Since I began Savvy Company 10 years ago, there are two questions that I am constantly being asked:

"I was away on vacation in 'wherever you've just been' and found this outstanding wine. Is there a way that I can order more & have it shipped to Ontario?
The winery owner said that they would do it no problem!"

"I would like to get involved in the wine industry.  How do I become a wine agent?"

If I had a loonie…no, make that a toonie….for each time these questions come up in a conversation while I have a glass of wine in hand, I would be drinking Champagne every day!

The wine industry is fascinating.  I have found that the people involved are typically interesting, well-traveled and have a joie de vivre that is contagious. There are so many wine events for the genereral public, such as the Gourmet Food & Wine Show in Toronto or recently-hosted in Ottawa, County in the City where winemakers from Prince Edward County were showcasing their wines  - white wines, red wines, sparkling wines, you name it they make it.

While you are at these events to enjoy wines, the winemakers are often looking for people to help them sell their wine.  Becoming a representative of a winery while holding down your day job or starting a wine agency from the ground up are two ways to be a part of the rapidly growing wine industry.

Let’s crunch the numbers…

During 2011-2012 fiscal year, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) reported sales of over $3.2 billion worth of imported alcoholic beverages - a 6% increase over the previous year - even in a challenging economic environment. More than any other consumer product, the alcoholic beverage industry has the ability to weather periods of slow or negative economic growth. There is the saying that ‘people will drink in the good times and they will need a drink in bad times too.’

Statistics Canada recently reported on April 11,2013 that net income among the provincial and territorial liquor authorities rose 3.6 per cent to $6.1-billion. More than half this amount is from the sale of imported wine, beer & spirits.

There is no ‘how to’ manual about working in the wine industry.  In fact, there are rarely job postings on Workopolis or Craig’s List either.  Those who know of wine jobs are often ‘in the biz.’ In fact, just last week two wineries contacted me asking if would recommend an agent to sell their wines.

So how to get a jump start on a job in the wine industry? 

Again this year, we are hosting a seminar entitled ‘Importing Wine for Pleasure and Profit’ on Saturday June 8, 2013 by renowned industry expert Steven Trenholme.  Steven conducts this seminar in Toronto twice a year and it sells out quickly because he knows everything AND everyone in the wine industry. In his 30+ year career, Steven has been a wine agent, a brand manager for Mosel wines (of Germany), the Canadian representative for South African Wines, a ‘head hunter’ for numerous wine companies to recruit people as wine agents and to top it all off, manager of a national wine agency.  Steven has the ‘how tos’ for the above two questions that I am always asked!

“As Canadian's thirst for more diversity in the alcoholic beverages that they consume, this presents a very real opportunity for new agents & importers,” states Steven Trenholme.

If you are intrigued about the wine industry or are already an agent, you will find Steven’s day-long seminar invaluable.  Many of Ontario’s top wine importers and agents started their careers after attending this seminar. Several Savvy Sommeliers on my team – myself included - have gained valuable insight to importing wines, as well as learning the ins and outs of the operations and processes of the LCBO & the SAQ in Quebec.

“There are still hundreds of wine suppliers around the world actively looking for importers to represent them in Canada, so there are certainly opportunities to develop a full or part-time career in the wine industry”, reports Steven.

Rest assured that your head will be spinning from all of the information you collect at his seminar, yet Steven is only a few clicks away to help you get started or answer additional questions. He is a wealth of knowledge and THE man to know if you are curious about working in the wine industry or importing your favorite wines back after a trip abroad.

"I have taken a few courses where 'the business of wine' has been a required component, but NOTHING has compared to the relevancy of Steven's content. If you are considering a career in the beverage alcohol business in Ontario, you need this information. Steven is experienced, professional and he offers sound advice delivered succinctly in one day," offers  Alyson Carmichael, LCBO Manager & Product Consultant in Oakville.

Click here to register & for more details about Importing Wine for Pleasure and Profit seminar  at The Old Mill in Toronto on Saturday June 8th, 2013

Since I began Savvy Company 10 years ago, there are two questions that I am constantly being asked:

"I was away on vacation in 'wherever you've just been' and found this outstanding wine. Is there a way that I can order more & have it shipped to Ontario? The winery owner said that they would do it no problem!"

"I would like to get involved in the wine industry.  How do I become a wine agent?"

If I had a loonie…no, make that a toonie….for each time these questions come up in a conversation while I have a glass of wine in hand, I would be drinking Champagne every day!

The wine industry is fascinating.  I have found that the people involved are typically interesting, well-travelled and have a joie de vivre that is contagious.  Just step into the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival (November 6-12 at the Ottawa Convention Center) during the afternoon while it is typically full of industry folks and you can talk to winemakers and winery owners all over the world who have come to Ottawa to showcase their wines - white wines, red wines, sparkling wines, you name it they make it.  Or closer to home, attend Outstanding in their Fields wine tasting event this Friday October 19 at the National Arts Centre where 23 winemakers from Niagara will be showcasing their hard to find wines.

