After buying our wheelbarrow, we discovered that the LCBO on the Queensway at West Mall is a Vintages. And thanks to your comments, I recognized some names to try. For our pre-playoff playoffs, we have sixes of Sleeman Honey Brown and Mill Street Coffee Porter and one 500 ml bottle of Creemore Springs. I also bought a couple of bottles of red wine from Pelee Island Vineyards, an Ontario winery.
Hey, I also forgot to mention: our SIN cards came yesterday! That's it for the bureaucracy until we're eligible for health cards. [LP: our numbers start with a 5. Who was right?]
Now I'm off to do yard work, then to see the Red Sox smack Randy Johnson around.
15 comments:
Don't drink Canadian wine! Seriously, don't do it. Or, more eloquently, as Mordechai Richler once wrote, "There is only so much plonk I am willing to drink for my country." Canadian wine is where my Canadian patriotism ends.
Hmm, interesting. The Ontarians here go on about the excellent vineyards. I haven't been impressed yet, but I'm still willing to try.
Hey, nice to see you, BWV.
I'm not sure how things work south of the border with social security numbers, but it's wise to keep your SIN # ultra-secret (except from your banks and employers). Of course, you probably already know this. I've been the victim of identity theft after someone got a hold of my SIN #. They acquired a staggering array of credit cards in my name. It was a messy situation.
They are some good Canadian wines. Unfortunately, there are some real dogs out there too.
I've been the victim of identity theft after someone got a hold of my SIN #. They acquired a staggering array of credit cards in my name. It was a messy situation.
IIRC, no-one should ever need your SIN except the federal government, but some banks will accept it as ID. So keep it safe!
Yup, no problem there (and thanks for the advice). It's the same in the US with SS numbers - although increasingly they are used for ID, which spreads them around more, making them less secure. But yes, I'll keep it secret.
Sorry to hear you had that trouble, ZF. I've heard and read it can be a nightmare.
And p.s.: I had an Ontario Merlot-Cabernet tonight, and it was pretty nice. Maybe they've gotten better since BWV was last here?
It is possible the wine has improved, or that I could only afford crappy wine when I last lived in Canada. When I did, Canadian wine functioned less as a beverage than as a ritual object in an elaborate circle of gift exchange. It went like this:
- Person A gets invited to a party at the last minute, only to find that the LCBO store is closed.
- Person A then goes to that weird annex in their local supermarket, the only place where you can buy wine outside of an LCBO. Said annex only sells Canadian wine. Oh, and Canadian vermouth.
- Person A goes to the party and gives said bottle of Canadian wine to Person B.
- Person B, awakening the next day with a huge hangover, notices that all of her/his booze has been drunk by the party guests, except for Person A's bottle of Canadian wine.
- A week later Person B gets invited to a party at the last minute.
- Person B brings Person A's bottle of Canadian wine, and gives it to Person C.
- Repeat, until:
- Person X, in a fit of desperation, opens Person A's bottle of Canadian wine. It tastes like flowers.
- Person X gets invited to Person Y's party. The LCBO store has closed, so person X buys another bottle of Canadian wine in the weird supermarket Canadian wine annex.
- A new bottle of Canadian wine enters the gift cycle.
I think we have some pretty good wines in Ontario. Let me first say that I'm neither wine expert nor wine snob... In general, I'd say the reds from Pelee Island are good value for decent table wines. If you want really fantastic wines, be prepared to pay for them, just like anywhere else. Some of the small wineries around Grimsby feature really nice bottles - try touring around this fall. I like Thomas & Vaughan's Cabernet Sauvignon, which sometimes turns up in Vintages stores. I think they have a website, too.
If you Ontarians think Canadian wine is so bad it may be because you think Canada ends at the Manitoba border. The best Canadian wines are from B.C. and there are lots to choose from. Have a look at the 2004 Canadian wine awards(they did throw a few token medals at Ontario)http://www.wineaccess.ca/2004wine-awards.htm
and here are some B.C. wine reviews: http://www.heartofwine.com/reviews/index.htm
Also check out: http://www.gismondionwine.com
If you Ontarians think Canadian wine is so bad it may be because you think Canada ends at the Manitoba border.
That isn't what anyone said. I'm sure BC wines are very nice, but you're not reading carefully. Thanks anyway for the links.
Hey, I also forgot to mention: our SIN cards came yesterday! That's it for the bureaucracy until we're eligible for health cards. [LP: our numbers start with a 5. Who was right?]
Technically, no one. :) My friend held that "9" was reserved for immigration purposes -- apparently this turns out not to be true. I had no informed opinion on the matter. I believe my Dad's number starts with a 4 or a 5, which, seeing as he was born in Ontario, would tend to suggest regardless of where you're from, you're issued a number in keeping with the province you arrive in -- either by jetliner or stork. :)
either by jetliner or stork
Or the world's fullest minivan. :)
BWV, that story sounds eerily like the fruitcake thing.
that weird annex in their local supermarket, the only place where you can buy wine outside of an LCBO.
I hadn't noticed this before, but after reading this, I looked for it - et voila, there it was. Strange.
I was wondering if the weird Canadian wine annexes still existed. Maybe, to be fair, I should amend my rant and say that only the Canadian wine sold in the supermarket anexes is crap. The rest may be very good, but I confess I never bought any Canadian wine when I had other options.
On another note, from one Jewish atheist to another, happy new year!
Thanks! Happy New Year to you, too!
I bet some Canadian wine has gotten better since you lived here. There are so many relatively new wineries in the Niagara region. You'd think some of them would have to be good! (No?)
I still don't know what's up with these supermarket "estate" wines. Based on what you say, I don't think I'll find out.
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