BC Wine Industry Celebrates Direct to Consumer Shipping to Alberta

The BC wine industry welcomes the news that BC wineries can now ship directly to Alberta consumers, thanks to a new agreement between the provinces.

This comes at a perfect time as many Albertans visit BC wineries after the Calgary Stampede, marking an increase in summer travel for the Alberta market. Although the Alberta direct-to-consumer market is a small part of BC's wine sales, it is important for growth, offering high-end products and building customer relationships.

Industry leaders, including Wine Growers BC and Hester Creek Estate Winery, are pleased with the renewed connection, which supports BC wine tourism and the local economy. Wine Growers BC thanks both provincial premiers and local MLAs for their support in making this agreement possible.

Destination BC & Wine Growers BC Experiences: Sip, Smile, and Stay Awhile

Ten wineries across the province have developed completely new wine tourism experiences as part of the Cultivating Experiences: Elevating BC Wine Tourism program. Working with Wine Growers British Columbia and Destination BC in partnership with Firecircle, and supported by Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), the wineries have been hard at work over the past few months with the goal of bringing their offerings from vision to market this summer.

The Cultivating Experiences program represents Wine Growers BC and Destination BC’s united effort to promote the province as a destination for incredible tourism experiences.

The program provided virtual workshops, valuable market research, and mentorship for each participant winery to ultimately launch a unique wine tourism experience. These Cultivating Experiences winery offerings are the latest added to the plethora of options available to those exploring BC wine country this summer:

• Monte Creek Winery, Thompson Valley, Long Table Dinner Series

• Maverick Estate Winery, Okanagan Valley, Intimate Dinner Series

• Mythology Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, Sip, Savour & Create Mediterranean Experience, launching soon

• Joie Farm Winery, Naramata Bench, Aikin’s Walk the Loop Tour Experiences, launching soon

• Da Silva Vineyards & Winery, Naramata Bench, Terroir Sessions

• Township7 Vineyards and Winery, Fraser Valley & Naramata Bench, Saber & Sip: The Art of Sabrage at both locations

• Bartier Bros. Vineyard & Winery, South Okanagan Valley, Flavour, Texture & Time

• Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Vancouver Island, A Sparkling Day in Cowichan

• Unsworth Vineyards, Vancouver Island, A Sparkling Day in Cowichan

• Culmina Family Estate Winery, Okanagan Valley, Wine & Art event

View announcement →

BC Wine Month - Here's how to get involved, including free online certification

The provincial government proclaimed April 2024 as BC Wine Month for the seventh year.

Wineries are excited to welcome guests this spring and summer and share an abundance of 100% BC wines.

Wineries are hosting tastings, tours and paired dining experiences, as well as yoga, painting and concerts. View winery events and start planning a visit at WineBC.com.

Restaurants and wine shops that serve BC wines are listed on the Pour More BC webpage.

Wine Growers BC are offering the Wines of BC Ambassador Program first level, complimentary for the month. Level One is an online certification course with valuable information on BC wine history, varieties, styles, unique climate, and food pairing expertise. Get certified now – $99 value offered complimentary (promo code BCWINE24) for BC Wine Month.

Want to spread the word? Follow along all BC Wine Month on social media @WinesofBC and tag #BCWineMonth in your BC wine adventures this season.

See Wine Growers BC announcement →

Pour More BC Program

Wine Growers British Columbia is relaunching the Pour More BC program to support our local BC restaurant industry and connect you with consumers craving local wine and food experiences.

Reasons to Register:

1. Participating restaurants will be rewarded and supported with WGBC led marketing initiatives such as sponsored social media posts, targeted Google Ad words, influencer blog features, The Vine consumer e-newsletter (25K+) and WineBC.com landing page. All designed to help promote your BC wine listings at no cost to you.

2. Quality content reaching a wide audience, with your restaurant named (and tagged) directly.

3. S​potlight listing on our global award winning Wines of BC Explorer App. The geo-location feature connects the (15K+) users directly with participating restaurants within their radius, which means BC wine lovers looking for a place to enjoy a great meal will find themselves being recommended to your venue.