While you are at these events to enjoy wines, the winemakers are often looking for people to help them sell their wine.  Becoming a representative of a winery while holding down your day job or starting a wine agency from the ground up are two ways to be a part of the rapidly growing wine industry.

Let’s crunch the numbers…

During 2011-2012 fiscal year, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) reported sales of over $3.2 billion worth of imported alcoholic beverages - a 6% increase over the previous year - even in a challenging economic environment. More than any other consumer product, the alcoholic beverage industry has the ability to weather periods of slow or negative economic growth. There is the saying that ‘people will drink in the good times and they will need a drink in bad times too.’

There is no ‘how to’ manual about working in the wine industry.  In fact, there are rarely job postings on Workopolis or Craig’s List either.  Those who know of wine jobs are often ‘in the biz.’ In fact, just last week two wineries contacted me asking if would recommend an agent to sell their wines.

So how to get a jump start on a job in the wine industry? 

Again this year, we are hosting a seminar entitled ‘Importing Wine for Pleasure and Profit’ on Saturday November 17^th by renowned industry expert Steven Trenholme.  Steven conducts this seminar in Toronto twice a year and it sells out quickly because he knows everything AND everyone in the wine industry. In his 30+ year career, Steven has been a wine agent, a brand manager for Mosel wines (of Germany), the Canadian representative for South African Wines, a ‘head hunter’ for numerous wine companies to recruit people as wine agents and to top it all off, manager of a national wine agency.  Steven has the ‘how tos’ for the above two questions that I am always asked!

If you are intrigued about the wine industry or are already an agent, you will find Steven’s day-long seminar invaluable.  Many of Ontario’s top wine importers and agents started their careers after attending this seminar. Several Savvy Sommeliers on my team – myself included - have gained valuable insight to importing wines, as well as learning the ins and outs of the operations and processes of the LCBO & the SAQ in Quebec.

“There are still hundreds of wine suppliers around the world actively looking for importers to represent them in Canada, so there are certainly opportunities to develop a full or part-time career in the wine industry”, reports Steven.

Rest assured that your head will be spinning from all of the information you collect at his seminar, yet Steven is only a few clicks away to help you get started or answer additional questions. He is a wealth of knowledge and THE man to know if you are curious about working in the wine industry or importing your favorite wines back after a trip abroad.

To register & for more details about Importing Wine for Pleasure and Profit seminar in Ottawa on Saturday November 17 at www.savvycompany.ca/events

As far back as the Greeks and Romans, the great Rhone river has been a route of cultural and commercial dispersal, bringing new people and practices to what some would consider an ideal climate.  Certainly, grape vines took to the dry, wind-swept plains and hills of the south.  Over the centuries, the wine industry evolved to produce some of the great wines of the world—Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, among others. Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting wineries near the historic cities of Orange and Avignon in Provence, France.  Perfectly timed, some of the wines that I enjoyed are following me back to Ontario as they will be in the November 21 LCBO Vintages release.

Chateau de Beaucastel, owned by the Perrin family since 1909, is one of the largest single properties in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  It was granted to Pierre de Beaucastel by Louis the XIV and has remained an intact estate to the present.  The Perrin family acquired the property just after phylloxera had devastated the area.  Undeterred, their son Jacques began replanting all 13 grape varieties authorized in the appellation.  The family believes firmly that a blend of varietals produces the best wines in the southern Rhone.

Over the years, they became convinced “that to produce a great wine, the vine must grow in as natural a way as possible.”  Consequently, they have been certified organic growers since 1994, but have been growing their grapes organically since the mid-1960s.  Amazingly, all work in the vineyard is done by hand.  And this approach applies to their other vineyards in the southern Rhone in such appellations as Gigondas, Vinsobres, Cairanne, etc.   Grandmother Perrin still lives in the house on the property, and a family member is directly involved in the management of each of their primary vineyards, including La Vieille Ferme and the property across the highway from Beaucastel, where the Perrin wines are produced. 

 There are some unique processes at Beaucastel.  For instance, Jacques patented a process by which, after destemming, the grapes are sent through pipes which quickly heat them to 70C and then cool them to 20C.  This process destroys the enzymes which cause oxidization, therefore eliminating the use of sulfites at this stage.  Syrah and Mourvedre grape varieties - they use a large percentage - are fermented in large oak tanks, while the other 11 varieties ferment in cement tanks.  All the varietals begin aging together in large casks rather than small barriques, “in order to provide an exchange between air and wine without adding further tannins from the wood.”  In February, the five members of the family get together to begin tasting the wines from the varieties in order to determine the proportion of each grape to be used to make the final blends.  The wine finishes aging as a blend and spends at least one year in bottle prior to sale.

