By Rick VanSickle
Canada may be clearly in the sights of one Donald J Trump who wants to claim our great nation as his own, but don’t blame Wayne Gretzky, his wines or his whisky.
Also in this Niagara wine report: An update on new advertising spots on Wines in Niagara, and wines we recommend from the Vintages release Saturday, including two wines from Back 10 Cellars and a tasty, fun wine from Vineland Estates.
A gathering storm over The Great One’s seemingly cosy relationship with Trump has spilled over to Andrew Peller Ltd.’s Wayne Gretzky Estates winery with calls from some to boycott the popular Niagara-on-the-Lake estate.
A letter to the editor in Niagara Now, by Steve McGuinness of Virgil, questions Peller for continuing to stand by what many to believe is hockey’s greatest hockey player. Gretzky is from Brantford, Ontario, but has lived in the U.S. for many years (he’s is a dual citizen of both countries) and has recently been more vocal about his support for Trump, even in the face of calls from the U.S. president to claim Canada as its 51st state.
McGuinness claims the “recent victory by Team Canada in the inaugural 4 Nations hockey tournament was tainted by Wayne Gretzky’s appearance as the ceremonial team captain,” he wrote. “It was an unsuccessful attempt to rehabilitate his reputation, mortally wounded as a result of his close association with U.S. President Donald Trump. That ill-advised association eroded all goodwill toward him, tracing to his native roots in Brantford and his past hockey glories.”
In his letter to Peller, corporate owner/operator of the Gretzky winery and distillery, McGuinness wondered if the company would “continue to pay a royalty to promote local products under that brand name when Gretzky has clearly become a drag on tourist visits and sales? Why continue to stand with a man aligned with a bully trying to intimidate our great nation into submission? Gretzky has clearly become too controversial to serve as a positive celebrity endorser of a Canadian winery’s products, at a time when we’re organizing “buy Canadian” campaigns to support our economy against the escalating trade war declared by Trump.”
As an end note, McGuinness wrote: “At this point I am not yet calling for a boycott of Peller products, pending management’s reaction.”
From Trump’s viewpoint, he wrote on Truth Social. “Wayne Gretzky is a fantastic guy! They call him, ‘The Great One,’ and he is. He could run for any political office in Canada, and win. Wayne is my friend, and he wants to make me happy, and is therefore somewhat ‘low key’ about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy. Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada, and whatever else makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy. He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I am therefore making him a “free agent,” because I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him. He supports Canada the way it is, as he should, even though it’s not nearly as good as it could be as part of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country in the World, the Good Ole’ U.S.A.!”
McGuinness’s letter is just the tip of the iceberg for growing criticism about Gretzky and his political views in the U.S. In a follow up story in Niagara Now to McGuinness’s letter, resident Steve Long pointed to the former Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto, which saw a sharp decline in reservations following Trump’s first election win in 2016 before eventually rebranding to distance itself from Trump’s name, now going by the St. Regis Toronto.
Long has been spreading the hashtag #NotSoGreatOne to rally support against the winery’s association with Gretzky and argued “the issue is not just about hockey — it’s about character,” he told Niagara Now. “You have to have skill, you have to have character and if one of those falls off the rails, you’re not ‘the Great One’ anymore,” Long said. He said Gretzky’s connection to Trump, who has been criticized for his stance on Canada, tarnishes the town’s reputation — especially in a place like Niagara-on-the-Lake, which has such a strong sense of identity.”
Yeah, OK, go ahead and don’t like the guy for his views. Shake your head when you see him wearing a MAGA hat. Don’t call him The Great One anymore. That’s all fair game.
But don’t encourage others not to go to the popular winery that is a showcase on Niagara Stone Road and provides employment for a great many local residents, earns money for an important Canadian company that supports a wide network of grape growers, and draws tens of thousands to Niagara wine country. If someone has different views than you, get over it, or at the very least show some understanding that not everyone agrees with one another.
Trump won the vote with 77,284,118 votes, and I assume Gretzky was one of them.
I have no problem with individuals showing emotions and personally deciding to boycott a business because you don’t share their political views, but when it has the potential to hurt other Canadians trying to make a living, I draw the line. And so should you.
