Dollars to Donuts Prices Will Remain Firm

Few distributors or wineries are moving quickly to cut prices in response to the stronger dollar, citing a myriad of reasons -- most of which have little if anything to do with the strength of the dollar.

Despite the proliferation of "private" beer and wine stores in B.C., the retail alcohol business both public and private remains a highly regulated and massively taxed sector -- so much so that a 30-per-cent increase in our dollar has had little or no effect on prices.

Distributors tell me Oct. 10 was the last day you could submit price changes for the December selling period and, while the Canadian dollar achieved parity with its American counterpart on Sept. 28 it didn't really surge above the U.S. dollar until after Oct. 10. The next opportunity for a regular price change will not occur until Dec. 30, but that date has already been usurped by the government to allow for a system-wide price adjustment to accommodate the planned one-per-cent reduction in the GST tax from six to five per cent.

Before you start dancing in the streets, the drop in GST will pare a paltry 10 to 15 cents off the price of an average bottle of wine, while at the same time messing up hundreds of strategic price points that end in .95 or .99. One month later, you can bet on all those prices going back up as distributors adjust the landed price to return their wines back up to the aforementioned strategic price points. Translation: no savings to the consumer.

In a market where it takes three to six months to push or pull a wine through the system from start to finish, fairly large inventories are required to service consumers and that makes it difficult to react instantaneously to the fluctuation of the dollar. And, just for good measure, if a supplier cuts his or her price, the BCLDB charges back the difference in price to the distributor/supplier for each bottle in the system. Can you spell "the consumer loses again"?

Until there is a free and open market for alcohol, I can only encourage you to seek out those American wineries that are making the effort to appear sensitive to this market's needs by finding a way to lower prices, and by avoiding those who for whatever reason are refusing to share the wealth. As always, it's buyer beware out there.

This week we begin with two excellent value California wines that have cut their prices in direct response to the rising dollar.

First up is the Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve 2005 or 2006. Both are currently in stores as the vintage turns over. KJ has shaved its price to $19.99 for this 100-per-cent estate-grown wine. Look for fresh mango, honey and pineapple nuances with just a brushing of oak and cool, mineral, citrus and peach flavours. A terrific holiday party wine. Expect the 2006 to be even better.

The Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 is the third vintage to appear in this market since it's been under the Hope family's purview in Paso Robles. The 2001 was as high as $29; the latest edition has just dropped to $22.95. Expect a soft, round, supple style with bits of cedar, vanilla, cassis and blackberry flavours with a warm, slightly sweet, coffee finish. A very solid dinner wine that could double as a great hostess gift for the holidays.

A versatile white wine that should have wide appeal takes us to Spain for the Raimat Albariño Chardonnay 2005. We love its floral, butter, peach, anise and mineral aromas and fresh, elegant, dry palate. More peachy-orange, fruit flavours flecked with mineral and ginger mark the aftertaste. All it needs is a screwcap to really sing.

Northern Italy is home to the Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2005. Think of this as a workhouse party red for food and wine types. Soft, round and supple, it has a dry peppery, mineral, spicy, fragrant red currant flavour with a cherry licorice undercurrent. A simple, well made sangiovese with finesse.

Open floral, menthol, white pepper, savoury notes mark the nose of a very intense MontGras Antu

Ninquèn Syrah 2005 from Valle del Colchagua. It is rich and supple on the palate with light, smooth tannins. Look for spicy, black cherry, peppery, meaty, cassis, menthol, bay leaf, and smoky licorice root flavours. Fresh with fine intensity and finesse.

We conclude with pink bubble from Oz. Yellowglen has always been a fine fizz producer and they have turned their expertise to Pink by Yellowglen, an entry-level blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. It has bright cherry, strawberry fruit flavours with an earthy, toasty undercurrent. Just sweet enough to take the edge off the acidity. This is a fun, holiday entertainer at an affordable price.

HOLIDAY PICKS

Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve 2005, California

Price: $20

UPC: 081584013105

Remarks: What was fine at $26 now looks better than ever at $20.

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, California

Price: $23

UPC: 657891700207

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Soft, round, supple-style cabernet with a slightly sweet, chocolate coffee finish.

Raimat Albariño Chardonnay 2005, Catalunya, Spain

Price: $13

UPC: 8410013996948

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Butter, peach, orange, passionfruit, mineral, ginger flavours.

Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2005, Tuscany, Italy

Price: $17

UPC: 8007425003649

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Perfect party red to be served with food.

MontGras Antu Ninquèn Syrah 2005, Valle del Rapel, Chile

Price: $23

UPC: 07804407001102

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Spicy, black cherry, meaty, cassis, and smoky licorice root flavours.

Pink by Yellowglen N/V, Australia

Price: $13

UPC: 00098137113236

Score: 86/100

Remarks: A fun, albeit barely pink bubbly at an affordable price.