One result of Trumpian aggression towards Canada has been The Great American Pull removing American alcohol products from Canadian liquor stores. A quasi Nouveau Prohibition.
Patriotic Canadians can clap, cheer and make a “sacrifice” foregoing Californian wine foistered upon them by profit driven liquor control boards luxuriating in easy profits from customers they have historically indoctrinated by offering shelves loaded with Californian, Oregonian and Washington State wines.
Looking at the Vintages shelves in a Liquor Control Board of Ontario store even in those proudly bearing the moniker “flagship store” Ontario wines are dwarfed by ex-Canadian wines. Despite wobbly and insincere statements about promoting Ontario wines the truth is ex-Canada rules! Even Ontario wines suffer from Niagara imperialism crowding out Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore wines. Where are the wines from Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Quebec?
How then to promote Canadian wines given this golden opportunity to seize the moment and truly foster Canadian wineries?
Much talk exists about removing the barriers of interprovincial trade that has had the SAQ in Quebec and the LCBO stomping their feet like angry toddlers where interprovincial orders by customers are placed. Courier companies threatened when they deliver such orders. Let’s get working on reducing interprovincial barriers to trade. No need to arrest that poor fellow bringing in a couple of cases of beer purchased in Quebec across the New Brunswick-Quebec border!
Geez! Given there is no Muskian DOGE movement to “rationalize” provincial liquor monopolies can we expect some pedal to the metal action by Canadian federal political parties developing platforms for the upcoming 28April2025 Canadian federal election?
Should any of these parties form the next Canadian government what positive steps are promised to promote Canadian wines? I have asked the Liberal party, the Conservative party and the New Democratic party their plans to promote Canadian wine in their electoral platforms. No reply yet. Will I wait until hell freezes over?
My interactions with wineries in Ontario and British Columbia point to a near total lack of a provincial or federal wine promotion budget.
I was invited to attend the first Wine and Travel Week Conference in Porto in 2023. Various wine producing associations, wineries and tourism boards were present to promote their products, regions, wine routes and touristic sites. Gala dinners with Michelin starred restaurants. Presentations. Individual one on one meetings. Three days of travel to visit wineries, gastronomic and touristic sites in one of 6 Portuguese wine producing areas. In the exhibition area with the “vendors” not a bottle of wine in sight. The focus was on wine tourism.
Wine tourism does not consist of drawing visitors to wineries as face it how many wineries can you visit. At some point, cellars, tasting rooms, merchandise and tours are repetitive. In the wine tourism concept the goal is a total package consisting of the winery, gastronomy and touristic sites.
Many Canadian wineries are aware of the concept of wine tourism. They strive to bring “wine tourists” for more than the basic winery type tour/offerings to include accommodation, music, movies in the vineyard, yoga and cooking classes.
The European Union has a huge wine tourism budget that includes bringing international media and tour operators on a FAM (no cost) basis to visit wineries, nearby tourist sites and restaurants in the wine region to promote the region as a package. Each component of the package feeds off each other in a symbiotic relationship.
Isn’t it time for some governmental money, be it municipal, provincial or federal to promote Canadian wine tourism? Shouldn’t tourism boards, chambers of commerce, restaurants and wineries take an integrated as approached to a siloed approach?
Bring Canadian and foreign journalists to various Canadian wine producing regions to showcase wineries, tourist sights and local gastronomy. Canadian wine regions have more to offer than musty smells, tasting rooms and eateries as they have an entire geographic area that should have international appeal.
I was embarrassed at this Wine and Travel Week event I attended when several people asked why Canada and/or its wine regions was not present. What could I say but responding that was an interesting question. The answer is either ignorance or lack of money most likely more of the latter.
Those who care about the Canadian economy to which Canadian wineries contribute to in spin off benefits, wages and taxes should be asking their brave provincial and federal governments their plans to promote Canadian wine tourism that transcend platitudes and provide a well thought out programme and cash. Follow the money!
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