COUPS DE COEUR

THIS CELLAR'S HIGHEST SCORING WINES

DOMAINE DE LA JASSE RÉSERVE D'EXCELLENCE, HOMMAGE, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2020, LOT 3571, P34

EVERYDAY DRINKING

CHÂTEAU JOUCLARY TRADITION, AOP CABARDÈS, FAMILLE GIANESINI, 2021, LOT 3549, P21 JONES VINEYARD COLLECTION CARIGNAN, VIN DE FRANCE, 2020, LOT 3536, P13

CELLARING POTENTIAL

DOMAINE LA VOÛTE DU VERDUS, CUVÉE LE GRAND SAUT, AOP LANGUEDOC, 2019, LOT 3558, P26

describing wines and sharing the stories and passion of the producers. As a Membership organization, you the Members are the raison d’être for Opimian’s existence. My responsibilities for sourcing wines on behalf of Members meant that most of my time was spent with producers and doing tastings; however, I have shared memorable moments with Members on visits far and wide within Canada and internationally, and discovered many wonderful places. I have seen icebergs in Newfoundland, enjoyed live bands along George Street in St. John's, experienced torrential rain in Fort McMurray (where I was guaranteed it never rained), visited wineries in Okanagan and Niagara, ate lobster on Prince Edward Island, indeed, eaten wonderful meals throughout! It was a pleasure to meet Members in Calgary, Charlottetown, Edmonton, Fredericton, Fort McMurray, Gatineau, Halifax, Kitchener, Moncton, Montreal, Niagara, Ottawa, Quebec City, Regina, Saskatoon, St. John's, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg (apologies if I have missed any). These trips were hard work but fun, and everyone was always so generous. Thanks to all of the people that organized these trips and hosted me over the years. Wine is made to be enjoyed: it creates community and I have indeed made many friends. Today, high-quality wines are made in many places around the world. However, the global wine trade faces some serious challenges not least that of climate change. This is of particular concern to wine, as the best quality wines are so intimately linked to their terroir and climate. Wine regions around the world are experiencing climate change in terms not only of warmer growing seasons leading to earlier ripening but more frequent extreme weather events - extended periods of drought, increased wildfires, severe spring frosts and floods. Wine producers have to adapt to and mitigate these. Wine has been made and enjoyed for millennia and has seen periods of crisis in the past. This decade is crucial for action. As a Master of Wine, I sincerely hope that as a trade we will rise to the challenges before us and I am working towards that. I hope that you, as wine consumers, will continue to enjoy and discover new wines and to share experiences in a vibrant wine community. I raise a glass and toast you all the best. Cheers!