childhood where you're reminded of your minority status every single day. So I don't forget things very easily.

Anyways, enough of that. Enough. On to wine. I only recently learned that we were talking to Mr. Jeff Aubry, President of Coyote's Run Estate Winery. I was asking him about their Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir. I was remarking how soft the wine was. It's what Mr. Aubry said to me after that really.......turned me off to their wine. He said, "That's what pinot noir is supposed to be. It's supposed to be more fruit forward and supple. Pinot noir isn't supposed to have a lot of structure." I apologize if those aren't the exact words, but the general idea is correct. Mr. Aubry believes that their wines are what pinot noir is supposed to be. That's where I disagree strongly, and I really emphasize that.

Wine isn't supposed to be anything. You can't say for certain what a certain varietal is supposed to be. With the proper equipment and technique, the winemaker can make the grape varietal taste like whatever they want it to be. You can make pinot noir into a montrous 16% alcohol fruit bomb, or make it delicate and structured. Certainly, pinot noir has common characteristics, whether you grow it in Cote de Beaune or in Niagara, or in Russian River Valley. But to say that pinot noir should be a certain style is misguided and naive, at best.

What I can't stand is the lack of honesty behind that statement. Why can't you just say that this is the philosophy of winemaking that Coyote's Run believes in? I respect that very much, when everyone in an organization believes in the same ideal, from the top down. Don't try to put a marketing spin on it, and say that this should be the standard for pinot noir. Wine isn't supposed to be anything but a conjunction between what nature provides and what man's hand creates. In the worst of cases, that balance is tipped more to the heavy hand of the winemaker, but that's for another post.

This is my point of view, and I stand firmly behind it. From what I remember, Coyote's Run makes an agreeable wine, particularly their unoaked Chardonnay. I just hate the spin on things. Maybe that's not what Aubry meant. But if it is, then I take issue with that statement.

So, Mr. Aubrey: if you're still reading this, I challenge you to correct me. And by the way, do you really not remember us coming in? I mean, 6 Chinese people coming into Niagara wine country in the middle of winter doesn't raise eyebrows?

It's time

Lately, I've been feeling very antsy about the wine that I'm storing away. Both at home, and the ones at my friend's place. What if they all go bad? What if they're over the hill already? I'd have wasted my money for nothing. That's why I feel like just taking out some of the older ones to have a taste. After all, what's the point of buying wine if you're not going to experience it?

First on my list - I have a couple of older bottles of St-Joseph lying around. And a few bottles of 2003 Bordeaux. After all the talk about how the 2003 Bordeaux vintage is so hot and fruit-forward, then I want to try it now, in all its fruit-bomb glory. Better than to risk opening it 10 years down the road and discovering that it's collapsed due to a complete lack of backbone and structure.

So I guess that's the point I'm making. Wine is supposed to be enjoyed with friends and family. Be generous and don't be afraid to pull a few bottles out when you feel like it's time. Forget all the maturity predictions you read about. That's all they are - predictions. Wine is perfectly mature when YOU want to drink it. After all, wine is at its best when it's drunk in the moment.

My worst nightmare

My goodness. Since I've come back from that Niagara trip, just having been feeling very well. It wasn't the cause of it, but I now have a really bad cold. Stuffed up, coughing, low energy - all the symptoms. The worst case scenario, because I'm really looking forward to trying some big, hearty wines. Guess that'll have to wait because I can't smell or taste a thing. Heading back to Waterloo after an early dinner tonight. Back to all the madness.

Since I won't be having any wine for the next few days, I guess we'll discuss some other things. Like that Michel Chapoutier interview I listened to. Or the 2003 Bordeaux that I bought. I also want to talk about my palate, because I'm noticing a fascinating evolution and development. Anyways, I'll post later tonight. You know what'll really clear my sinuses? A big glass of gin tonic. A BIG one.

Some thoughts on Niagara region

Yesterday, I posted about the specific wineries we visited. Let me just say some things about Niagara as a whole.

Every time I go down to Niagara, I always leave impressed with the quality I see. There are noticeable improvements year to year, and I'm really excited to be able to experience a new wine region come into its own. I'd like to focus on the Beamsville Bench and Twenty Mile Bench appellations next time, around the towns of Jordan and Lincoln. They produce really classic northern climate wines, full of lively acidity, minerality, and most importantly, they make wines with elegance and style. I still can't get my mind off how great Malivoire's chardonnays are.

