Wine Country Ontario

What this Promo asks of you is to ‘share the classic “cool climate” traits of complexity, elegance and, best of all, super food-friendliness’ of Ontario wines. That’s Shari Mogk-Edwards’, head buyer for LCBO Wines, Beers & Spirits, proposal in the goLOCAL glossy delivered to my door this morning, the 5th in this year’s series of goLOCAL promotions.

Marketing is a strange craft where normal language is put aside for extravagant, often challenging, statements. “Try our product. It removes hair growth you’ll have some day!!!”  Everyone expects chutzpah in today’s sales media. It’s not a 'CBC documentary' …. more like 'FOX North'. Checking out the goLOCAL website I suggest skipping over the introductory paragraphs and Dalton’s scripted video. The remaining sections of the Promo are well packaged as well as fully packed with something for everyone. It seems the LCBO has discovered a treasure in their own backyard but consumers need the right incentives to reach the full potential. Listening to many convincing offshore and local enthusiasts of Ontario wines our Liquor Control monopoly could very well be investing more in the home market.  

Is their message getting out?  For instance from the goLOCAL website you can :

• Find the schedule for VQA wine tastings at LCBO outlets across Ontario?
• Discover when Virtual Tastings are planned - one is scheduled for Wednesday Sept 29th. (The wines for tasting are asterisked below.)
• See a list of the Restaurants in Ontario that 'feature' Ontario VQA wines? Although I recommend you check out their wine list to confirm their commitment to goLOCAL before reserving. (The website is shown for each restaurant)

Check out the goLOCAL blog for daily winery visits and interviews, and follow the dialogue on Twitter (#LCBOgolocal).  
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You too may be motivated to taste an Ontario VQA wine…
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The wines represented in this month‘s Promo are:

• Inniskillin Oak Aged Chardonnay 2009 VQA Niagara Peninsula, #317768 $14.95
• *Rosehall Run Chardonnay Sur Lie 2009 VQA Ontario, #111914 $14.95
• *No, 99 Wayne Gretsky Estates Riesling 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, #144865 $14.95
• *Cave Spring Rosé 2009 VQ Niagara Escarpment, #295006 $13.95
• *Henry of Pelham Family Estate Baco Noir 2008,  #270926 $13.95
• OPEN Riesling-Gewurztraminer 2009 VQA Niagara Peninsula, #134965 $11.95
• Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series Cabernet-Shiraz 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, #074062 $13.95

I’ll have my own selection of VQA wines as part of an October lineup. Check it out here on Friday.
Cheers, Ww