The challenges amid Canadian wine’s renaissance

Published Apr 19, 2024

Tridge summary

The Canadian wine industry is experiencing a period of growth and quality improvement, particularly in regions like Ontario and British Columbia, with over 650 wineries and a significant area under vine cultivation contributing to an industry valuation of $11.6 billion. Despite this, the industry faces challenges such as internal trade barriers, high production and trade costs, and a lack of international awareness beyond icewine, which hampers its global competitiveness. Comparisons with wine industries in Oregon and Switzerland highlight similar challenges and opportunities for growth. The federal government's investment of $177 million over three years is a positive step towards enhancing the global competitiveness of Canadian wine. Additionally, the article touches on the concept of youth vibrancy and its importance in fostering innovation and cultural dynamics, suggesting a broader context of growth and challenge.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Canadian wine is, after decades of anonymous plodding, coming into its own. Why has it taken so long, and what’s next? Kathleen Willcox reports. There are more than 650 wineries, 1770 grape growers and 31,650 acres under vine in four major growing regions (British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec), according to Wines of Canada. Growth and quality improvements have been particularly impressive in Ontario, where sparkling wine production has doubled in the past five years, and about one-third is done in the traditional method. British Columbia is also on the rise: as of 2019, there were 284 wineries 11,085 acres under vine, up from 131 wineries and 6,632 acres in 2006. Winemakers like Thomas Bachelder, of Ontario’s Bachelder Wines believes that the current zeitgeist and positive growth patterns are coming together to finally put Canadian wines on the map. “Our time has come,” Bachelder says. “Wine lovers are tired of jammy flavors and high alcohols. Our wines are cool and ...

Source: Thedrinkbusiness