Michael Vaughan's Weekly National Post Feature

Underberg the Ultimate Digestive!
Only a full bottle will do!
Michael Vaughan's Bottle of the Week
National Post • Saturday Weekend Section • April 2, 2005

LIVE WINE LINK
www.winefind.ca
(Ontario Readers: CLICK ON THE NAME - All listings are linked to the LCBO database)
If there is a product that interests you, just click on the name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The product will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on store search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. Call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is listed).

Here is a bottle you don’t have to share! Better yet, although it is packed with 44% alcohol, downing an entire bottle will not leave you tipsy. How is this possible? Well it is a very small bottle holding just 20 ml or 2/3 of an ounce. This bittersweet, pungent, natural herb essence was developed in Germany by Hubert Underberg in 1846. Five generations later finds this healthful antioxidant in 43 countries. At once time you could buy it in Ontario at a reasonable price in specialty food stores. Today you will pay the LCBO $5.50 for 3 portions of Underberg Bitters (CSPC 214809). This adds up to an astounding $68.73 per 750 ml, which is mostly attributable to the extensive mark-up on the costly Underberg packaging. In the US, where it is classified by the FDA as food item, it is available in many stores for less than $4 CND. It is currently available in Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia liquor stores (CSPC 214809). Nova Scotia has the best deal where it costs a mere $4.49 plus a 30 cent deposit for the three tiny bottles! Those who are concerned about the environment and actually go to the trouble to return the bottles only get 15 cents back - just half of their original deposit! A liquor board policy that strikes some as being rather cheesy!

2001-2002-2003-2004-2005 Tasting Note Database
Our tasting note database from December 31, 2000 to February 2005, covers every Vintages release product for the past 50 months. There are more than 8,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. Also you can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name, as well as current LCBO store inventory by clicking on "Check LCBO Availability", which will automatically tell you the number of bottles at LCBO as of last night.

To use our winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here

** For All Visitors **
Vintages May 2005 Release
To see the complete list of upcoming 192 products click here (sorted by date of release). It includes the number of cases, which wines were presented by the LCBO, our agent ID for every product,
as well as, the 22 “In Store Discoveries” for May.
You can also see it sorted by agent click here

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2005
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
(electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net