Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday 4 November 2012

Canadian horror story: SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' – top quality mould?!


SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions'

 SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' 

SAQ (Société des Alcools du Québec) website: offer of 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions'


The guaranteed 'high quality aging conditions' in English 


and in French: 'des conditions de gardes optimales garanties'


Robert Chiraz comments: 
'90% of the bottles were bought upon release, so put into storage in AAA condition and yes, 95% bought at SAQ...the mouldy strapped case is double mag of La Grande Rue 2005...was in storage not even a year...got the day of release...the only 3 that the SAQ sold public...what a way to treat a good customer....guess I wasn’t good enough for them....'

1982 Leoville Las Cases:  
SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' 


2005 Beaune Premier Cru 
SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' 

 Gévrey-Chambertin: Clos Saint-Jacques 
SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' 



SAQ: 'guaranteed high quality aging conditions' 

3 comments:

Gavin said...

I know it looks bad, but has it damaged the wines? I've seen wines in French winery cellars that seem to be coated in an inch or so of dust and mould but am told that provided the cork has kept it out of contact with the wine, it should be fine... one hopes. Eg, in this photo I took in cellar in Saint-Émilion. Of course, if the mould got into the actual cork, it'd cause problems.

Tim York said...

There is evidence there of a high degree of humidity which spoils the labels and the look of the bottles and cases but which should not harm the wine. Indeed I have read claims that high humidity protects corks and should improve ageing. If resale is the intention, the value could be affected but, if for drinking, .....

Was there also a high degree of temperature variation and light which would damage to the wine?

Cutter said...

There's a definite issue of possible - likely - TCA or matterization involved here. The Canadian government needs to get out of the booze business and privatize it - along with lowering the exorbitant luxury taxes on product. Canada is pretty much stuck in the 18th century when it comes to all things wine, beer, and spirit related.