You'd think by now that the Hired Belly would have learned about the pitfalls of such new year's activities.
But no. Dusting off our crystal ball yet again, we bring you the following fearless predictions.
No doubt about it: we'll be tasting a few more wines from the likes of Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec - in part, thanks to the groundswell kicked off by people like Terry David Mulligan, and Free My Grapes, who made it their business to question the absurd state of affairs concerning individual Canadians' ability to bring wine across provincial boundaries.
Bill C-311: An Act to amend the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (interprovincial importation of wine for personal use), if passed in 2012, will make it legal for Canadians to not only carry wine for their own consumption across the country but also even have it shipped directly to them. Gasp! What a concept.
A few drops in particular we'll be tracking down include the award-winning, mineraland citrus-toned Tawse (Niagara,) Riesling 2010, and a couple of bottles of L'Acadie Vineyards (Gaspereau, N.S.) Prestige Brut.
As far as wines that come in through "the system," we still scratch our heads over how we in B.C. continue to pay among the highest wine prices in the country - also reflected in restaurant markups, which are effectively based, perhaps not surprisingly, on the post tax-paid value.
Do we expect any relief for either restaurateurs or consumers in 2012? Not really.
The bottom line? Nothing's going to change until someone in government grasps the need to implement a viable wholesale price system, something which would definitely be on our wish list for this new year. Well, we can hope, can't we?
Speaking of absurdities, last summer we made our annual pilgrimage to Hornby's Island Sprits Distillery, to catch up on the latest from this more remote of spirit specialists. As always, it was extraordinary to taste the latest botanicals from the producers of emblematic Phrog Gin and more; and marvel at the gleaming, newly installed, German-built Eduard Holstein still - guaranteed to bump things up even a few more notches.
However, we were also once again reminded of the ridiculous, prohibition-era bureaucracy not only endured by B.C.'s small distillers but which threatens their very survival.
An example: While Island Spirits sells much of its production through the tasting room, some is available through the agency liquor store at the Hornby Island Co-op, which is, as the crow flies, probably not more than 300 metres from the distillery. The absurdity? Every single bottle sold at the Co-op just down the road has made six ferry trips over a round trip of 200 kilometres - to the BCLDB warehouse and back - under regulations that still prohibit distillers to direct ship to anyone.
Think about it. Here's one of the greenest homegrown products you can find being subjected to the most unfriendly carbon footprint, just because somebody, somewhere doesn't want anything to change.
While the Artisan Distillers Guild of B.C. has been lobbying for changes, the matter is still "under study" by the government, whose legislation continues to favour the major mass-scale producers.
Meanwhile, outside of B.C., both north and south of the border, a full scale revival of premium artisan distilling is in full swing. Again, in 2012, here at home, we can only hope for changes to a chronically outdated policy that can't come soon enough for B.C.'s fledgeling distillers.
Meanwhile, back on the wine stage, even with the twists and turns of the B.C. Wine Authority, this may well be the year that we'll finally see sub-appellations confirmed. First out of the gate? How about Skaha Bluffs, Black Sage or Golden Mile. Who knows? But you can be sure once the first is announced there'll be no shortage of followers.
Happy New Year!
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Calendar: Tales of the Cocktail on Tour rolls into Vancouver, Feb. 12-14, to no doubt repeat its highly successful inaugural show. For what adds up to a remarkable deal if you're an aficionado, US$195 gets you access to a three-day whirl of samplings, seminars and schmoozes with the brightest and best of spirits luminaries from home and abroad. Info at www.talesofthecocktail.com/ vancouver-2012.
