Written by Tony Aspler | 23 November 2007

First the bad news. Once the dust settles on the Beijing Olympics in 2008, wine prices for the world’s icon wines will rise significantly. Romanée-Conti, Pétrus, First-Growth Bordeaux and Château d’Yquem will be out of range for all but the mega-rich. This pressure on supply will affect prices for second-tier fine wines and have a trickle-down effect.

Why? Because the wealthy Chinese will witness how Western businessmen entertain in Beijing hotels and restaurants — and millionaires like to have what other millionaires have. Namely, the world’s great wines. There is only a limited supply of each vintage of the above-mentioned wines, which means that their prices will go up.

Now the good news. Regions that hitherto supplied the market with wallet-friendly but eminently drinkable wines will fill the gap with more elegant — and slightly more costly — versions of wines they already sell.

Written by Tod Stewart | 29 October 2007

Over two million Canadians have diabetes.

For thirty-two years I’ve been a card-carrying member of the no-sugar-tonight club. The thing that always surprises people when they find out I’m diabetic is the significant part that food and wine play in my life. Reactions range from the somewhat curious (“How do you manage to do that?”) to the utterly admonishing (“Diabetics shouldn’t drink!” — to which I typically reply: “To your health!” before draining my glass). While the medical world has pretty much conceded that diabetics need not abstain from fermented fruit juice (or other potent potables), the question of what to drink and how much remains an issue.