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New Summerhill beauty
a worthy destination


© Michael Vaughan 2003
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
 Saturday, February 8, 2003

There is no doubt about it; the LCBO’s new midtown Toronto Summerhill store is a genuine knock out. I was at the crowded opening last Tuesday morning where Henry of Pelham’s fine bubbly 1999 Cuvée Catharine Brut ($24.95) was being poured to the assembled dignitaries and media guests.

It is bright, spacious and loaded with products for sale – about 4,792 to be exact. This transformation effectively cost the taxpayer some $6.8 million and the new edifice now covers some 31,000 square feet in total with 21,000 for shopping as compared to 3,875 in the past.

Certainly my stream of complaints about the lack of choice would seem to have been answered in spades. The LCBO has been stockpiling Vintages products for many months for the originally hoped-for pre-Christmas shopping spree opening.

While I was genuinely delighted to see so many old vinous friends, along with all of today’s releases, the onslaught of Vintage items (1,850 in total) is, unfortunately, only wafer thin. Due to last year’s draconian purchase reductions, warehouse inventories are only skin deep with, in many instances, little or no back up.

My search for Vintage Port, for instance, produced a meager six selections. Fortunately, seven excellent 2000 selections are scheduled for release next month. Keep in mind that the SAQ website there are 342 Port entries, 85 being Vintage Port.  

Given these serious limitations (Vintages currently has 41% less inventory than just a year ago), I would have been much happier if the LCBO had decided to go public with its entire Classics portfolio, which is still locked up far away from public view.

Contrast this, for instance, with the SAQ’s glamorous Montreal Signature store complete with an extended tasting bar dedicated to their ever-evolving portfolio of Classics-styled products. Unlike British Columbia or Quebec, the LCBO still refuses to give its customers a list of what is for sale. To find out what they have, you have to ask for it by name. Surely this LCBO game of charades should be a thing of the past. If $6.8 million can be spent on a store for lucky Torontonians, why can’t they bother telling everyone what they have for sale?

I am impressed that Summerhill has eight experienced product consultants are on call. However unlike great wine shops elsewhere, there isn’t a scrap of non-LCBO reference material in sight, unless one suffers from the illusion that the LCBO Food & Drink Magazine qualifies. All outstanding wine stores will have a reference library – but not at the LCBO. In fact, no non-LCBO commentary is now permitted to grace LCBO shelves.

I was thrilled to discover that the new clock tower tasting bar (one of five on premises) offers 119 items for sampling “at cost” (based on a one-ounce pour for wines and one-quarter-ounce for spirits). A maximum of only two samples can be tasted (from 25 cents to $4.00). The current selection (as determined by head office) remains on tap for two months and is at least a step in the right direction. Serious kinks have to be worked out - the serving space is overly small and refrigeration space inadequate. It is extremely unfortunate that there is no list of products being tasted, nor their respective cost, especially as all other LCBO samplings are now free of charge.

For Valentines Day shoppers here is a gem. At Summerhill (and a few other Toronto stores), make sure you check out the remarkably delicious Alfred Fischer 1999 Bouvier Trockenbeerenauslese (aka TBA) at only $18.50 for 250 ml. This Austrian gem made its debut last November with virtually no fanfare. Produced from totally botrytis-affected Bouvier grapes, this dessert wine has a fairly deep gold colour. The complex, nutty, sweet, raisiny, Seville orange marmalade nose with almond icing sugar notes is followed up by succulent, very sweet, ripe mango, candied tangerine and crème brulée flavours that go on and on.

Originating in the Neusiedlersee region just southeast of Vienna and with only 7.5% alcohol, you will hard pressed to find any Canadian icewine that can compare either in terms of value and/or uniqueness of taste. Be prepared to rush to snap up last few remaining cases of this wine for your sweetie. Wine agent Bogdan Cojocaru (905-825-2079) is responsible for bringing this beauty to Canada.

Thanks to importer Tony Hirons of the Merchant Vintner (416-463-9496) I was able to taste two Vignoble Guillaume Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté Chardonnays which are currently available at the LCBO. The 2000 edition of their regular Chardonnay (CSPC 993709 $12.95) didn’t quite live up to the delicious 1999 (December 2001 - $11.95). Nevertheless, its slightly strident, crisp, ripe lemon-Anjou pear flavours would be perfect with seafood. Better yet, it is in today’s Vintages release.

My best buy white, however, is a sleeper because of its invisibility. Guillaume 2000 Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes is definitely worthy of a detour at $19.75 (CSPC 722157). The nose is splendid with toasty, ripe, Anjou pear fruit, which continues on the harmonious, well-structured palate. There are some gently toasty, lime notes on the lingering finish reflecting the presence of some premium Burgundian oak. This excellent wine won a Silver Medal in the Chardonnay-du-Monde competition last year and would be terrific with white meats and poultry, or perhaps some regional Jura cheeses such as Vacherin or Mont-d'Or.

Some 50 cases were released last December as an LCBO in-store discovery. They have hardly moved because, as a first shipment, nobody knew anything about it. Indeed, the only place where you can find the monthly in-store discoveries is on my website. As of last Wednesday there were 60 bottles at the Summerhill store.

Last but not least is a very tasty, dry, refresher from northwest Spain. Bodegas Martin Codax 2001 Burgans Albariño at $16.85 may well be the perfect Valentine oyster opener. Originating in Galicia, the thick-skinned Albariño grape produces fine whites, which are perfect with fresh seafood. This palate cleanser has a light straw colour and very lively, bright, grapefruit peel and melon on the nose. The extremely tangy, light to medium-light bodied, fresh, zesty, ripe lemon fruit flavours finish up with a flourish of grapefruit peel on the finish.

Finally, one of the top whites of the release was unfortunately corked when initially tasted in the lab. I was able to check a second bottle last Thursday. Burgundy lovers shouldn’t miss Champy Père 2000 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 2000 Murgers des Dents de Chien at $39.95. The mouthfilling, intense, toasty, lime purée and dried pear flavours are followed up by a lovely lingering finish. Unfortunately the identity of my Best Buy Release Highlight Chardonnay is only known to Vintage Assessment subscribers. PRESS HERE & subscribe today and you will get the full scoop!

 

To see the list of 119 products being featured
in the Summerhill Tasting Tower

PRESS HERE

Summerhill Tasting Tower Mark-Up System

Under $10        wine -- 50 cents
$10 to $15        wine -- 75 cents       spirits -- 25 cents
$15.05 to $20   wine -- $1.00           spirits -- 25 cents
$20.05 to $30   wine -- $1.50           spirits -- 40 cents
$30.05 to $40   wine -- $2.00           spirits -- 50 cents
$40.05 to $50   wine -- $2.50           spirits -- 65 cents
$50.05 to $60   wine -- $3.00           spirits -- 75 cents
$60.05 to $70   wine -- $3.50           spirits -- 85 cents
$70.05 to $80   wine -- $4.00           spirits -- $1.00

 

Vintages February 2003 Release
To see the complete list of upcoming products click here
(sorted by date of release). It includes the number of cases, which wines were presented by the LCBO, our agent ID for every product, as well as, special unannounced In Store Discoveries” for February.
You can also see it sorted by agent
click here  

 

Check out the
February 2003 InStore Discovery


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Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
 (electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net