Education articles concerning the wee one
Personal Information: Married with Children, hatched in June 1953, Retired. Professionally obnoxious, world-class conceited know-it-all and a bore of no mean accomplishment.
WINE INTERESTS AND INVOLVEMENT
- Second recipient of the Grapes For Humanity Award see the award, the press handout, the paddle that was presented {front, great work by Doug Beatty}, and back, and a treasured letter from Donald Ziraldo An incredible standing ovation was enough to fill the biggest cup, and even shut me up. A high point in my life.
- Tony Aspler has posted a page about the above award.
- Owner and manager of www.littlefatwino.com a busy non-profit website with millions of "successful requests" each year
- Owner and manager of Growwine Internet Listserver which is an Internet Discussion Group concerning Cold Climate Wine Growing & Making
- Vice President of Ontario Viniculture Association an organization representing the interests of many small Ontario wineries.
- Initiated (with Hugh Johnstone) and have maintained a series of Canadian Red vs Bordeaux Red wines over a period of many years - the only such series to my knowledge, and one which has been widely reported
- Survivor of being paid to be a wine judge for the 2006, 2007 & 2008 Ontario Wine Awards, where one Saturday I sat between Dr. Irvin Wolkoff and Frank Baldock, judging 80-odd wines in about 4 hours, and was even more thoroughly tested the next week sitting between Tony Aspler and David Lawrason scoring 90-plus over about 4.5 hours (man can these guys go!) A thoroughly humbling experience! (but a real high point too!!). Also a judge at the All Canadian Wine Championships 2008 in Windsor, and have filled in where necessary in many amateur competitions.
- President of the Amateur Winemakers of Canada, and have much experience working in various Amateur Winemaking organizations
- 2005 and 2006 National Champion, Amateur Winemakers of Canada and have done well in other competitions. 2005, 2006 and 2007 champion of the Vinificateurs Amateur du Quebec (my primary association, though I'm historically in the top 10 in both Ontario and National standings).
- As an amateur winemaker, experimenting with cold hardy varieties and new winemaking techniques to see what is possible in cold climates. Much is possible - there could be small family-driven wineries in large portions of Southern Canada except (IMHO) for the monied and political forces opposed to their establishment
- Alcohol Distribution Channels Critic - I believe that the LCBO and the Ontario Government are doing much to harm and little to help the small wineries in Ontario, and am carefully monitoring this subject as well as growing signs of what I view as institutionalized corruption.
- From 1991 to 2004, started, planned and organized various Canadian wine shows in Lakefield, Peterborough and Buckhorn
- Starting in 1993, planted vines in Peterborough and area, and have worked at these, winning a number of medals and awards for wines made from grapes grown inside Peterborough County
- Organizer of many wine tastings, bus trips, wine dinners, wine auctions and other similar events
- Have worked with numerous charities on wine events in the extended Peterborough area for many years, most prominently at this time for the Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Foundation Colours of Hope Gala
AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD OF ONTARIO (1974 - 2004)
- Almost 30 years working in the store system of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (and can only remember one day in 1982 when somebody outworked me!)
- With LCBO, passed Product Knowledge Levels I, II and III and Service Knowledge
- Created the first sale section procedures, limited time offer signage (temporary reductions), contributed to first computerized inventory systems and did cost-analysis of LCBO display techniques
- Created, promoted and managed the first selection of VQA wines from multiple wineries in one building (Lakefield LCBO # 261, 1989-1994)
- On own time and at own expense, created and mailed Ontario VQA wine tasting notes to up to 85 LCBO stores at one time
- On slow days working in slow stores managed to find time each day to study product knowledge over a period of 10 to 12 years after completing all other duties and while waiting for customers
- A number of articles were written in major publications (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Ottawa Citizen and others) concerning the work I was doing in the promotion of VQA wines in the store (and on my own time)
- For a few years, I would go to Reif winery on the coldest nights of winter, bringing back not only frozen icewine grapes but vine cuttings for customers. At my own cost and on own time I prepared instructions for turning cuttings into vines. These were given to interested customers with the blessings of my managers
- For many years, with permission from successive District Managers, I handed out sheets of information about various wine tastings, charitable events and sampling opportunities to interested customers (again on own dime, prepared on my own time)
PHILOSOPHY: If someone is mad at me, they have a problem. {They should get in line.} If everyone is mad at me at the same time, I have a problem...
