SEARCHING THE SMALL STORESbig bargains in your corner wine shop?I work in a high level, high turn-over retail wine and spirit store. I also appreciate wines that are older than what you can find in high turn-over retail stores. Words cannot describe the bargains that you can find in the stores off the beaten track. When the great Bordeaux vintages of 1996 and 2000 came to the marketplace, little stores thought that they could be a slightly bit more streamlined for collectors (and neighbors), to prove that they could compete with more knowledgeable stores by purchasing these vintages. The vineyard volumes were good, the prices were what they were. Sadly, the big stores with big advertising budgets won. They charged what they felt that they could get, and their inventory on these wines these days read zero.The little stores that bought these great wines are wishing that they don’t have them in inventory. The likelihood that these wines have been reduced in price so that they don’t weigh so heavily on inventory is possible, but the likelihood that they have increased in price because they are weighing down the cost of inventory is unlikely. Looking for bargain cellar wines...Today is the day to check out the little stores. If you like Bordeaux wines and you have a few investment dollars, seek them out. Take your list, then bargain for everything else. You will never regret the new profit margin.I have seen vintage ports that date back to the early ‘80s. Stored standing up, sediment standing at bottom, multiple dollars less than the 1995 vintages, why wouldn’t I buy them? They drink now.Other options in little stores.Southern Rhone 2001, seek them but remember... they are nine years old. They will be brilliant or horrible. Roll the dice. I’ll bet that the ones that have firm corks are devine. Look out for the squishy corks.2006 Bordeaux - highly rated, move now. Peter H.
Ptincalgary - If anyone knows how to put fun into wine appreciation, it is Peter Hodgkinson. Although not professionally accredited, Peter's "shoot-from-the-hip" enthusiasm about wine has regaled his retail customers for over 15 years. Relied on for food pairings by many of Calgary's top caterers and private collectors alike, his jovial spirit and keen sense of flavours keeps them coming back for more. He credits this sense to his Grandmother, an Alberta-born farmers wife who loved to preserve fruit for the winter. "Walking into her kitchen was a wonderful experience. Depending on the week of the growing season, you really got to know the smell of pears, plums, and cherries, all major components of wine. Everything she made, be it jam, jelly, or jarred fruit, they were all perfect. How don't you build on that?"
Two years training at an Agriculture School hasn't hurt either. "Appreciation of different soil types, plant breeding programs, micro-climates and temperature, all have a part in making a wine different from another. Add in the difference the weather can present from year to year, you have a means of learning something new with every vintage."
All this learning has led to Peter being asked to host wine tastings, "I don't necessarily consider myself as a Wine Consultant or Wine Expert. I prefer to think of myself as a Wine Entertainer." When asked why he isn't a certified sommelier, Peter's answer is matter-of-fact. "I find a wine I really like, then tell all my friends. You don't need a certificate to do that."
Often considered a trend spotter, Peter is more renowned for his quest for different spectrums of wine. Trying to find the most delicate Sauvignon Blanc or the biggest, tooth-staining red piques Peter's interest every day. If ever asked how he remembers the flavours of all the wines that he sells, he is known to shrug, then smile and casually explain, "Photographic taste buds." The most formidable quest that hasn't been met? "That perfect wine under $17.00, but Boy!! have I come close." Venture on Peter, venture on..."
When it comes to reviews, whether it centers on Wine, Beer, or Spirits, Peter always focuses on his impressions and leaves all biases of friendships, corporation, and media impressions aside. His opinions are his AND his alone, no matter which opinion is willing to disagree.