Again, I'm holding firm to my belief that this area is made for Burgundian varietals, the chardonnays and the pinot noirs. You need to grow grapes that ripen early, because we have such a short growing season here and the margin for error is so little. A lot of places we visited produce everything - it's like they want to grow every single varietal in existence. That's ridiculous. There has to be certain grapes that are more suitable for the terroir here, and instead of making 15 kinds of mediocre wines, producers would benefit from focusing on making 5 great wines. Simple philosophy, but some people obviously are more concerned with making money than staying true to the spirit of winemaking.

The area is still in an experimental stage. But it has an advantage. Unlike the Californian wine scene of the 1970's, all the techniques and processes and equipment winemakers need are available. The only thing Canadian winemakers need to focus on doing is working with the terroir, recognizing differences in soil, microclimates, things like that. They need to go back to the basics, and really understand the land. Some folks, which I don't need to name, focus more on how to attract Japanese tourists to their properties.

A good buddy mentioned something to me last night, that really made me take note. He said, "It's all about the wine, not the person behind the counter". It was in reference to the man working at Coyote's Run. I think Rocky was absolutely right. I let my personal feelings get in the way of really getting a good feel for the wine. Coyote's Run couldn't have received its reputation if they didn't produce something worth noting. I will definitely return to the winery again, and this time focus only on the wine.

An interesting thing, which I forgot to mention was that when we were at Creekside, the lady mentioned that their winemaker also produces the Mike Weir and Wayne Gretzky wines. I didn't say anything, but I immediately had this negative perception not only of those wines but also of Creekside's as well. I can appreciate that these 2 celebrities donate the proceeds to charity and they're doing a good thing to promote Niagara, but from a purely wine making point of view, it is an insult to Niagara wine.

Let me explain.

Weir's tournaments take him all over the world. Gretzky coaches in Phoenix. Do you see the problem? How many days a year do you think they spend in Niagara, tending to their wines? You think Weir's going to skip a tournament to take part in the harvest? You think Gretzky can skip a few games to decide when to bottle? That's the problem with these celebrities just slapping their names on anything to make money. Same goes for celebrity perfumes and clothing lines. If you're not serious about committing to something, if you're not willing to spend the time to do something the right way, don't do it at all. It's disrespect to the honest winemakers that are working hard to make a name for themselves. It's absolutely ridiculous!

Let's be very clear: this area holds a lot of promise. If you havn't been up to Niagara wine country, make the trip. It's a short drive, talk to some of the people at the wineries, it'll be interesting even if you aren't really into wine. Experience the area, learn something new, and in 20 years when this region really takes off internationally, you can say that you were there right from the beginning.

Feb. 2007 Niagara wine country tour

February 20, 2008, about four and a half months from my last trip down to Niagara. Interesting to see the area in winter, when last time we went, it was still a fairly mild autumn.

I went down this time again with my dear friends, in a group of 6. The purpose for this trip was firstly to enjoy the day with friends and secondly, I wanted to focus on the small, artisanal producers of Niagara.

My original list was for 6 wineries, 2 of which I was quite familiar with. I wanted to focus on the Burgundian varietals chardonnay and pinot noir. Overall, it was a smooth day, we tasted upwards of 80 different wines and everyone arrived home safely. I'll go through the 9 wineries we ended up visiting, and my thoughts on each producer. I don't want this post to be too long.

1. Malivoire Wine Company

Our first stop of the day. They were featured in an LCBO release. The gentlemen inside was friendly, knowledgable and most importantly, honest. He was honest about the harvest, honest about their wine-making philosophy, and honest about recognizing other producers as well. Just a joy to talk to. I started with both their chardonnays, their main line and their more exclusive Moira line. I also tried their pinot noirs. Having gone through a wide spectrum of both red and white wines, I was very, very impressed. You really get a consistent level of aroma, flavour, and quality through their entire line, something that not many wineries can achieve. And the acidity! My goodness, what gusto!! I've never had a better chardonnay, period. PERIOD. Both their single vineyard and lower end bottle is fantastic, just this beautiful blend of fruit and minerality, with this flavour that is intense, focussed and clean. Wonderful. Unfortunately, the price is set quite high. The Moira line, which I was interested in, goes for $36 and up. Can they justify setting the price so high? It's hard to say. I think it's about economics - small vineyard, small yields, you have to at least break even. So yes, I believe that they are over-pricing the wines, but my goodness, what marvelous wines!