4. Trade certified education tools will be available under the Pour More BC banner for restaurants to engage, educate and encourage their staff to become leading experts and ambassadors for BC wine.

5. Social media and print assets to use on your own channels and in store

6. Best of all-support your local wineries while supporting your own business!

Learn More →

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B.C. Wine Industry Welcomes Six New Sub-Geographical Indicators

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced the approval of six new sub-Geographical Indications (sub-GIs) located in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The sub-GIs, recognized as Summerland Valleys, Summerland Lakefront, Summerland Bench, East Kelowna Slopes, South Kelowna Slopes, and Lake Country, are now protected terms under BC law representing a geographical area of origin for 100% BC VQA wine.

The Okanagan Valley is B.C.’s largest winegrowing region (175 km north to south), comprising 86% of B.C.’s vineyards (9,617 planted acres) and offers a range of diverse soil types, climatic conditions, and resulting styles of wine.

The wine regions of B.C. are identified by ‘Geographical Indications’ (GIs), furthermore by ‘sub Geographical Indications’ (sub-GIs). With a focus on terroir-driven wines, the B.C. wine industry is looking towards recognizing unique growing areas within larger regions as ‘sub-GIs’ to further identify and understand B.C.’s diverse terroir, and to help tell the story of B.C. wine. Once approved, these sub-GIs can then be noted on wine labels to indicate a minimum of 95% of the grapes were grown from the specified region.

British Columbia now features 21 Geographical Indications (10 GIs; 12 sub-GIs):

• British Columbia

• Vancouver Island (1 sub-GI)

  • Cowichan Valley

• Gulf Islands

• Fraser Valley

• Lillooet

• Thompson Valley

• Shuswap

• Okanagan Valley (11 sub-GIs)

  • Lake Country

  • East Kelowna Slopes

  • South Kelowna Slopes

  • Summerland Valleys

  • Summerland Lakefront

  • Summerland Bench

  • Naramata Bench

  • Skaha Bench

  • Okanagan Falls

  • Golden Mile Slopes

  • Golden Mile Bench

• Similkameen Valley

• Kootenays

The creation of a sub-GI is determined based on the science of terroir. Soils, climate conditions, landforms, bodies of water, geographical boundaries are all studied, with results comprised and included in a detailed technical report submitted to the BC Wine Authority. This regulatory process involves collaboration among regional producers to source and submit the proposal to prove defined boundaries and distinct terroir.

British Columbia is becoming globally recognized as a quality wine region producing world-class wines renowned for having bright natural acidity and intense ripe fruit flavours.

As growers and winemakers gain more experience with British Columbian terroir, the nuances and qualities of each unique area starts to become apparent, and the wines continue to gain in complexity and excellence. The approval of these new sub-GIs is a win for both winegrowers and consumers alike.

Read the proposals and technical reports behind each new BC sub-GI at BCVQA.com.

Learn more about each of the wine regions of British Columbia at WineBC.com.

Quick facts:

• This year, British Columbia’s Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA) designation celebrates 32 years of quality assurance and 100% BC grown and produced grape wine.

• BC’s wine industry has grown from just 19 grape wineries in 1990 to 284 today.

• There are 11,086 acres (4,486 hectares) of wine grapes in British Columbia’s ten Geographical Indications (GIs): British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Thompson Valley, Lillooet, Shuswap and Kootenays.

• The Okanagan Valley is the largest wine producing region in B.C., with 11 sub-GIs, 186 licensed grape wineries, and 9,617 acres of wine grapes planted.

• The Golden Mile Bench in the Okanagan Valley was B.C.’s first sub-GI established in 2015.

• The B.C. wine industry contributes $2.8 billion annually to British Columbia’s economy.

• Each year, B.C.’s wineries welcome more than 1,000,000 visitors.

Reminder: Green Wine Future Virtual Conference, May 23-26

Green Wine Future Virtual Conference

May 23 - 26

North America Segment: Monday, May 23 | 2:00 - 6:30pm PT

Register with TOTA Discount Code

Registration for one day of the conference is $47 USD. Through TOTA’s partnership, Thompson Okanagan stakeholders get a 55% discount by using the code TOTA55.

