WINE ALL THE TIME: What will September bring?

The recent announcement by Doug Ford that alcohol sales will be coming to Convenience Stores in September has certainly caught our attention. After Sept. 5, stores will be able to sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages. After Oct. 31, all eligible grocery and big box stores will be afforded the same opportunity.

While many are celebrating this expansion, others have concerns, and many have questions. Producers of craft beer and cider, convenience store associations, and the Grape Growers of Ontario all welcome the news.

On the other hand, medical experts raise concerns, and political observers have been speculating on Ford’s motives and on ultimate costs and impacts.

Until now, whenever governments have considered altering the operation of the LCBO or disbanding it, the financial analyses have always confirmed that such actions would cost the province far too much. 

In her article published on CP24 on April 12, Katherine DeClerq brought forward health concerns identified in the Canadian Medical Association Journal as well as in the Annual Report of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kieran Moore.

By expanding the number of outlets selling alcohol by almost 300 per cent, Declerq writes that the CAMJ article suggests that “the changes will lead to greater alcohol use and associated harms, including deaths, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, interpersonal violence and chronic disease.”

Currently, the health impacts related to alcohol are costing us 7 billion dollars, annually, according to Dr. Daniel Myran of the University of Ottawa, one of the authors of the article.

In turn, Dr. Moore pointed out that an expansion of alcohol sales in 2015 resulted in almost an 18 per cent increase in alcohol-related visits to Emergency rooms. He has identified a number of steps that the government should be taking to mitigate the impact of this expansion, particularly in the area of enforcement and compliance; however, the government, De Clerc says, won’t be considering any of the recommendations in Moore’s report, as the Premier says instead that “we believe in treating people like adults.”

At a time when our health system is clearly in crisis, the move to expand significantly the opportunity to purchase alcohol is troubling, particularly when there doesn’t seem to be any comprehensive plan to address the problems with our health system that already exists.

The timing is also questionable. Because of agreements with the big breweries which run the Beer Store, Ford will be paying them $225 million to compensate them for these changes. Had the government waited until the current agreement expires on Dec. 21, 2025, this payment probably wouldn’t be necessary.

Why now? Speculation is that the Government may want an early election to get ahead of the potential fallout regarding the Green Belt scandal. If an election is indeed called, it might just prove that point.

Even if we were to decide that the motives for this expansion are legitimate, we still find ourselves wondering exactly how things will play out. Which wines, for example, will these new sellers be able to stock?

Up until now, the only wines sold in stores have been Ontario wines, and the stores selling them have been operating under “grand-fathered” licences that preceded the North America Free Trade Agreement. Will we start to see American wines on shelves, as well?

We also really don’t know how these products will be priced.  As of now, the prices in grocery stores are the same as you would find either in the LCBO or the Beer Store. Apparently, the stores will be “sold” product from the LCBO at a 10 per cent discount, but we don’t know what the stores will charge their customers.

In a May 28 article on The Trillium, Village Media’s Queen’s Park publication, Jessica Smith Cross raised a number of issues on what this will ultimately cost the taxpayers, just in revenue lost and fees paid. In addition to the $225 million given to the Beer Stores, there will be other significant losses of income regarding the LCBO.

She reports that, in 2022-23, the LCBO paid the government 2.58 billion dollars, and if the new outlets take just a 10 per cent share of the market, it will cost the taxpayers about $74 million.

The Conservatives have also decided to forego fees the LCBO charges breweries. In criticizing the plan, the Liberals estimate that this will ultimately cost the Province $300 million by the end of 2025 – a government spokesman countered that the “loss” would only be about $67 million by then.

Finally, the government has chosen not to charge a one-time licencing fee to the new operators; according to the Liberals, they are passing up on the opportunity to collect $300 million, if the charges were similar to what licensees paid in Saskatchewan when it went through this process.

Until it is all audited, the final costs to the taxpayers are uncertain, but Smith Cross says that the Liberals are calling it the billion-dollar booze boondoggle. Drinkers may rejoice, but the ultimate benefit may squarely belong to the Ford government, all at the taxpayer’s expense.  

June Vintages Release

For now and through the summer, there will only be one release in stores per month.

The June release actually has many enticing and well-priced wines, a number of them for just $15 or $16, and many more for less than $20. The Vintages catalogue highlights Rosés – it is worth picking up and reading about them, as it distinguishes from light to medium to bigger-bodied styles. It is particularly helpful, as the colour which can go from an off-white paleness to a rich red approaching garnet doesn’t necessarily correspond to the depth of flavour that the wine carries.

Rosé

Albino Armani Rosé 2023, $15.95, from Italy’s northern Trentino district falls in the ‘light and Lively‘ category. On the delicate side, it is an easy sipper, with some early strawberry/raspberry notes leading to sensations of grapefruit and cranberry on the finish.

Born Rambla Rosé 2023, $15.95, from Spain’s Penedes region near Barcelona, is medium bodied. It took silver at the 2024 London Wine competition. The LCBO tells us that this organic wine “shows crunchy berry flavours, with crisp acidity and hints of bergamot on the finish”. Bergamot? Think Earl Grey Tea.

Château Val-Joanis Rosé 2023, $19.95, is bigger and bolder, says Vintages. It carries flavours of apricot and grapefruit, with some minerality on the finish.

White

Esterházy Klimt Grüner Veltliner 2023, $14.95, comes from an esteemed Austrian winery and features Klimt’s famous “The Kiss” on the label. Fresh and tasty, with a full, smooth texture, the wine carries impressions of apple, pear and grapefruit leading to a crisp, stony finish.

Paul Mas Single Vineyard Réserve Marsanne 2022, $14.95, hails from the Languedoc region of southern France. Of an earlier vintage, Decanter magazine identified “a hint of honeyed stone fruit on the palate, good weight and richness, all kept in check with bright acidity. Very clean and fresh, with plenty of complexity and concentration.” Expect much the same here.

Gérard Bertrand Réserve Spéciale Viognier 2022, $14.95, is a “Wine of the Month”. The Vivino site enthuses “gorgeous aromas of peach pie and apricot nectar, with an exotic hint of cinnamon stick. In the mouth, the wine is rich, flavourful and full bodied, with a voluptuous, almost creamy texture; ripe apricot takes centre stage, with cinnamon spice emerging on the tasty, dry, lipsmacking finish.”

Red

Demazet Armoiries Tradition Côtes du Rhône 2022, $14.95, is produced near Avignon. This gold medal winner (Lyon, 2023) is “a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre that offers a core of soft tannins wrapped in plush red fruit flavours, with hints of worn leather and cracked black pepper.” - Vintages .

Agramont Graciano 2021, $15.95, is made 100% from the Graciano grape in the Navarra section of Spain. “Focused herbal, wild black fruit and tobacco nose. The youthful palate is poised and approachable with a soft texture, high tannins and brisk acidity. It has an intensity of flavour in the mouth and an energetic, impressively long, finish. A very accomplished expression of Graciano. The value here is superb! Score - 97.” (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2022)

Monte Zovo Caligo 2018, $15.95, from the Veneto should be reminiscent of a good Valpolicella. Critic James Suckling writes that it is “rich and fruity with lots of crushed berry and cherry character, together with notes of licorice and dried herbs. Full and silky with well-integrated tannins and even brighter fruit coming through on the finish. Delicious. - 92.

Happy Hunting!