Lieutenant Governor Award Winners

My New Best Friend (Image via Wikipedia)Well, it has been an exciting week here at Liver Rounds head office after our review of the Joe Beef cook book was shared with their twitter followers and then the followers of Anthony Bourdain.  This caused a huge spike in traffic to the site along with a slight swelling of my ego.  I am sure nothing I write this week will draw as much attention but, I must soldier on for my legions of dedicated fans.

Have you been looking for a list of Ontario wines to try?  Of course you have, who hasn't?  Well, here is a list of the 1st Annual Lieutenant Governor Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines.

• Huff Estates Winery, PEC Cuvée Peter F. Huff Sparkling 2008
• Ziraldo Estate Winery, Riesling Icewine 2007
• Southbrook Vineyards, Triomphe Chardonnay 2009
• Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Sibling Rivalry Pink 2010
• Malivoire Wine Company, Pinot Noir 2009
• Charles Baker, Charles Baker Riesling 2009
• Mountain Road Wine Company, Mountain Road Vidal Icewine 1999
• Magnotta Winery, Enotrium Gran Riserva 2008
• Stoney Ridge Cellars, Excellence Chardonnay 2009
• Malivoire Wine Company, Courtney Gamay 2009
• Mike Weir Wine, Riesling 2008
• Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Riesling 2010

The awards ceremony will be on the 7th of December and I'm sure my invitation is held up in the mail and should arrive anytime soon.  If it doesn't get here by then I will just show up,  I can't see any problem with that.  Maybe I should just mention my close relationship with Anthony Bourdain, David McMillan and Frédéric Morin.  Yeah, that's what I'll do.  

Anyway, use this list as a resource and try and find a bottle or two and give them a try.  Most are available directly from the wineries and some might even be available in LCBO stores. I have not heard of any promotions at the LCBO, however.


If you are looking for some excellent BC wines to try, the Lieutenant Governor of BC has been at this a lot longer and you can find a list here.

Seek And You Will Find

LCBO.com has drastically expanded its search capabilities for its site.  You can now search by Product Type, Category, Sub Category and Country.  In addition, you can narrow your search by Limited Time Offers, Air Miles Offer and other value categories. You can even search by LCBO and Vintages, Vintages Only and LCBO Only.  But what I think is most exciting is the ability to use the LCBO site as a personal sommelier by searching by Food Matching or Tasting Note.

Give the new site a test drive here.

I actually remember the days when the LCBO was a liquor control board and kept all their product behind closed doors and you had to write the product and code on a piece of paper and hand it to the clerk, who then disappeared into the back to retrieve your purchase.  There was no way of knowing what stock they had and the staff were of little help in choosing anything.  You had to know what you wanted and this usually meant purchasing what your parents drank.  Over time the LCBO evolved into a liquor store based on a grocery store with all the product on low shelves so the staff, who never ventured far from the cash registers, could keep an eye on any suspicious persons. The staff, for the most part, were on had to "card" those who looked too young and to catch any shop lifters; customer service was far down the list of responsibilities.  But for the first time you could browse the stock and select product based on the bottles, though you usually chose what you had come to enjoy drinking in the local taverns.  Eventually, this gave way to the full service stores we have come to enjoy today.

And enjoy I do!  The last few years I have actually enjoyed my shopping experiences at the LCBO more than I do at any other retailer.  They have been a leader in the field of service with items like the Food and Drink magazine (who doesn't pick up one of those when they come out?)  the Vintages release catalogue and several intermittent publications aimed at helping consumers find new products.  Inside the stores they have retrained staff to be more responsive to customers, to look for people who may need a hand finding something, added "Product Specialists" who can make recommendations for food and drink combinations and have regular product tastings.  In addition, the return policy is unmatched anywhere else: if you open a bottle and feel it is bad, take the unused portion back to the store and it is refunded in the entirety without hassles.

I know that not all experiences are as mine are, and I am sure there are things that this monopoly is not as good at (I know many of the small Ontario wineries feel they do not get the same consideration as larger wineries).  But, from a consumers perspective - being someone who looks to try new wines, has shopped at various locations, has used the inter-branch ordering, has used the phone in Bordeaux ordering and taken advantage of the procuring process - I have always found the staff friendly, professional, knowledgeable and courteous.  I have never had a problem finding new wines, spirits or beers to try and have even had them look into getting wine from one of my favourite Napa wineries.

They have truly upped their game and I for one would be seriously disappointed to see this change with privatization.  I think it is important to know that privatization will not guarantee to solve the problems that people complain of with the LCBO: price, selection, availability, social problems etc.  There is also no guarantee that private retailers will be any more likely to open shelf space to small Ontario wineries.  And what I would like to see happen is consumers becoming more educated about these wineries and asking their local LCBO to bring in more of them to try.  This seems to me something that should be happening already, now that many large wineries are opening retail outlets inside grocery chain stores.  The LCBO should not feel the need to continue to provide a large amount of shelf space for those larger companies and thus provide a section for the discovery of small Ontario producers.

I love the LCBO and the service I get there and I am confident that they will find a way to help promote some of the smaller producers while continuing to be responsive to their customers.  What I worry about is certain politicians and entrepreneurs eyeing the potential revenue available by privatization and convincing consumers that private business is more responsive to consumers than government, the 407ETR should have taught us that is never the truth.

LCBO Vintages Clearance Picks

As you may have inferred by my choices in wine, I don't like to pay much more than $20 for a bottle of wine.  But, occasionally it is nice to spoil oneself.  If there is a good enough deal, I would even spend up to $80.  I have been going through the LCBO Vintages Clearance list and have found some very good deals.  Here are my picks for best value.

563395 Chateau Rieussec 2006  was $52 is now $39 and is probably the most underrated wine of the list. (I've tried it, it's great)

For the big spenders this wine has a 94-96 rating from Robert Parker:
565630  Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2006  was $189 is now $142.95

If you want an idea of the vintage (2006) of Bordeaux without spending big money:
198978  Chateau Moulinat  2006  was $22.95 is now $18.95

57737  Spy Valley Chardonnay 2008 from New Zealand was $16.30 now $12.95

199943  Yealands Estate Pinot Noir 2008 also from New Zealand was $20.95 now $16.95 and when it was released the LCBO panel raved about it.  (I tried it, and liked it)

178814  Legends Estate Riesling Reserve 2003 from Ontario was $23.75  now 15.95 If you have never tried a good riesling from Ontario now is a good time to try one.

687699  NK'MIP Cellars Chardonnay  2007  from British Columbia  was  $23.95  now $17.95

Vintages Release August 20th

I have two picks for this weekend that I will be trying from the LCBO Vintages release for Aug. 20th.  At this time of year we are getting more of the spontaneous backyard parties and BBQ's and it is always nice to have something a little crisper and slightly dry with plenty of fruit to have as a sipping wine pre dinner. I have chosen two rosés (yes, I said rosés) from Languedoc in Southern France.

CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES TENUE DE SOIRÉE ROSÉ DE SYRAH CORBIÈRES 2010
VINTAGES 225011 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 13.95
Wine, Rosé Wine
12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Midi, France
By: Avo Export

Release Date: Aug 20, 2011 


L'AMPHORE DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2010
VINTAGES 228940 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 13.95
Wine, Rosé Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Provence, France
By: Gilardi S.A.

Release Date: Aug 20, 2011 


I will let you know how I like them once I try them.