Gord wrecked my day.
Who is Gord? “Gord Stimmell is the Toronto Star’s wine critic”. Says so on their website. My value-driven, wine snob friend Chris, forwarded me Gord’s column last week … “Then we have my highest-rated general-list wine in four years, Stone Dwellers 2008 Cab Sauv, which is $19.95 but tastes like $60 and rates a solid 92. I am buying this for my cellar, so spare me a few bottles, pretty please.”
Sounds like a good wine. So I went online, found that my local store in Guelph had 60 bottles. I went there to purchase some only to find out that ALL 60 BOTTLES WERE ON HOLD!
“SERIOUSLY?”, I said in capital letters to the sales clerk. Then I walked away muttering something like “Gord’s a jerk”.
So when Gord recommends a wine it’s gone off the shelves within 24 hours. You probably think that I’m envious of Gord’s power – and you’re right. I’m already planning to recommend a wine that I know isn’t in stock anywhere so that even 1 person might think that it’s all gone because Travis recommended it. I hope they call me a jerk.
For now, I have the local wine store on speed dial. The moment they get some of that Australian gold in I’m putting it on hold. Keep up the good work Gord.
I'll let you know when I get a bottle
Pull the cork 
May 30th, 2011 at 7:10 am
If it’s any consolation, I think you’re a jerk.
May 30th, 2011 at 9:04 am
I’m not certain about the name calling going on here, but I’d have to agree with your frustration. Often when I read through the wine columns of the TOStar I go online and do a quick search for their ‘locations’. Often they quite a challenge to find…I live east of Toronto and would be encouraged if some great wines were recommended AND which are widely available. Then again, part of wine culture is the snobbery with which it is associated, the more exclusive, the better. Even though I go through this frustrating experience, I find that Gord’s recommendations are good and will keep searching.
(I also like your reviews too…and my local LCBO guy who works down the street….hmmmmm maybe I have a problem?)
May 30th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
I totally agree with you Heathcliff. The name calling has got out of hand – although I still hope somebody besides my brother calls me a jerk.
And I also agree that you should at least consider the posibility of a problem. If you start sending a Christmas card to your LCBO guy then you do need professional help.
May 31st, 2011 at 9:21 am
You can call me names if you like – I can take it! Call me when the wine comes in and I’ll BUY you a java!
June 1st, 2011 at 5:59 pm
I got 2 bottles today – drinking one tonight and holding one just in case Gord stops in at my house sometime.
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Travis,
I found a few bottles up on Speedvale if you are in need of more. We snagged one of those, a bottle of The Dandelion Shiraz, and the 2010 Malivoire Ladybug. I worked in Niagara for the 2010 growing season and they are expecting amazing things…
June 3rd, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Doug,
Thanks for the update – I just called and reserved two bottles of The Dandelion for myself – that seemed even more elusive than the “Stimmell Shiraz” as the Vintages product number didn’t even work for locating it.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:18 am
[…] Stone Dwellers Cab from Australia. You remember Stone Dwellers? I still refer to it as the Gord Stimmell wine. It seemed a good idea to be drinking Stone Dwellers in the event of a tornado. It is a […]
April 29th, 2012 at 1:06 am
[…] a great wine that I found at the LCBO – to be truthful Gord Stimmell (Toronto Star) found it first and that’s how I found it – Gord, sorry about calling […]
April 29th, 2012 at 1:06 am
[…] a great wine that I found at the LCBO – to be truthful Gord Stimmell (Toronto Star) found it first and that’s how I found it – Gord, sorry about calling […]
April 29th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Stone Dwellers…..agree, fantastic wine at the price……lcbo gen listing..
never a problem finding it in Ottawa
April 29th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
I can get it here in Guelph now too – now that the hysteria has slowed after Gord’s glowing review last year. Is the new vintage as good as the last BenF?
May 14th, 2012 at 1:01 am
[…] did the same thing and I couldn’t get the wine for almost 3 weeks because it was sold out. At that time I called Gord a jerk. The irony (and schadenfreude) was that after the article Gord went to his local LCBO to buy […]