We popped the corks in the tasting room with the outstanding 2007 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a blend of 30% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 6% Syrah, complemented by the remaining 8 varietals of the appellation (a secret that is kept close to their chest!).  The wine displayed fresh ripe fruit, complexity, structure and power (acclaimed wine critic Robert Parker rates the wine 93-95+).  It will be available at the LCBO Vintages as of November 21, 2009 (LCBO product code #711317, $89.95).  Consider it a special purchase for that special occasion in the future.

Among the other wines we had the pleasure of tasting were the 1998 and 1990 vintages of the Chateau de Beaucastel, as well as  the Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2007, produced with grapes from 85-year-old vines, aged 50% in barrel – a subtle, aromatic, beautiful full-bodied white wine. 

For those who love well-crafted wines made with integrity, Perrin offers a range to meet the tastes and pocketbook of every wine lover – from the great Chateau de Beaucastel through to the Perrin Reserve or Perrin Nature (certified organic), and on to their brand, La Vieille Ferme.  Available in Vintages on November 21 is the Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone-Villages l’Andeol Rasteau 2007 (LCBO product code #976845, $19.95).   How to best enjoy these wines?  These are food wines, of course, and best enjoyed with friends and a great meal!

Not far from Chateau de Beaucastel, I stopped in to visit Domaine Galevan, a small property near Courthezon owned by the Goumarre family.  Daughter Coralie, is the first woman in the family to be winemaker.  She works with her father and, judging from his grudging admiration and his wife’s slight shrug of the shoulders, there are lively discussions between them about both grape growing and winemaking!  At the time of my visit, Coralie was away picking up her children from school, but her mother mentioned that while wineries around them had already harvested their grapes, Coralie insisted that they be left a bit longer on the vine.  A shake of the head from her father; nevertheless, said he, you can’t argue with success!  Coralie’s 2007 Paroles de Femme Cotes du Rhone  will also be available in the LCBO Vintages this weekend, product code #125930, $15.00. It is a full-bodied fruity blend of Grenache, Mouvedre, Cinsault and Carignan grapes, with hints of the wonderful herbs of the garrigue.  It flew off the Vintages shelves in June, and will no doubt do so again – don’t miss out!

I also had the pleasure of visiting the Domaine de la Presidente near Ste-Cecile-les-Vignes.  This small domaine produces wines within the appellations of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cairanne and Cotes du Rhone, some of which are available through the SAQ (look for the Galifay Cairanne, the Nonciature Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages).  Their Galifay Blanc 2007, a blend of Viognier and Grenache Blanc grapes, is a full-bodied wine redolent of sweet tropical fruit balanced with a fresh seam of acidity.  Their Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre, has great depth of fruit and hints of vanilla with fine tannins and a long satisfying finish.

Cheers to you all!  I hope you enjoy these special wines from the sun-drenched reaches of the southern Rhone valley.

Susan

When you walk into a wine store, there are rows of wines awaiting your discovery.  But how do you to select the right one?  There are many factors to consider, and often the mention of winning a medal at a wine competition can influence your choice and your wallet.  For this reason, wineries compete in wine competitions hoping to win a medal that they can promote in order to influence your purchase.

At this year's Ottawa Wine & Food Show (dates Nov 6 to 8, 2009 at Lansdowne Park, Ottawa) 100+ medals will be given to shine the spotlight on the winners of the Cellars of the World Wine Competition.  This prestigious wine competition that attracts wineries from all corners of the world, was managed by the Savvy Team including Debbie, Wayne, Erin & Vanessa along with a great group of volunteers.

The weeks leading up to the competition day, required hours of receiving, categorizing and logging 360+ bottles of wines.

On the day of the competition, swirling and sipping took place behind closed doors. This year, a panel of 24 judges, consisting of wine writers, professional wine judges, LCBO and SAQ product consultants and accredited Sommeliers from Ottawa's acclaimed restaurants, were teamed based on their wine styles preferences.  Each group judged 60 plus wines ‘blind’ without knowledge of the winery, country or vintage year.  The categories for this competition are based on style and grape variety then further broken down into three price points; $0-14.99, $15-19.99 and over $20.  All exhibitors at the Ottawa Wine and Food Show were invited to participate in the competition entering wines that they intend to serve at the show.

And the drumroll please....this year's winners are....

Download Cellars of the World Wine Competition 2009 - Medal Standings or view the wine competition results online

Interested about wine competitions?  Read Debbie's article that appeared in the Ottawa Business Journal

Cheers & see you at the Wine & Food Show this weekend.

-Debbie