Advertising update from Wines in Niagara
Apologies for this commercial break, but we wanted to update potential advertising clients of some exciting changes here at Wines in Niagara.
Our website team (thanks, Alli) has found a way to increase the number of ads on our site while still maintaining our uncluttered look. As of March 1, we have two more banner ads for potential clients to consider.
We have been in the uncomfortable situation of having to turn down clients as we have a limited number of advertising banners available and have been mostly sold out. We now offer several banner ads in two sizes at various prices on a per month basis to help advertisers promote, sell and help engaged readers become more aware of what wineries or businesses linked to the Ontario wine industry have to offer.
We are working on a new rate sheet, so if interested in receiving one to find out about our rates or availability, please email Maureen at RVSwine (at) gmail.com and she can help you out.
Our editorial content is not paid for in any way and we do not and will not ever accept money for wine reviews or paid promotions other than title sponsors for our major features such our wines of the year or the harvest report. These are sponsorships in name only and partners have no control over the content.
If you are interested in advertising on Wines in Niagara and are looking for rates and placement information, please email Maureen at RVSwine@gmail.com and she can help you out.
Niagara wines coming to Vintages stores Saturday
There’s a small release of Niagara wines Saturday at Vintages stores. Here’s what we recommend:
Back 10 Cellars Smitten Sparkling 2023 ($26, 89 points) — This smartly priced charmat style sparkling wine, made from Riesling, hits all the right notes. It has a bright and cheerful nose of lime, fresh apple, and pear with a gentle bead in the glass. The orchard fruits and citrus zest are lifted by bright acidity, tiny bubbles of joy and a vibrant finish.
Back 10 Start from Scratch Chardonnay 2023 ($29, 90 points) — Back 10 has never wavered from its combination of 20 g/l of RS, 10 g/l of titratable acidity and 10% abv for its Riesling. “That’s our perfect recipe, off dry with lots of acid,” said co-owner Andrew Brooks. It’s laced with lime, grapefruit, peach and green apple with a nice saline edge on the nose. The citrus fruits are tangy on the palate, with any sweetness balanced by the vibrant acidity. Can cellar this through 2029.
Vineland Estates La Vidal Loca 2023 ($16, 89 points) — This fun, 100% Vidal Blanc is the creation of Brad Gowland, part of the winemaking team at Vineland Estates. He says this wine “will remind you of a Lime Rickey Martian, as it is citrusy, refreshing and simply out of this world.” The nose shows a tsunami of fresh and lively lime, green apples, melons and peaches. There’s subtle effervescence on the palate, which ignites the fruity melange of bright orchard fruits, tangy lemon-lime, and melons. Nothing too complicated here, just a cheerful, fresh white wine for everyday consumption.
Also released, but not reviewed by Wines in Niagara:
• Case Springs CSV Riesling 2022 ($35)
• Flat Rock Good Kharma Chardonnay 2023 ($18)
• Peller Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($24)
• Drea’s Rosato 2023 ($26)
We’re not saying close this winery, just rename it since we no longer celebrate this man (the formerly Great One). If the building is indeed a showpiece then people will still visit. The whisky and skating rink etc. will bring them in. The location works well too. The wines not so much.
There’s a lot better wineries in Niagara to support that isn’t Gretzky Estates. The people can vote with their wallet to support Canada and support Canadians that don’t align themselves with the orange one.
“ Trump won the vote with 77,284,118 votes, nearly half that country voted for him, and I assume Gretzky was one of them.”
Who ever said this should go back to elementary school! Population of the U.S. is 340 million +…
Errors, I’ve made a few. But this one is corrected.
What is wrong with you people? You are taking a couple of meaningless actions and blowing them way out of proportion. Wayne is a true Canadian who stands up for Canada always!!!! I’m guessing all you who are lowering yourselves to attack this great Canadian are living perfect lives. I didn’t think so. If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself.
Wayne Gretzky is backing a convicted felon in Donald Trump! While he has the freedom to choose to do so, it would be naive in thinking there would be no pushback from consumers who value decency and integrity in individuals that we Canadians hold in high regard. Wayne has fallen off his throne…..rebrand the winery and continue to prosper or stay the course and lose business.