FlyerTalker70

4 months ago I would disagree with you. However, having lived in the UK for several months, I get what you're saying. Liquor, and especially wine is cheap and plentiful here. When you can get a bottle of Rosé on Amazon for the same cost as a 6 pack of "domestic" beer, why bother with the beer. However, as you correctly noted the quality of said wines can vary a great deal. Anything below 5 quid is barely serviceable table wine. I can recall drinking an Italian wine a few months ago that came in tiny bottles called Peroni - absolutely disgusting taste, taste nothing of the wine one things of coming from Italy (or any other country for that matter). Aside from the cute tiny wine bottles they come in and cases they come in I don't see why people would plunk down such money for such plonk.

If we want to talk about numbers and statistics, then your intuition is correct. Per StatsCan domestic production totals about $1B annually, yet we import approximately $2B of wine with domestic penetration being only about a third. Compare that to the $8.7B in exports from Italy, and a staggering $19.4B in exports from France and one can clearly see that we're nowhere in the same league as those countries in spite of us being a bigger country than both combined (and have way more climates than theirs).Even in the United States, which has a sizeable wine market, they still import about a third of the wines they have. From that same report there is a lovely chart which shows US wine revenue by varietal and selling price:




As you can see the Bóxe wine and $8-$10 bottles of wine are where the bulk of the sales volume is being made. Not the 100 quid bottle of Dom or Krug (contrary to popular belief).

So to answer the question, "Why isn't AC's wine globally sourced?" It's probably because wine production in Canada is a myth. How can we compete with the volume the Italians or French put out year in and year out at the prices they set them at? And that's to say nothing of the prestige of saying, this wine is from the South of France versus this wine comes from the back streets of Hamilton . I suspect that if Québec had a thriving wine industry they could have a better chance at cracking the wine market compared to say BC or Ontario, since there is a certain cachet to having a Quebec wine (a story for another FT post). The real question should really be, "Why does AC stock Peroni when there are tons of better Italian wines that sell at about the same price point?"

Safe Travels,

James

YXEGeordie

A subject dear to my heart.

The wines in J have improved dramatically, even in domestic J. Genvieve knows her stuff and sources interesting food friendly wines on what must be a pretty poor budget. Until she showed up I would never have described the wine selections as "interesting."

Tantalus produces Canada's best Rieslings IMO, the Old Vines is a remarkable wine and virtually indestructible, it will last for decades. Get on the mailing list and the regular bottling retails for under $20. Their Juveniles Chardonnay (which now has a new name that escapes me) is also great value for under $2,0.

Travelling in both international and domestic J, I will report back.

Jagboi

The Costco Kirkland brand Champagne comes from Épernay in France and last time I saw it was $30.

Stranger

jasdou

I believe her name is Véronique.

Here is a relevant story: Véronique Rivest, la passion du vin au service d’Air Canada

iceblueshoes

Wasn't aware that costco sold alcohol in Canada. I know they do in the US, but certainly not here in Ontario. Can't really say I've been in many other alcohol stores in other provinces though but do know that Western Canada generally has more relaxed booze laws than the rest of the country.

I also don't have a costco membership and haven't been in one in over 15 years.I certainly wouldn't knock a wine because it's from costco either. I mean they sell Dom!

But the important thing is, is it any good? I'd be curious to try it. Especially at a $30 price point.

Is this it?
https://spitbucket.net/2018/12/10/th...-wine-reviews/

I did notice that it seems to only be available in AB though.

Jagboi

They do in Alberta, but Alberta has the most liberal liquor laws in Canada too. You don't need to be a member to shop at the Costco liquor stores in Alberta, anyone can buy there. My partner quite likes champagne, and he says that it is excellent value. Perhaps not quite as good as some of the "name" brands that cost 2- 3X as much, but certainly not 2-3X worse. Much depends on your tastes, he doesn't like fruity notes in champagne, and I gather the Kirkland one has that.

Stranger

YXEGeordie

D'oh

I knew it was Veronique. This is why you don't post late at night when you are on your third glass of a delicious Cotes Du Rhone from the outstanding 2016 vintage!

RatherBeInYOW

They do in Quebec too. Don't go to the Costco in Gatineau before a long weekend in the summer though, every cottage owner in Ottawa is over there stocking up on cheap beer.