Unrelated Musings
All last week I was wanting to write this but I was really too busy to do it. Every once in a while I venture to the Roundhouse to buy some wine. I feel that it is important to recalibrate my taste buds to the French wines which are the base wines for the area.
So I got some Pinot and some Morgan and a few others and opened up the Pinot. It was from Alsace and was not cheap. Well simply stated, View Pointe's, Sprucewood's or Pelee Island's Reserve are just head and shoulder's better. Wait till I taste Mastronardi's (I was told it was available so I'll check soon) and Muscedere's (next year with Canadian oak) and I think we have product that absolutely stomps that Alsatian and all are much cheaper. That's tough for me to say as I am a big fan of Alsatian wines.
Then, Saturday night app and his brother came over after the auto show for a drink. Miguel is from Oakville and is a real wino, just like us. Of course, we had some of app's martinis. Just awesome: I just wish I could make them that well. I just can't do it. I contributed garlic stuffed olives from the market and I really think they put the martini's over the top.
After a few, I opened a bottle of Muscedere Cabernet Franc and Miguel really liked it. He knows his stuff and was simply amazed that this was their first vintage. Then I opened some Gamay Noir from Colio. He preferred the Cab Franc, but found the Gamay quite acceptable. Like I have always said: if we expose our product people will buy it. I have yet to find someone who isn't pleasantly surprised by our wine when they try it.
Saturday afternoon, tso and I went wine buying and again we saw people from Ohio at a winery. I find it amazing that they drive around the lake to get here. It just seems that they "get it". My point is 1) how did they find out faster than the most locals and 2) how do we reach them better. Marketing has to be done to reach them as they may be "our market". I find it odd that we miss Detroit and reach Dayton. Maybe they just like to road trip.
I really think the tourism types have done a lousy job getting the word out. Though they haven't done too well, the biggest crime is the border. We get people from Ohio who come despite the stupid no smoking laws (no I don't smoke, I just believe in property rights), the pie police and high taxes; yet Detroiters stay home. Why?? Last week it took me 45 minutes to clear customs and all the booths were open. Saturday, the line for the tunnel was about 4 blocks long at 1 pm. Maybe the people from Ohio accept this better as it is part of a longer trip but I know it affects Detroiters. We must somehow get a short term fix. Is a ferry feasible??? I just don't know and the Delray bridge will take years to complete as the call for designers went out only last week.
I guess I must be positive. The wine is getting better, the wineries that opened this year are great and seem busy and everyone seems positive. Erie Shores open house was great and well attended. The wine festival was great fun too!!! The 05's are greatly anticipated as it was a great year and the whites are just trickling out. All in all things are getting better here and will improve . I am eagerly looking forward to the new wines and feel real good about the coming year and revisiting some of the vineyards I've neglected.
