I must be the only wine slut in Vancouver unimpressed with Golden Mile Winery’s name change to Road 13. To me, this is like Tiffany’s changing its name to Target.
Apart from the irony that Canada is metric and doesn’t even use the measurement of miles, the owners Mick and Pam Luckhurst have traded the word for the lowly sounding “Road.” Also, they are losing the most luminous description of wealth, value and beauty – “Golden” – in favor of the unluckiest of numbers, 13. What were they thinking?
Gone is their classy, tasteful label featuring a lone pine tree that exudes solidity. The new design is a bold, black on white silhouette of a farmer on a tractor that screams second label budget bottle. They’re putting their same fine wine in a new, downscale-looking package, but with the old upscale prices. Wine branding is serious business, and not to be tinkered with lightly, so it’s a mystery why they’d fix a brand that isn’t really broke.
The official line is that the Luckhursts want to give the name back to the area. Apparently, they think it’s too selfish to continue using the name that represents the appellation. They want other vintners to be able identify their wines with the Golden Mile bench without promoting their winery.
Hmmm, tell that to Cliff Lede, Clos du Val and Chimney Rock of Napa, all of which place “Stags Leap District” on their cabernets despite the fact that not one, but two wineries – Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Stags’ Leap Winery – are named for the area.
It is magnanimous of the Luckhursts to give back the Golden Mile name to the presumably deprived Golden Milers of Oliver. Still, I think their money would have been better spent renovating the bizarre exterior of that castle they call home.
My favorite Golden Mile, er, Road 13 wine? Chardonnay, by a mile. The 2006 vintage has that tropical fruit profile that reminds me of Taz of Santa Barbara County. It has well-balanced oak, hints of vanilla and hazelnut, and a round, medium full body that makes it a perfect accompaniment to salmon. The $20 price suits the tree label. We’ll see if the tractor version lives up to the price.
Talk about you and I being at polar opposites. The Road 13 Label- stands out, and is simple which to me means good wine inside. "Golden" how 1980's passe. Chardonnay how definitely passe. Their 2006/7 Merlot -awesome! Fifth Element is great as well, but for the money the Merlot easily wins.
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