The underdog wins

A tempest in a teapot was stirred up earlier this year when the VQA announced (by email) that Bruno Francois and his partner Jens Korberg were not allowed to display a “Prince Edward County” address on the website for their winery. Seems the VQA felt this impinged their ownership of the name for the purposes of wine marketing in Ontario.

Did Bruno and Jens display “Prince Edward County” on their wine labels? No they did not. Nor was there any need. The Old Third already has a truly devoted following of serious oenophiles who scoop up their wines year after year—despite the lack of VQA designation. They are renowned for truly sublime Pinot Noirs and a recently introduced Cabernet Franc that is truly uplifting in all its parts.

So why would they fight back? Membership in VQA costs $1,000 per year, plus a charge of 4.5 cents per litre of wine produced. This is a drop in the bucket to the bigger players in the County and Niagara. But the Old Third produces in the region of only a thousand cases each year, and such expense can severely impact their bottom line. Moreover, to obtain VQA status you must pass a taste test by a panel of cloistered tasters who are more familiar with the profiles of Niagara wine—and who have yet to discover why Prince Edward County, as a separate region, produces distinctly different wines. While I respect the VQA’s exhausting task of championing clear labelling and minimum standards, executive director Laurie Macdonald might consider educating the tasting panels as to why the wines in the County are different and will always be so.

You have to wonder why anyone would enforce the claim that the VQA controls the Prince Edward County address on a website. Fortunately, in an attack of common sense, the Ontario License Appeal Tribunal found in favour of the Old Third. Chalk up one for the underdog.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
This week I tasted the 2012 Casa Dea Pinot Noir.

The colour is a wonderful rich ruby in the glass, with a washed garnet at the edge. The nose is one of red fruit and allspice. Due to the careful use of oak barrels, the palate has a rounded mouth feel of red fruit, with a hint of dried prunes and a caress of French vanilla.

This delightful wine, made by Paul Battilana, is presented at the price of $19.95 per bottle and is available for purchase at the winery located on Greer Road.