2. Flat Rock Cellars

This is one of my favourite producers of pinot noir. I've written about this before, look it up here. This time though, I wanted to try a wider variety of their wine. I tasted their riesling as well as their new Gravity Pinot Noir. The rieslings were good - really noticeable petrol on the nose, but very lively with their trademark acidity. Lovely, just a really classic, well-structured riesling. Their Gravity - I wasn't very impressed. Maybe it was due to storage, since it could have been opened for days. What was most interesting was the pinot noir clone sample she poured me. It was never released for sale, just sort of an experiment by the growers. And it was very interesting, quite unlike the pinot noir they have on the market. I left with 2 bottles of riesling.

3. Creekside Estate Winery

This was not one that we had planned to go to. It was new to me, so I tried almost their entire line. I felt that their blends, both red and white were...ok. They had nice complexity but in a much softer and approachable style. For the beginning wine-drinker. What was more interesting was that the lady there matched us glass for glass. Can't imagine how many bottles the staff there goes through annually!

4. Hernder Estate Wines

This was also a spur of the moment decision. It looked grand on the outside, all wood structures on a very large property. Once we went inside, we realized that they do about 200 weddings a year, as well as make vinegar, jam, fruit liquers, etc....just about everything. The old lady was very nice, so I don't relish saying this; honestly, as honest as I can be, their wine was fucking shit. It was the worst and saddest excuse for wine I've ever tasted. No lie. I mean - I feel embarrased for whoever makes this stuff, because it really is undrinkable. The chardonnay we had is seared into my memory and palate. Incredible amounts of grassiness and vegetal qualities of the worst kind, obscenely underripe and overoaked. Really, quite literally, I'd rather drink original Listerine than this. My goodness. All the weddings they receive must be going to their heads.

5. Henry of Pelham

This estate was a lot of fun. Its a very big producer so naturally, I've never been very much of a fan. But the lady at the bar was so much fun to talk to. She really was. And she refused to charge us for the tasting and even gave us some chocolates for the road. I tasted their entire line of white wines, from their chardonnays to riesling to sauvignon blanc. And I tasted their pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and also their sparkling wine. The sparkling brut was interesting - blend of pinot noir, chardonnay, and petit meunier - the classic Champagne blend, in a golden style, a white wine. It was delicate, a lot of pretty aromas but lacking the more austere quality in a true champagne. It's a shame, I would have bought a bottle. The wines in general were serviceable and non-offensive. Meaning I don't mind drinking them for dinner at all, but nothing that blows my mind. Well, their pinot noir was good. Soft and supple, nice fruit. Overall, I had a good impression of their wines, which goes to show that not all big producers are bad. Of course, the lady there definitely had something to do with changing my perception!

6. Chateau des Charmes

This place again. You know how I feel about this place. But Ming had never been here before, so we just popped in quickly. They had the top of the line blend, the Equuleus, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot. A classic Bordeaux blend. I thought it was interesting, nice fruit and firm structure, but not as concentrated as I'd expect it to be. They also produce a sparkling wine. Overall, my impression has not changed. They make drinkable wines, but nothing to go crazy over.

7. Coyote's Run Estate Winery

I was excited to go here, as I'd heard a lot about this place. But it was arguably the worst experience of the day. The man working there was the cockiest, most stuck up jackass I've ever met. He wouldn't even look me in the eye when I was talking to him. Give me a break. Really, give me a fucking break. Anyways, what was interesting about this winery was that for their chardonnays, the winemaker uses Hungarian oak barrels, instead of the more typical French or American. It's the first place I know that openly admits to using them. Their wines in general, the chardonnay and pinot noir - again, a more fruit-forward, juicy wine. I just don't get a sense of style, besides the noticeable spiciness of the Hungarian oak. Maybe because he was sucking all the fun out of the room.

8. Lailey Vineyard

This is another producer that I'm familiar with, whose pinot noir I used to believe was Niagara's best. This time - maybe its the storage again, or the icy cold woman behind the counter. But it lacks the focus, the intensity of Flat Rock's pinot noir. It's still a good wine, but maybe my taste has changed since last July. It's still wonderful. What was disappointing was that she wouldn't open a bottle of cabernet franc for me to taste. What the hell. I didn't know what I needed to do to get her to let me taste it. So I didn't buy anything.

