Winnipeg Free Press

Things tend to slow down a bit over the summer, as many of the “movers and shakers” on the Winnipeg wine scene go on vacation, or are busy with festivals, concerts, and so forth. My wife and daughter are in Prince Edward Island on holidays (my holiday time has been spoken for by various wine trips this year), so I’ve been living a relatively solitary life of a bachelor over the past week. In other words, I’m bored outta my tree.

I’ve been compiling my wine blog roll call over the past couple of weeks, including a couple of great local wine bloggers - watch for the list in the days to come. I’m also working on a longer piece for next Saturday’s dead-tree edition on great places to enjoy a glass of wine - wine bars, lounges, restaurants, hotels, etc. Where is your favourite place to go for a glass of wine?

I’ve also been keeping my eye open for the local release of Bottle Shock, a film that recalls the events leading up to The Judgement of Paris, a 1976 blind tasting between French and American wineries. Reviews have been decidedly mixed, with most critics hailing Alan Rickman’s performance as Steven Spurrier and deeming the rest of the film less than stellar. As the wine critic (and former Film Studies minor), I’m interested in seeing it, and wonder if the success of Sideways (and, to a lesser extent, Mondovino) will result in more wine-related movies. So far I haven’t seen any listings for it…

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: Looks like it opens today at Grant Park… I’ll try and get to it in the next few days.

I don’t know if it’s even worth saying, but: Go Bombers?

Finally! For your reading pleasure, I reflect on Neil Rosenthal’s Reflections of a Wine Merchant. I was originally going to make it a column unto itself, but changed my mind…

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Many of the wine books I’ve read have been either dense and technical or overly poetic. The former tend to detail soil specifics, ideal elevation, preferred drainage, and other minutiae that might be of interest to a geology or agriculture student (or a wine geek). The other type of wine book is more accessible, but is often loaded with pretty pictures instead of telling an engaging story with a human interest component.

Don’t get me wrong – if you want to learn about wine, both will round out your knowledge base. The beauty of a book like Neal Rosenthal’s Reflections of a Wine Merchant (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) is that it provides information, but wraps it in an engaging story of the author’s love of French and Italian wine.

Rosenthal, a long-time importer based in New York, first came to my attention via the 2004 wine documentary Mondovino; he was one of many that mused about the potential for the globalization of wine to have devastating effects on the mom-and-pop winemaker, especially in Old World (read: European) countries.

While that film was uneven at best, Rosenthal’s prose in written form is consistently engaging; his heartfelt admiration of the French and Italian producers with which he has worked over the last three decades doesn’t talk up or down to the reader. Like his bias for French and Italian wine, his writing style is straightforward, and when he does occasionally wax poetic about a winemaker or a wine, it comes across as sincere.

I shouldn’t care about this American importer. After all, his wines don’t typically get to our shelves, and if they did, they would be pricey. Rosenthal’s palate is quite conservative (and acknowledged by the author), his preference for small-lot French and Italian wines made by family-run organizations. He hints his client base is small and knowledgeable - to call them affluent certainly wouldn’t be a stretch. After all, who else can afford to indulge on rare, expensive wine?

So… why do I care? More importantly, why should you care? Well, Rosenthal’s honesty and passion for wine come shining through; it’s also written well enough that you don’t have to enjoy the same wines as Rosenthal (or even enjoy wine at all) to appreciate his enthusiasm and passion for his wine and the dear friends has has made over the last three decades.

As of today, a few of Manitoba’s liquor laws will change, although many won’t directly affect consumers. You can read about it here, or read the amendments themselves here.

Indeed, Manitobans may not be directly affected by many of the regulation changes, and some of the changes are more technical/administrative. There are some new security measures, higher fines for breaking the law, and so forth.

There are a few specifics I’m interested in, especially amendment 39(2.2), which states that “A family member of a deceased person or the executor of a deceased person’s estate may obtain a special permit that authorizes the holder to sell or auction liquor owned by the deceased person.”

Another amendment that will directly impact Manitoba imbibers is that the maximum amount of alcohol one person can buy at a time has been changed to 750ml of beer, 500ml of wine, or 85.2ml of spirits or fortified wine (port, sherry, etc.). Essentially, this means one individual can now buy two drinks at once.

