Canada: The government of Alberta won't stock B.C. wines that sell directly to consumers

EDMONTON — An interprovincial wine war is fermenting after Alberta's liquor wholesaler told vintners in British Columbia that it won't stock their products in retail stores unless they stop shipping it directly to consumers. "They are really making a threat," said Al Hudec, a lawyer hired by winemakers to push back against the Alberta move. "The B.C. wineries are not breaking any laws in Alberta. This is just muscling the wineries." Last week, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, which regulates the sale of liquor in the province by controlling wholesale and distribution, sent a letter to wineries in B.C. It said the agency had been investigating the practice of consumers in Alberta ordering wine directly from B.C. wineries instead of buying it in Alberta stores. "Our investigation found tangible evidence of (your winery's) involvement in (direct-to-consumer) shipping of wines across provincial borders in Alberta," said one of the letters, shared with The Canadian Press. "To ...