The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO 2009.

John Abbott is a professor of history at Laurentian University’s Algoma University College. He is the co-author of The Border at Sault Ste Marie and The History of Fort St. Joseph.

Buying wine from the world’s largest alcohol near-monopoly, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, challenges the consumer in ways not experienced by those served by independent purveyors whose individual reputations and livelihoods are determined by their palates, their selections, and their long-term retail relationships with their customers. For the knowledgeable consumer, who knows his own palate, nothing is more important than knowing the wine merchant’s palate, wine criteria, and mode of exploration. All advice offered is from the employees of the LCBO, while it may vary somewhat from person to person. Hence the usefulness of guides, particularly those focused on the General List, written by outsiders.

The wines recommended by Rod Phillips were selected and ranked (five star method) after comparative tasting of some 1,500 wines over a single month. Anyone who has attended a wine tasting values the revelations that flow from two hours with ten related wines. Of equal importance is Phillips’s decision to stress the style of particular wines rather than the specific aromas released in the glass. Emphasizing style, the essential nature of the wine, brings back into the wine lexicon such long neglected words as “structure,” “complexity,” “weight,” “balance,” and “harmony.” These terms are critical in matching food and wine. Knowledge of these qualities, with some awareness of the flavour characteristics likely to be generated by grape variety and provenance, makes for savvy purchases. He clearly and succinctly explains the value of each additional star, from three to five, lists all pertinent information in each product heading, including the listing number and vintage, and reviews the basics involved in buying, serving, and drinking wine, as well as matching it to food. A cursory selection of Pinot Gris, Riesling, and sparkling wines confirmed the accuracy of his ratings, but cast some doubt on his suggestion that vintage considerations in the General List are of minimal importance. A very limited exploration of the holdings in a flagship store revealed that about half of the recommended wines, of a particular vintage, had been replaced by later ones, even before the end of 2008. Highly recommended.