The impact this might have on pubs could be interesting - Manitobans have long been buying scaled-down pints of beer (about 500ml, or 16 ounces), and could now be offered an Imperial pint (586ml, or 20 fluid ounces). In fact, the Lo Pub (330 Kennedy Street, in the Hosteling International building) is celebrating the change in legislation with an “Imperial Dance March” tonight (if you’re on Facebook, check out the details here (warning: some commentors have used profanity on the “wall” of this page).

Overall, I think the changes that have been made to the Liquor Control Act are positive. I’m going to spend the weekend looking over the fine details, perhaps over a big pint - nothing goes better with a long weekend and some legalese than a fine lager. I’ll report back if anything else of interest pops up. If you go out over the weekend and find things are a bit different because of these amendments, I’d love to hear about it.

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Long weekend alert! Manitoba’s Liquor Marts will be closed on Monday, August 4 for the long weekend. One exception: the Gimli Liquor Mart will be open from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM to serve those pesky Icelanders celebrating Islendingadagurinn (I DARE you to try Brennivin. It won’t put hair on your chest, but it might peel it right off). Winnipeggers can still pick up brewskis at beer vendors, or some vino at private wine stores, as most will be open on Monday (although possibly operating on a holiday schedule). Call in advance if you’re not sure.

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Coming soon: my book review, a wine blog roll call, and more. Go Bombers!

Remember when I mentioned I had tried a truly legendary wine? I wasn’t messing around.

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to taste through a collection of Penfolds wines - many are availble on the market in Manitoba, and a couple were wines produced in limited quality and highly allocated.

One such wine is the Penfolds Grange. It’s the flagship luxury wine from this extremely consistent Aussie producer, and is next to impossible to find in the local market. For this tasting, I was lucky enough to try the 1998 vintage. Scores from wine critics don’t make it or break it for me, but when influential wine writer Robert Parker gives a wine a 99 out of 100, I pay attention. This particular bottle was added to the tasting from a private cellar. Here goes:

Penfolds 1998 Grange (Australia - $ hundreds or so, not available)
The nose on the Grange (97 per cent Shiraz, 3 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon) is subtle but complex, with aromas of leather, black cherry, cinnamon, and a hint of ash. The fruit component on the nose is bright and concentrated. It’s ultra-soft and velvety on the palate, with tannins that are still fairly pronounced but quite supple. There’s some great up-front juiciness to this wine, with beautiful cherry and plum flavours. It’s an extremely elegant wine - some wine geeks would call this a ‘feminine’ style, but I’ve never liked the feminine/masculine descriptors - and the finish is extremely long and smooth. Penfolds’ tasting notes suggest drinking between 2010 and 2040, but it didn’t seem like this bottled was opened too early. Not as big as some of the other wines we tried from more recent vintages, but a wine loaded with character and finesse. Were I to score it out of 100, I’d probably lean in the direction of about 97-98. It is the complete package.

For more thoughts on the ‘98 Grange, check out these reviews. I’ll try and think of some more legendary wines I’ve been lucky enough to try, if people are interested in hearing about ‘em. I’ll also try and compile some notes on all the 2007 Rieslings I tried in Germany.

Oh yes - I’ve almost finished writing up a review of Neil Rosenthal’s book, Reflections of a Wine Merchant. It’s been a somewhat onerous task, not unlike writing book reports in grade school. I hope I pass.

Having covered Wayne Gretzky wines in my last entry, today there’s news that Mike Weir’s wine affiliations will be changing soon.

In this Saturday’s dead-tree edition of the wine column, I tasted the Gretzky, Weir and Greg Norman wines. It appears future Weir wines will be substantially different - as in, possibly coming from the Okanagan Valley instead of the Niagara Peninsula. Weir’s current wines are made by Creekside Winery Group, but he and Creekside recently severed ties. Apparently, Weir (currently right in the thick of things at this year’s British Open) is looking to set up his own Niagara winery and/or partner with an Okanagan winery while creating a golf course in the BC winemaking region.

Anyhow, lots more to come in the next few days, including a book review and my notes from tasting one of wine’s best-known and majestic red wines. Hint: it comes from Greg Norman’s home country…

Apologies for the horrible pun in the title… my pathetic attempt at combining terroir and Weir. Again, this is why I don’t work writing headlines.

I just received the latest Sip ‘N’ Savour e-newsletter from Manitoba’s Liquor Marts, and it looks like The Great One is hitting the ‘Peg this summer in advance of his Phoenix Coyotes’ visit to the MTS Centre this fall.

