British Columbia’s “best” on sale in the Liquor Distribution Branch
By John Schreiner
October 24, 2004
Twenty-two wines judged to be among British Columbia’s best, including the 2002 Osoyoos Larose, go on sale in six key stores of the BC Liquor Distribution Branch on November 6.
It is safe to predict that most of the wines will be gone by the end of the day. The LDB has been allotted a mere 926 cases in total. With few exceptions, there is a limit to the number of wines any customer can purchase. For two wines – the 2002 Nota Bene and the 2000 Pinnacle -- the limit is one bottle of each.
Even with limits, this offering is better than the usual availability of British Columbia’s top wines in the LDB stores. Because the LDB keeps almost all the profit on the wines it sells, most wineries logically sell their best wines directly from the cellar door, where they get to keep the profit.
No information is available as to whether the LDB cut a special deal with the wineries to make this offering possible. I doubt it. I believe the offering is available only because the British Columbia Wine Institute prevailed on its members to part with the wines in order to make a bit of a splash.
The biggest surprise is to see 112 cases of the 2002 Osoyoos Larose on the list at $40. The 2001 Osoyoos Larose was released in May and was immediately hailed as one of the finest red wines ever made in British Columbia. I have tasted the 2002 from the barrel and I believe it is an even better wine. If you cannot get to the LDB, you should definitely get your name on the list at the nearest VQA store. Those retailers also will have the wine.
The other offerings ---
- From Mission Hill: Oculus 2002; Estate Syrah 2001; Select Lot Collection Merlot 2002 and Select Lot Collection Sauvignon Sémillon 2003.
- From Quails’ Gate: Family Reserve Chardonnay and Family Reserve Pinot Noir, both from the 2001 vintage; but the Old Vines Foch 2002.
- From CedarCreek: Four 2002 wines from the winery’s top end Platinum series – Meritage, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
- From Sandhill: Small Lots Sangiovese 2002; Small Lots Barbera 2001; and Small Lots Three 2001. The latter is a red blend with 50% Sangiovese, 30% Barbera and 10% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 248 cases were made and the LDB gets to sell 28 cases of that wine.
- From Burrowing Owl Vineyards: Merlot 2002 and Cabernet Franc 2001.
- From Black Hills: Nota Bena 2002. This wine has been “sold out” since the spring but the LDB managed to find 15 cases to sell.
- From Jackson Triggs: Grand Reserve Merlot 2001.
- From Sumac Ridge: the 2000 Pinnacle. At $50 a bottle, this still is one of the most expensive of British Columbia wines. It is red blend of the three main Bordeaux grapes with a dash of Syrah. I have just tasted the wine and can report that it is one of the most polished Bordeaux-style blends made in B.C.
- From Tinhorn Creek: the recently released Oldfield’s Collection Merlot 2001. The limit is three bottles per customer, at $28 a bottle. Drink one but cellar the other two for a year.
- From Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards: the See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir 2002. At $19.99, this is the cheapest wine in the offering – but it did win an award at the recent Okanagan Wine Festival.
Of course, these are not all of British Columbia’s current best wines. A complete all-star line-up would also include wines from Blue Mountain, Kettle Valley, Poplar Grove, Township 7, Nk’Mip Cellars and Fairview Cellars, among others. Even so, it is great to see a selection of the best available in the LDB.
Only six LDB stores will have the wines: 39th & Cambie and Thurlow and Alberni in Vancouver; Park Royal in West Vancouver; Westwood Centre in Port Coquitlam; Fort Street in Victoria; and Orchard Park in Kelowna. |
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