9. Peller Estates

Again, another big winery, a huge property, with a restaurant, offices and ballroom. Our last stop of the day. It looked really nice instead - beautiful tasting room, lots of wine accessories on sale. So I was a bit leery about their wine. Turns out I was right about this one. I don't understand their use of oak, a theme that runs across their entire line. Much too manipulated, just too much oak. So much that for some wines, you have to dig really deep to find the fruit, and at times, you just can't. But the top of the line, the Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon fared better. Nice nose of red fruits, nicely concentrated with still a tight core. But, hints of smokiness and tar are coming out. This 2002 still needs some age. Their sparkling wine has a good story - they use their vidal icewine as a dosage, after they disgorge the yeast. The nose is all icewine. It lacks complexity and I think it's too much - this is a demi-sec. I don't agree with the philosophy of this producer. To me, they seem like they organize their lines according to wine-making method, instead of vineyard selection. I disagree firmly with that. The winemaker doesn't make the wine, the vineyards do. A lot of the differentiation of their wines comes with whether they ferment in stainless steel or oak barrels, how long they age in oak, and whether they bottle age in their cellars before they release they wines.

In Conclusion:

I thoroughly enjoyed the day. We had a lot of wine, learned some new things about the area, and have a clearer picture of the differences in terroir. And there is a clear difference between the Beamsville area and the area around the Niagara River. This is getting too long, but I will post some pictures up, as soon as Rocky sends them my way. Next post, I still have some things to say about Niagara as a whole.

1999 Pol Roger Brut Rose Champagne

Just came back from Fairview's LCBO. Thankfully, the people who live in that area are.........let's just say non-wine drinkers. That's why theres still 9 bottles of this vinage champagne left, when BV ran out long ago.

I've always, for some reason, had this affinity for Pol Roger. I've tasted a bottle of their non-vintage cuvee and I have a bottle of their 1996 blancs de blancs vintage. Apparently, 1996 was a great vintage for champagne houses, so I'm saving that for something special. Maybe for when I finally build the cellar of my dreams.

Rose champagnes have always fascinated me. Maybe it's that aspect of blending white and black grapes. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I really, really love champagne. I don't think people have the right mindset when they approach champagne. Hell, most people still call every sparkling wine they see a 'champagne'. Everything NOT made in the Champagne region of France is NOT CALLED CHAMPAGNE!!!!!

Also, apologies for the terrible quality of these photos. I'm taking them using my cell phone, and I can never get the lighting or the focus to work properly. My apologies.

Finally, I bought this bottle using the gift certificates that my wonderful roommates bought for me for Christmas. Thanks very much!

Depressing...

I'm preparing for our trip to Niagara tomorrow, and I'm checking my bank account to see how much wine I can afford to buy. Turns out after the 2005 Bordeaux Futures payments, and then the Glenfarclas Collection payment, and then the Pol Roger, I'll have exactly $28 left to spend on wine. Nice.

Today, I'm heading out to Fairview Mall's LCBO to pick up a bottle of 1998 Pol Roger Brut Rose Champagne. I really love Pol Roger and I'd kill myself if they all sold out. $88.20.

My bottle of Glenfarclas scotch should be arriving sometime at the end of the month, or early March. It's a bottle of 1986 vintage scotch, just bottled last year, very rare and very special. $390.

My 2005 Bordeaux Futures are arriving in mid to late April. I have 24 bottles coming in, from 6 estates. They are:

Ch. La Lagune
Ch. L'Arrosee
Ch. Coutet
Ch. Rauzan Gassies
Ch. Carbonnieux
Ch. Haut Bergey

Total cost: too depressing to mention.

Between the LCBO and UW tuition, I'm totally wiped out. I mean really, just emptied. My tax return can't arrive soon enough.

A natural disposition

Quickly, before my friends arrive for dinner.

Why do I always end up swearing here? I don't do it on purpose, to be edgy or anything. I don't think I swear a lot in real life.

It occured to me last night how quickly I get fired up whenever I start talking about wine. I suppose it's like that for anything you're truly passionate about. That word gets thrown around a lot, and it's lost a lot of its meaning. Anyways, I was talking to Mr. Zhang about wine and I was waving and gesticulating so much that I almost smacked the person sitting next to me in the face. I get lost when I start talking about this stuff. Really, I'm in my own world.

I've discovered that anything can get me going. Somehow everything to me relates to wine. Weather. Soil. Economics. Financial markets. France. English. Tropicana. Anything can get me going. Normally I'm pretty laid back, low key, but wine just makes me this intense beast, pouncing on anyone or anything that doesn't agree with my views. Yes, I don't compromise, and I truly believe that I'm always right.

