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The Dan Aykroyd Center For Kids Who Can’t Wine Good

By David Topping

Aykroyd-Winery-Front-View.jpg
You can’t make this shit up.
This morning at a press conference, Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Ltd. announced their plans to build a $12-million, 45,000 square-foot Dan Aykroyd Winery, just off the QEW in Beamsville, Ontario.
Aykroyd-Winery-Aerial-View.jpg
Done by Moriyama + Teshima Architects, the winery “will pay tribute to the region’s terroir and to Dan Aykroyd’s 30-plus years of work in film and television by showcasing some of his favourite memorabilia throughout the building.” Wait, does that mean that there’ll be a Ghostbusters room?
In addition to the winery, which’ll be in operation in time for harvest season in 2008, the first two of many “Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series” wines were debuted. The Chardonnay ($14.95) and Cabernet Merlot ($16.95) blends (click their names to see the pictures) are now available at the LCBO.
God help us.
Artist’s renderings courtesy of Diamond Estates/Word Of Mouth PR.

Comments

  • http://www.publicspace.ca Jonathan Goldsbie

    Wow.
    Moriyama + Teshima is a terrific firm, though, so even if both the wine and the Aykroyd exhibits suck (is it worth asking how could they not?), the building will still be stunning.
    Were there at least decent food and drinks at the press conference?

  • Hamish Grant

    What’s next, the Andrienne Clarkson Football Stadium?
    I don’t associate Dan Akroyd with much lately – other than the term ‘has-been’ and ‘he was good back in the early 1980′s…’ … what on Earth would possess someone to attach him to a winery?
    Vanity wineries… this is a new one.

  • David Topping

    Jonathan: I couldn’t tell you, as I missed it. But I’m gonna go with no.

  • Marc Lostracco

    Wine, you ignorant slut.

  • http://www.publicspace.ca Jonathan Goldsbie

    Vanity wineries aren’t actually a new thing, Hamish. Not even counting the various nobles around the world who’ve been making wine for centuries, Francis Ford Coppola has had his own winery for about ten years now (formerly called the “Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery,” now the Rubicon Estate) — and apparently some of their stuff is pretty good (though not the crap I’ve had). He even made an Apocalypse Now wine at one point, complete with a DVD tucked into the bottle… seriously.

  • brokenengine

    From Wikipedia:
    “As of 2006 Dan Aykroyd has entered a partnership with Niagara Cellars, which owns four wineries in the Niagara region. They will be marketing a series of red and white wines under his name.”
    Also, imagine the horror of the following:
    “He is also considering a beer and vodka label with the Coneheads name.”

  • http://www.newmindspace.com Kevin Bracken

    Actually, Aykroyd has been a wine aficionado for quite some time; in fact, there was a decent article written about his love of wine in the Air Canada magazine, En Route.
    It seems like he basically tried to buy his way into the “I’m good at winemaking” club, and perhaps succeeded.

  • mathew

    Wow, that winery looks just like festival centre!

  • Caroline

    Believe it or not, I had Rodney Dangerfield “no respect” wine, which I picked up for $3 bucks or so at a discount store in Oakland, California. So fading comedians attaching themselves to wine is actually an old story.
    As for Coneheads beer, Meeeps!

  • Mike Warner

    I’ll bet something will end up being called “The Booze Brothers”.
    Trademarked, Aykroyd!

  • Paige

    Coppola wines are EXCELLENT! (but not available here, damn you LCBO and your lame importing laws.)
    If you’re in Halifax you can get some at the Bishop’s Cellar wine store, but what’s REALLY awesome are the Sofia Minis–glossy pink cans of sparkling wine that come with straws! MMmm!
    I don’t see what’s the problem with the winery–it’s close to Toronto, so good for a day tasting trip. It looks pretty, from the designs. And will bring a bit more selection to the Ontario shelves than the endless bottles of Pelee Island and Jackson Trigs.

  • brokenengine

    PS: Kudos should be given to Mr. Lostracco for the wittiest comment imaginable for this topic. Kudo’s Mr. K, kudo’s.

  • brokenengine

    That, of course, should read “Mr. L.”

  • Sheryl

    Vanity wineries are quite prevalent. On Gordon Ramsay’s UK show The F-Word, he regularly tests celebrities associated with wineries to see if they can tell their own wine in a test against pricier vintages. Cliff Richard, Barry Manilow and Madonna all have wines associated with them now.

  • David Topping

    It just strikes me as so tacky, you know? Wine is one thing, an entire winery devoted to…uh, Dan Aykroyd just seems so over-the-top.

  • brokenengine

    Didn’t Dan Akroyd launch a line of Vodka or Tequila a couple of years ago?

  • Mark Dowling

    Blackberry geek buys NHL team – hero (and McGuinty offers him money!)
    World famous actor invests in Niagara winery – loser according to Torontoistas
    WTF PEOPLE????

  • David Topping

    Mark, Christopher certainly didn’t seem on the verge of calling the guy a hero in his news roundup.
    But that aside, I don’t even get the basis of comparison. You’re comparing corporate sponsorship of a hockey team (probably limited, at that; they’re not gonna be called the “Hamilton Blackberries” right?) with a celebrity buying something and naming something after themselves. This isn’t a wing in a hospital or a university building: it’s a vanity winery. (Good name, Hamish.)
    Though…I’ve always wanted Torontoist to be called “The David Topping Center for Toronto Blogging.”