Register →

About Green Wine Future

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is taking part in the upcoming virtual Green Wine Future Conference from May 23 to May 26. The event is the most ambitious environmental conference ever organized for the global wine community and will launch as a fully online gathering.

The Green Wine Future Conference will address critical topics of sustainability, climate crisis, biodiversity, wine tourism, regenerative agriculture, carbon amelioration, hydric resources, energy efficiency and create truly green business opportunities to respond to current world conditions. Speakers will present information through video footage, documentaries, and live broadcasts from vineyards and wineries.

TOTA is supported by several provincial and regional funding partners, including Destination British Columbia and Wine Growers British Columbia; and host wineries who will showcase the Thompson Okanagan wine region: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, and Monte Creek Winery. Other Thompson Okanagan wineries are invited to participate and represent the Thompson Okanagan wine region by hosting a Green Wine Future Virtual Trade Booth.

Thompson Okanagan Wine for the Planet Documentary

The conference includes the premiere of the Wine for the Planet docuseries, including a short documentary about the Thompson Okanagan wine region unveiled on May 23. The docuseries shows the support of the wine industry towards the most sensitive parts of the planet such as ice caps and glaciers, rainforest, marine environments, and areas sensitive to flooding and water scarcity.

Register →

Watch Thompson Okanagan Press Conference Recording from April 20

TOTA and Wine for the Planet hosted a Special Press Event at the BC Wine Information Centre in Penticton on April 20.

Green Wine Future founder, Pancho Campo, shared his work around the world and offered insights of what to expect at this year's Green Wine Future Conference. Several industry leaders and enjoy a small sampling of some of the area's various wine varietals.

Watch Recording →

Wines of BC Vintage Report - 2021

Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC) released the annual BC Wine Grape 2021 Vintage Report, which reveals another harvest of impressive quality achieved through expert vineyard management during a record-shattering year for wine regions across the province.

Overall, winegrowers throughout British Columbia agree that the 2021 vintage will be remembered for low yields but intensely flavoured fruit resulting in wines of remarkable character, concentrated flavours, and balanced acidity.

The intricacies of such a one-of-a-kind growing season are best reviewed in detail in the full report, with data sourced from industry participants at WGBC’s annual Winemakers and Viticulturists Forum and Vintage Survey.

The BC Wine Grape Vintage Report is available to BC wine lovers and industry professionals alike and an essential tool to understand and promote the exceptional wines that came from the eventful 2021 growing season.

View Report →

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Wines of British Columbia Ambassador Program - Level 1 & 2 Now Available

Registration is now open for the Wines of BC Ambassador Program, a one-of-a-kind, exclusively B.C. focused series of educational courses designed to share what makes B.C. wine so unique, and worth getting in your glass.

Level 1: Introduction is an online certification designed for everyone making, growing, serving, or simply enjoying B.C. wine. Wine professionals can use promo code BCWINETRADE22 for a complimentary course.

Register →

Level 2: Intermediate is a more in-depth course offered in-person by a trained Ambassador Facilitator, and includes an educational tasting of B.C. wines alongside international benchmarks. This course will give you more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the regions, subregions, soils and wine laws that affect the production of BC wine. Highly recommended for wine professionals in the winery, retail, and restaurant setting.

The course will be hosted in Kelowna, Kamloops, and other B.C. and Alberta communities.

Learn More & Register →

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Temporary Expanded Service Area (TESA) & Winery Sampling Areas

Wine Growers BC has been working with the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) to mitigate challenges wineries are experiencing making Temporary Expanded Service Areas (TESA) associated with their sampling areas permanent.

Accordingly, Policy Directive 22-01 was announced on Feb. 25 to clarify the options available and advise of recent policy changes which will provide greater flexibility within those options.

Policies that apply to picnic area endorsements have changed to provide additional flexibility in application requirements and their use, while also maintaining the public interest.

Manufacturers seeking to make TESAs associated with outdoor sampling areas permanent may choose one of the following options:

1. Apply for a lounge endorsement with a patio

2. Apply for a picnic area endorsement

The LCRB strongly recommends that manufacturers consider their needs and carefully review the policies below relating to lounge patios and picnic areas before deciding which application to submit.

