I find it amusing that everyone seems to have an opinion about cork and wine.  Some people seem apprehensive about buying wines that have screwcap closures instead of the traditional cork.  There is still an association between screwcaps and cheap wine.  This may have been true once upon a time, but today it couldn't be further from the truth. 

Case in point: New Zealand.  The wine industry in New Zealand has a strong preference for screwcap closures for its wines, and so you'd be hard pressed to find cork closures in a Kiwi wine.  Kim Crawford anyone?  How about Cloudy Bay?  All screwcap enclosures on premium and super-premium wines.

Other wineries around the world are following suit.  In Ontario, Flat Rock Cellars uses only screwcap closures on all its wines.  Others choose to mix it up, using screwcaps for the wines that are not meant to be aged long term.  Fielding Estate, for example, uses screwcaps on a number of their white wines and corks in the bottles of their premium reds. 

But why the move away from cork?  The simple answer: cork taint.

Without getting into the science and boring details, here is the gist of the story.  Cork comes from the bark of a tree.  Being an organic material, it needs to be treated before it can be used to seal bottles.  However, sometimes the cork contains a compound called TCA.  When that cork comes in contact with the wine, the TCA can spoil the wine.  A "corked" wine smells like a musty basement, moldy newspaper, or a wet dog.  Unpleasant at best, and definitely not the sort of stuff you want to drink with dinner.  It also occurs more often than people realize.

Screwcaps eliminate the possibility of cork taint by removing cork from the picture altogether.  However, there is still resistance to using screwcaps or other alternative wine enclosures because of the ritual and romance that goes into opening a bottle of wine.  I admit, having the waiter or sommelier open a bottle wine that's sealed with a cork is a lot more impressive than having them turn the screwtop.  However, I'm quickly learning to get over that.  Every time I encounter a corked wine, I become that much more in favour of alternative closures.

So my advice for people who think screwcaps signal inferior wine?  Get over it. 

Recently the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, said that he is open to ways to promote Ontario wineries better.  This statement set the Ontario wine world on fire with buzz: change is coming in the way the LCBO is going to promote and even sell local wines.  There has even been talk of high-end boutiques that will only sell VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) wines.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with VQA wines, the VQA is the governing body that promotes Ontario wineries and wines.  To be considered a VQA wine, the wine must be made from 100% Ontario grapes from a list of approved varietals.  These wines must be fermented, processed, and bottled in Ontario and pass strict quality control tests.   VQA wines are labelled as such, and usually have the VQA symbol somewhere prominent on the bottle.  The VQA has done a lot over the years to improve both the quality of wine produced in Ontario as well as improve the image of local wines to Canadians and non-Canadians alike. 

Personally I think having a VQA boutique would be a fabulous idea.  I'm a big proponent of local wines, and I think other Canadians need to be educated about how great Ontario wines really are... and I'm not just talking about ice wines.  Yes, ice wines are great, but there is so much more to Ontario wines than dessert wines.  Ontario produces great table wines, especially white wines like riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and gewurztraminer.  I'd like to see more people get excited about Ontario wines, and a VQA boutique would do wonders for building a "VQA Wine" brand: something that says "quality", "premium", and "Canadian".  Something we can be proud of... assuming, of course, that it is executed properly!  I'd like to see something along the lines of Vintages, but only for VQA wines: well designed, classic shops that are nicely merchandised and staffed by knowledgeable product consultants that can both educate and assist the public. 

Now all we can do is wait and see. 

Wow, it's been a while since I last updated this blog... I have to get back on track!  And what better wine to start again with than a gift I got from my sister and brother-in-law when they went to Mexico?

I got a Castillo del Rhin Riesling, non-vintage.  I was a bit concerned at first for a number of reasons.  To my knowledge, the Mexican wine growing region is similar to Napa or Sonoma counties.  Baja California, Mexico's premier wine region, doesn't strike me as a cool enough place to grow Riesling, which tends to prefer cooler climates like in Ontario, Germany, or the Alsace region of France.  Another reason for my concern was the fact that it was non-vintage.  Being the wine snob that I am, the only non-vintage wine that I drink without any issue is sparkling wine, most notably Champagne. 

However, much to my surprise, it was quite a pleasant wine.  First, it was off-dry so the slight sweetness appealed to my palate.  Second, the wine had some of the acidity that I associate with Riesling.  However, it wasn't enough for me, especially given the level of residual sugar in it.  I like the sweet and sour to be balanced.  The colour was very pale and light.  More so than a typical Riesling, but nothing to be alarmed about.  The aromas were more tropical than a typical Riesling too, with pineapple mixed in with peaches and lemons.

Overall I'd give this wine a B- because  I wouldn't run out and buy it, but I definitely wouldn't be upset if someone served it to me.  I think it would be a great wine to just sit around and enjoy on a warm day on the patio. 

Thanks to Sonia & Oscar for bringing this wine to me all the way from Mexico.  With love!