I figure those in Ontario, Canada will know what the LCBO is, and as it has worked out we have started doing business with them. At the end of August we sent our 2010 Deux Vert vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Pinot noir to them. Deux Vert vineyard is owned by Mike and Patty Green (not that one, there’s two…) and it is entirely situated on Marine Sedimentary soils. It has been impossibly unforgiving in its youth, however at five years it is starting to behave very nicely. I made it with slightly less than 50% whole cluster, and it saw 20% new French oak. It is quite a pretty Pinot, though I am biased. Reviews… (let me know if I need to remove the reviews).
WA (DS) 92, Hamina’s 2010 Pinot Noir Deux Vert - from nearly half whole cluster, and matured mostly in 500 liter barrels, 20% of which were new - is beautifully-scented with cherry and blood orange, tinged with brown spices whose tactile palate impact is invigorating, even as generous primary juiciness floods the palate. Hints of bitter herbs and stone add to the complexity of a penetrating finish, and I would expect this athletically lean and graceful Pinot to merit attention through 2020, quite likely picking up additional richness and complexity.
IWC (JR) 91, Bright red. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays scents of candied red fruits, Asian spices, lavender and vanilla bean. Sweet, penetrating and smoky on the palate, offering vibrant red fruit and floral pastille flavors and a strong kick of peppery spices. Silky and sweet on a subtly tannic finish that forcefully echoes the floral and spice notes.
Do what you can, tell all your friends and enjoy! Thank you.
Good for you Todd. Hope you have a good experience.
I’m sure you can find plenty of colleagues that lament the unreasonable terms and slow payment our unholy monopoly dictates to importers & winery direct clients.
I loathe them and do my best to not buy much from the LCBO.
Todd, any chance of you doing business with our liquor monopoly in British Columbia? (BC Liquor Distribution Branch, I believe). I’d definitely give them a shot if I saw them for sale out this way in our stores.
Robert, if they’d like to pull in an order I would listen. I get pulled into most markets as my brand is puny and I have no leverage. Once in, I do well since the juice is good.
Todd, I would also definitely like to try it. Really sounds like my kind of Pinot. Who is your agent?
Please do keep us updated about what channel the agent plans to use (Vintages bi-weekly release, Classics Collection, Vintage Shop Online, or private order).
Looks like it’s not in the system yet, but I hope to see it soon.
The biggest issue in my view is that the LCBO takes such a large cut (66% markup) that when you add the exchange rate and the agency commissions it can drive prices to silly heights. Hopefully this bottling arrives somewhere sensible.
I’ve heard the payment terms are better in recent years. In the past, horror stories of 180+ days for payments were common, but I think the are now regularly under 90 days.