Questions about the application process for a lounge or picnic area endorsement should be directed via email to LCRB.SLA@gov.bc.ca.

Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association Collaborates with Green Wine Future 2022

Miami, Florida, USA - The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), to show its commitment to protecting the environment and sustainability, has joined with Green Wine Future (GWF) as one of its corporate sponsors and strategic partners. The event is the most ambitious environmental conference ever organized for the wine community and will launch as a fully online gathering May 23-26, 2022.

“Because Green Wine Future is an international summit which will be broadcast around the globe and from eight different time zones, we will be able to show the entire planet, why and how the Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada became the first destination in the Americas to successfully achieve the Biosphere Certified designation distinction from the Responsible Tourism Institute,” said Ellen Walker-Matthews, CEO for TOTA.

As part of TOTA’s participation in the conference, TOTA is supported by several provincial and regional funding partners: Destination British Columbia, Wine Growers British Columbia, Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia; and host wineries who will showcase the Thompson Okanagan wine region: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, and Monte Creek Winery.

To address critical topics of sustainability, wine, and matters related to the climate crisis and the environment, Chrand Events has created Green Wine Future as the culmination of its Climate Change & Wine and Wine Future conferences. The conference will be broadcast in four languages simultaneously (English, Spanish, French, Italian) from 8 different parts of the planet in their respective time zones: USA, Chile, Portugal, Spain, France, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

In 2006, Chrand Events pioneered the world’s first international conference on Climate Change and Wine, and the first event examining the impacts of the climate crisis upon any one industry. Since that edition in Spain, Chrand Events has organized numerous other international conferences in Hong Kong, Portugal, and other parts of the world featuring the most influential names of the wine industry and such visionary global leaders as US President Barack Obama, Nobel Laureate Al Gore, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan amongst many others.

“Green Wine Future will share with wine professionals innumerable, valuable aspects of how their peers are addressing sustainability issues in creating solutions to problems in the vineyard, winery, supply, and sales streams,” said David Furer, host and co-organizer of this unique international event. 

In response to current world conditions, the premiere edition of Green Wine Future will offer a totally new way to attend a conference and for speakers to present their information: a hands-on and practical approach through video footage, and documentaries. Live broadcast from vineyards, footage from innovative solutions to the climate crisis, interactive documentaries specially recorded for the event are just a few highlights of GWF.

This virtual technology will allow wineries and wine companies to be present at the GWF Virtual Expo, showcasing their wines, products, and services. The innovative technology will also allow delegates, speakers, and exhibitors to network virtually for a period of 2 weeks prior to the conference.

GWF also announces the addition of “Wine for the Planet” (W4P) docuseries which will showcase the wine industry’s work in protecting areas of the Earth most sensitive to the climate crisis, including:

1. Antarctica, Iceland, Greenland, the Arctic;

2. Coral reefs in different parts of our planet;

3. The Amazon and other rainforests;

4. Regions already suffering from water shortages and floods;

5. Areas implementing sustainable initiatives, such as the Thompson Okanagan region in British Columbia, Canada.

Recorded and presented by GWF and W4P founder Pancho Campo and his team from the above listed regions, W4P will stream free globally during regular breaks of GWF. Documentaries will be available through Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, where the team will highlight wine tastings in Greenland, Iceland, Antarctica, the Amazon, and the Great Coral Reef. 

As part of these documentaries, Pancho will travel to the Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia at the beginning of April to record a documentary that will showcase the region’s wine industry, sustainable tourism commitments, and environmentally friendly strategies and initiatives that are being undertaken as part of the provincial focus to address the global climate crisis.

The event has obtained the support of many key wine organizations and allies including the International Institute of Vine and Wine, Wine Institute of California, Napa Valley Vintners, Interprofesional del Vino de España, Barossa Australia, Wines of Chile, Wines of Portugal, and the Porto Protocol.

Registrations and all information regarding GWF’s speakers and program, as well as the program for W4P, are available at GreenWineFuture.com.

