Wine Laws Made for Another Era

Imagine buying a steak, a loaf of bread, salad ingredients and a bottle of cabernet in the same store. It's convenient for sure but more than that, it is civilized.

One can only hope that Premier Christy Clark and Opposition leader Adrian Dix are taking notes. Wouldn't it be refreshing if they both committed to taking a serious look at a new way of selling and regulating alcohol in British Columbia?

Of late, it has become extremely fashionable to bash B.C. liquor laws and those who enforce them, and for good reason. Most of our laws are plain goofy and really need an overhaul. The challenge is, and I'm speaking about wine, what we really need is a complete new set of blueprints. Years of tweaking by a variety of special interest groups has yielded a mixed bag of legislation, most of which makes little sense.

I used to think private wine stores were the only way to go, but after watching the private sector in Alberta in action I'm comfortable with our dual system of private and government stores, but both models need a complete overhaul.

One licence, open to anyone who can pass a background check, at one price, would be refreshing. Government involvement should be restricted to capturing a flat tax at the till when the product is sold. Any other regulations, regarding the buying or selling of wine, should be enforced by a liquor licensing agency that would have the same power to enforce the same laws in both private and government stores.

Wholesale wine buying would be the norm, and the markup on any wine would be left to individual stores. After that, may the best retailer win. There should be no restriction on sales, online or in-store, to licensees or consumers, just one even playing field.

I could go on, but I'm heading to the grocery stores to pick up some items to host a pre-game Canuck party, with the exception of wine. That will require a separate trip to a government store where whatever pairing ideas came to mind in the grocery store will be lost. By the way, why can't private wine stores sell olive oil, or cheese, or potato chips or hockey sticks if they so choose? What is the rationale behind such a ban? It's their space and their business model.

Maybe it's time we modernize the whole system before Winnipeg wins Lord Stanley's cup.

In the meantime, today we begin with a delicious Italian white wine that is making a comeback. Soave can be sublime when well-made and this Tedeschi Soave Classico 2009 from the Veneto region of northern Italy over delivers. One can only imagine how it would sing under screw cap. From the "Classico" region in the heart of the zone comes a bright, citrus, almond affair with twist of sophistication. Made from garganega, often picked late for ripeness, it is a versatile food wine.

It was bit of a surprise to see the Chartron La Fleur Merlot Cabernet 2008 under screw cap, and in a lighter bottle, but eventually even Bordeaux will move into the 21st century, albeit kicking and screaming. The wine is a 70/30 mix of Merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and the result is a fresh, fragrant, easy-sipping dry red wine that is perfect for most mid-week meals. Simple, solid, red wine value that needs no aging.

The Ogier Côtes du Rhône Heritages 2009 is another very fine offering from the Rhone 2009 harvest. What value and promise from this vintage. Look for an aromatic dried herbs, garrigue, spicy nose flecked with milk chocolate and fine acidity. The palate is similar with bright, black cherry, plum and licorice fruit with a dose of spice, minerality and even a bit of tannin. So solid and so affordable. Buy this one by the case.

Château Pey la Tour 2009 comes under screw cap, which undoubtedly gives it a fresher fragrant nose that reveals bits of dark plum and milk chocolate. Not to be confused with the Reserve de Château, the entry level over delivers at its price -obviously benefiting from the excellent '09 vintage. The mix is 77/14/8/1/ merlot/ cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc/petit verdot and it produces a simple but juicy rendition of modern Bordeaux red. If you like dry blends that are crafted for food, this is it.

Château de Pierreux Brouilly 2009 sits at the base Mont Brouilly in the Beaujolais region. The large-ish site boasts 77 hectares of 40-to 45-yearold Gamay sitting over red granite and schist lending the wine a big mineral quality. An impressive 2009 vintage that yields a delicious, ready-todrink red brimming with floral, red fruit aromas and flavours of spicy, black cherries and blueberries. Fine complexity and class. A real winner at 13.5 per cent alcohol. Decant and serve blind and watch your friends gush over Beaujolais.

Our final pick today is Yalumba The Scribbler Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2008 from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. The blend is a mix is 65/35 cabernet sauvignon/shiraz; the nose a mix of minty black currant fruit. On the palate, the entry is soft and round with more sweet, smoky, minty, black fruit -all with a pinch of acidity and rounded, fine-grained tannins. You can drink it now with grilled meats or cellar through 2012.

Price: $18

UPC: 8019171000216

Score: 88/100

Remarks: A bright citrus, almond affair with twist of sophistication.

Chartron La Fleur Merlot Cabernet 2008, Bordeaux, France

Price: $14

UPC: 003263070026531

Score: 86/100

Remarks: A fresh, fragrant, dry red wine that is perfect for most mid-week meals.

Ogier Côtes du Rhône Heritages 2009, Rhone Valley, France

Price: $18

UPC: 00714320135006

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Bright black cherry, plum and licorice fruit. Buy this one by the case.

Château Pey la Tour 2009, Bordeaux, France

Price: $19

UPC: 3258691398440

Score: 87/100

Remarks: A simple but juicy rendition of modern Bordeaux red.

Château de Pierreux Brouilly 2009, Beaujolais, France

Price: $20

UPC: 003264380065418

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Delicious spicy, black cherries and blueberries.

Yalumba The Scribbler Cabernet Sauvignon/ Shiraz 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Price: $26

UPC: 009311789002019

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Sweet, smoky, minty, black fruit.