WINE CHOICES WIDE OPEN IN 2019
Unfortunately, B.C. residents will continue to pay more for less on the alcohol front
Today we look to the year ahead in wine, and 2019 begins with a promised B.C. government inquiry into its highly questionable position as buyer, seller and regulator of the liquor market.
The market is so artificial and the field so tilted in the favour of government, it’s difficult to believe anything useful will come out of yet another investigation, independent or not, unless the outcome is a complete reset. Don’t hold your breath.
The constant manipulation of wine prices has beat down even the most seasoned of distributors, restaurateurs and consumers, leaving British Columbians to routinely pay far more for less than most of the rest of the country — or continent, for that matter — when it comes to alcohol.
Interestingly, while we continue to debate how limiting and disruptive B.C. liquor regulations have become, it would appear the same flawed model is in place to sell and regulate cannabis.
Locally, the rush for vineyard land (and rising land prices) will continue across the province, as the traditional supplies run out and producers stuck in warm climates begin to look north to protect their futures from rising temperatures.
Areas never considered viable will be assessed in B.C., and on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
In concert with the land rush, the sale of small estate wineries operating with no exit plan will continue unabated as mid- and large-size wineries look for opportunities to buy vineyard land already in production.
What I do like is a strong undercurrent of young people setting up shop with little or no money and lot of sweat equity across B.C.
Farming two or three hectares has become an excellent way to work your way into the business while affording yourself a massive education in winery ownership and the life of a grower vintner.
It also offers the flexibility to do things a big winery could never hope to do.
Hence the growing collection of grower/producers such as Anarchist Mountain, Rathjen, Emandare, Synchromesh, Bella, Sea Star, Bartier Bros, Fairview, Kanazawa, Maverick, Nichol, Little Farm and more, whose infiltration of the wine scene is strengthening it at every level.
As for what we’ll be drinking in 2019, the field is as wide open as it’s been at any time in the history of modern wine.
From English sparkling wine to Uruguayan Albariño, to Pais from Chile and Gamay from Canada, it’s all in play, but none will push Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon off the table.
Rosé will continue to rise, and while most of it will be Provence inspired, the clear majority will originate anywhere but Provence, and bear little resemblance to the unique French pink.
The top writers, thinkers and producers in wine will continue to preach freshness, lower alcohol, less manipulation, fewer inputs and/or the less-is-more mantra.
There will be endless talk about organic vs. biodynamic vs. conventional vs. sustainable vs. “natural” wine growing, but little will change at retail, where price and packaging rules.
Heavily extracted reds with ever rising levels of residual sugar and single, originless names will continue to dominate a market that prefers its wine like its coffee — awash in caramel and cream flavours.
Two decades down the revolution road, Riesling is still awaiting its moment in the sun with mainstream consumers. To that list we add some 2019 candidates: Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Chenin Blanc, Languedoc anything, sparkling, and any number of indigenous grapes from Europe and beyond. Will any of these be able to break through onto mainstream retail shelves? Only time will tell.
Throw in a major market shift with cocktail- and craft beerdrinking millennials overtaking the baby boomers as the single largest market sector in North America and it should be an interesting year for everyone in the wine business.
The good news is, the origins of wine have been traced back 8,000 years to Georgia, so it’s likely to remain a beverage of considerable interest to Earthlings for a little longer.