So, back to my question. I think I swear because I feel so strongly about certain things. Like grape growing. And wine-making. And marketing. I don't think I'm quick to judge wines, but when I've made up my mind, it either is mind-blowingly great, or the worst shit ever created. There is no middle ground. Well, actually there is, but where's the fun in that?

Having said that, please don't take offense, I only curse because I'm filled with love and tenderness, as my roommates can testify to.

A weekend of wine

Reading week is underway and for some reason, I have yet to leave the house. A lot of crazy things are happening, and strangely, they all have to do with bad backs. First, my mother sprained her back. Then my father sprained his neck and back. It all coincided with me picking up my uncle, a family friend, from the airport, who was suffering from severe back pain. Unbelievable.

Anyways, I had a lot of wine this weekend, both good and bad. On Friday, I headed to LCBO to pick up some wines. My cellar is full of wines that I want to keep for a while, so I wanted to search out some $15 wines to try out. I wanted an Argentinian, but for some reason, I came back with 2 Spanish Riojas, a Chilean red blend, and a Loire Valley red. I was particularly excited about the Loire, because it was a new release and quite nicely priced too. And then I opened it.

The nose was overwhelmingly sweaty and hot, not unlike a terrible Eric Louis I had last week, also from the Loire Valley. It was also incredibly oaky - way too much oak. The same followed on the palate, this unripe, overly woody shit. I mean, this wine is really shit. There isn't anything else to say about it. I was thoroughly disappointed and embarrassed for the producer, Dom. Laurent Mabileau, AC St-Nicolas-De-Bourgueil. These people should be ashamed of themselves for producing this stuff. I mean, I would rather pour this stuff down the drain and take a loss, rather then put it on the market with my name on it. Fucking unbelievable.

Saturday was better. Much better. My mother cooked up a classic Shanghainese meal, of mostly fish. We had fish soup, steamed fish, and a pork, slowly simmered for 5 hours. For wine, I opened a bottle of Chinese rice spirits, possibly the only Chinese drink that I really, really love. Unfortunately, I can't type Chinese characters on this computer, so I've included a picture. I know at least one of my buddies knows this wine. It was beautiful. Full and rich, hint of spiciness with this really great sweet quality to it, and a long, long finish. I now firmly believe that there is no better complement to Chinese food than this wine. I don't care what you say about which varietals pair well with Asian flavours, NOTHING beats having Chinese spirits with Chinese food. Period.

Since the hosts were sick last week, we had our Chinese New Year's dinner with our family friends on Sunday. In the afternoon, I had to go pick up my uncle from the airport, so I was the last to arrive. The first wine I was given was a Cotes du Rhone. I don't remember the producer. Nice fruit, quite typical of the region, nothing surprising. I tried to be gracious and remembered that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for wine. The host is a wine drinker, but a very casual one. The kind that's easily influenced by what the LCBO markets. The next bottle was one from the LCBO's '90+' release. It was a Cyan, a Spanish red wine. Again, nice fruit, really ripe tannins, enough force to catch your attention. This was a good wine, again nothing to blow your mind with, but well made and well priced. The third wine was a horrible choice. Horrible. And I don't say that in a mean way because Mr. Zhang is a genuinely nice person, and an extremely generous host. But he picked up a German pinot noir. Now, I saw the bottle and I was intrigued. I knew that the Germans produced small quantities of red wine, but a pinot noir? I have to say that going in, I was biased already. Come on, you see how much I fawn over Niagara pinot noirs, so the bar was set pretty high, for any pinot noir not coming out of Burgundy. I smelled it and I said, no way in hell am I drinking this. It was that revolting. This oaky, candy-like smell to it. Just not right.

Anyways, during dinner, Mr. Zhang and myself had a long conversation about wine-making. He makes his own wine using those kits that you can buy. I've tasted it, and I only said that it was ok because I didn't want to seem like an arrogant asshole. But I think that these home wine-making kits are a waste of time and money. Thats all I have to say about that.

I'm really excited about what's coming up. I want to plan a trip up to Niagara again, visit some new properties. And I'm planning to buy a bottle of 1998 Pol Roger Brut Rose, using the gift certificates that my sis and bebe bought me. Last time I checked, the Fairview Mall LCBO had 8 bottles left, so that's the first thing I'm going to do tomorrow.