Well, if you count his wine, that is. That’s right - Wayne Gretzky Estates wines (from the Niagara Peninsula) are now available in Manitoba. The red (a Meritage blend - that is to say, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot) will set you back $15.95 plus taxes, while the unoaked Chardonnay is fifty cents cheaper.

Gretzky is one of many celebs to lend their name to wine; in Canada there’s also Mike Weir and Dan Aykroyd, there’s Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Olivia Newton-John from Australia, Ernie Els from South Africa, and many from the US, including Francis Ford Coppola, Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, and even Elvis Presley.

[note: I’m way too lazy to search for links to each of these wineries - a quick Google search should get you to the websites.]

In Manitoba, Gretzky’s wines are in the same price range as Aykroyd’s (and the Elvis wines), while Norman, Weir and Faldo are slightly more (the latter is available exclusively at Kenaston Wine Market, I believe). Coppola’s wines run the gamut in price, and he’s by far the most involved in the actual winemaking process - most of the rest simply give their approval or lend their name to wines.

Obviously, Elvis has little to say about or do with his wines… OR DOES HE?  I can just see the headlines at the grocery store:
“ELVIS SPOTTED PRUNING MERLOT IN CALIFORNIA!”

I think I see a celebrity wine blind tasting column in my near future…

Are wine-powered cars the way of the future? If the future King of England has anything to say about it… maybe.

As I mentioned in my last post, Prince Charles has converted an Aston Martin to run on wine. The science behind wine fuel is detailed here. Decanter reports that the English wine community (oh yes, there is one) is up in arms over a comment made by the Prince’s personal secretary that the wine was made with surplus English wine. In fact, it’s being made using wine that is no longer fit for consumption.

At the rate gas prices are rising, maybe it won’t be long before I’m filling up my Corolla with unleaded Zinfandel…

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I’ve just about finished Neal Rosenthal’s Reflections of a Wine Merchant, a charming tale of his adventures in France and Italy as a wine importer over the past thirty years. Rosenthal is one of many interviewed featured in Mondovino, a documentary about wine and globalization that came out a few years ago. I’d definitely recommend the book - it’s an easy, engaging read that pays homage to the hard-working small producers whose wines are (or were) imported to the US by Rosenthal. A more complete review to follow.

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Santa Margherita is once again a principal supporter of the AIDS - Walk for the Cure event. From July 21 to August 17, 50 cents from every bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio purchased will be donated to the National AIDS Walk for Life (the walk itself will take place in mid-September). Last year, national sales of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio resulted in a donation of $65,000 to the cause.

Question: What will you be sipping on tomorrow?

If you’re looking to pick up some bevvies today to celebrate Canada’s birthday tomorrow, chances are you’ll stand in line. While Liquor Marts are closed tomorrow (unless you live in Gimli), don’t forget that some private wine stores and beer vendors will be open - your best bet is to call ahead.

As for me, I might pop a cork on some dry rosé or some bubbly. If I’m going to have a white wine, it might be a Portuguese Vinho Verde or an Italian Pinot Grigio - something crisp and refreshing.  If I opt for a red, it’ll be light and fruity - a Beaujolais, perhaps, or a New World Pinot Noir.

But if the mercury soars like it has been today, odds are I’ll opt for a Canuck microbrew.

**UPDATE** How could I not link to this story by the Telegraph: Prince Charles’s Aston Martin is wine powered

200 wines later, the finals tasting is done. My teeth are stained, my pants are stained (warning: never wear beige pants while tasting 15 Carmeneres), and my tongue feels like sandpaper. The results are already being tallied, and in six hours I’ll be curled up in my own bed. More to follow, including some pictures from the event, but suffice to say it’s been a great learning experience, and some great wines under $25 were tasted. I’ve got an arsenal of tasting notes for the next few months too, which will come in very handy.

I think the eleven Malbecs we tried in the last flight effectively wiped me out. Time for a beer to cleanse the palate…

Started at 9 AM with 12 Chardonnays, 14 Merlots, 14 Syrah/Shirazes, then 5 roses. Lunch was too brief, and now I’m staring down 16 Sauvignon Blancs, 20 (!) Cabernet Sauvignons, and 8 sparkling wines.

I can hear my dentist laughing already…