Heading into the year of affordable wines

The year 2008 will be remembered by wine lovers as the year prices came back down to earth but now that they have, can we afford them?

Unfortunately, it took a pesky recession to start the downward trend in prices in all categories, across the spectrum, and shows no signs of recovery. The future for high-end, high-priced wines looks bleak as consumers trade down to more affordable wines.

Here are some predictions for 2009:

- The era of the big wine conglomerate is over. The mega wine-booze companies will have to parcel off individual wineries as profits plummet and consumers demand more for less. This is a good thing. The more independence there is, the better for all of us.

- I am not hopeful for the Canadian wine industry this year, especially in Niagara where a dreadful growing season left many growers with grapes that withered on the vine. The red wines from 2008 will be a struggle for most wineries with riesling, sparkling wines and icewine about the only bright spots. My one wish is that the LCBO takes its monopolistic head out of the sand and allows Ontario wineries better access to the consumer.

- It is my hope, as it is every year, that consumers keep discovering the ultimate pleasure of riesling wines. Whether it's dry, sweet, semi-sweet or from Canada, Germany or Australia, no other grape offers the pleasure that a well-made riesling can provide.

- Grape varietals that will be in high demand are malbec for red wine lovers, Canadian pinot blanc for white wine lovers and red-grape icewines for dessert wine lovers.

- Wine tourism in both the Okanagan and Niagara will explode this year. With gas prices dropping and the U.S. dollar getting stronger visitors from south of the border as well as Canadians looking to stay close to home this summer will find what many of us already know -- our own wine country is the perfect place to unwind with good food, good wine and spectacular scenary.

- I enjoyed many a good wine in 2008 -- Opus One 1994 on an outdoor patio in Calgary, E&E Black Pepper Shiraz 2004 during my first virtual tasting, Wolf Blass Platinum Label 2005 while golfing with PGA tour player Stephen Ames. But, I must narrow it down to just one for my wine pick of the year. So here it is:

- Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling Barossa 2006 -- When picking wines of the year, it helps to have some fond memories to go with the wine. It doesn't get any better than a secluded white sand beach on the shores of Kangaroo Island, Australia, fresh-caught and grilled King George Whiting fish, and frosty glasses of this mostly single-vineyard riesling from Jacob's Creek. Steingarten is one fine drop of wine with distinctive aromas and flavours of fresh citrus mingling with minerals, smoke, hazelnuts, and a hint that it will develop petrol if cellared properly.

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