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About Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is a non-profit society, governed by an elected Board of Directors, which represents business and community tourism interests throughout the region, and is supported by and representative of Destination British Columbia British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, & Sport. It is an industry-led organization that represents and supports all business and community tourism interests in the region, while also helping to implement provincial tourism policies.

For more information, visit TOTABC.org.

About Chrand Events

Chrand Events, founder of Green Wine Future, is an agency founded by former tennis professional and Olympic captain Pancho Campo. Chrand has organized world-class events for over 30 years in more than 20 countries. Chrand has managed and produced concerts, sporting events, summits, and conferences with some of the most important world leaders, celebrities, and Nobel Prize winners including: US President Barack Obama, US Vice-President Al Gore, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, film director Francis Ford Coppola, Sting, Pink Floyd, Andre Agassi and Enrique Iglesias amongst other notables.

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For more information, contact:

Pancho Campo

Founder / Conference Director

Sponsorships

CEO@Chrand.es

Michael Wangbickler

Publicity & Communications Director

Balzac Communications & Marketing

Mike@Balzac.com

David Furer

Host / Program Director

DF Consults

Rerufd@gmail.com

Ellen Walker-Matthews

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)

Ellen@TOTABC.com

Kavan Vijayakumar

Industry Relations & Stewardship Specialist

Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Commitment Program Winery Virtual Trade Booths

Kavan@TOTABC.com

Wendy Vallaster

Certified ISG Sommelier & Professional Wine Consultant

Green Wine Future Virtual Trade Booths

WendyVallaster@gmail.com

Wines of BC Explore App Awarded GOLD in Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards

The Travel Weekly Magellan Awards announced a GOLD medal for the Wines of BC Explorer App, marking the first ever win for a wine tourism app, and only the second ever for a Canadian based App in the category.

The Magellan Awards is the premier award for the global travel industry, honouring outstanding levels of design, marketing, and services – the Wines of BC Explorer App received the award in the Online Travel Services category.

The App is an essential tool for anyone looking to explore and enjoy BC wine. From plan-your-trip assistance to wine-education content and a personal taste test, the App is the best way to discover BC wine country, and in turn acts as a perfect conduit for BC wineries to connect with potential guests.

With all 300+ BC wineries listed on the App regularly updating new wine releases and tasting experiences, the increasing number of users can always find what they are looking for, and even uncover something they did not know they would love.

Features include:

1. Curated lists of wines and wineries

2. An interactive taste test with resulting wine suggestions

3. Shopping for wine and wine experiences

4. Helpful filters to enable discovery, search by ‘organic wines’ or ‘dog friendly wineries’ and more!

The Wine Growers of BC team is always looking to improve and launch exciting new features. The most recent feature is a geo-location tool designed to assist users in finding wineries and wine shops closest to their location and preferences.

Download App →

Learn More →

The Right Amount Campaign

The Right Amount is an initiative for Canadian wineries to promote responsible consumption of alcohol, providing Canadians with tools and information to make informed and responsible decisions about alcohol, and promote drinking wine in moderation.

The campaign navigates the audience to The Right Amount website which contains public low risk drinking guidelines and resources, the definition of a standard drink, and a drink calculator that will determine the number of standard drinks in a glass or bottle based on volume and alcohol percentage.

The Right Amount Campaign launched November 2021, with an online advertising campaign and media promotion to well position the industry in the lead up to the holiday season. The campaign is designed to grow organically over time, strengthened by participation of all wineries across Canada to become an industry standard practice.

Industry-wide participation is required for campaign to be truly effective in engaging Canadian consumers and promoting the responsible consumption of Canadian wines. Wine Growers Canada encourages all wineries to participate.

Learn More →

URGENT Survey: Impact of BC Vaccine Card - Alliance of Beverage Licensees

ABLE BC in partnership with the BCRFA, BC Craft Brewers Guild, Craft Distillers Guild of BC, Wine Growers British Columbia, Restaurants Canada, and New Wave Wine Society want to better understand how the Vaccine Card has impacted hospitality businesses.

British Columbia’s vaccine card program began on September 13. The program requires proof of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in order to enter restaurants, movies, ticketed sporting events and many other non-essential venues.

As of October 24, those aged 12 and up will need to be fully vaccinated to access those same services and venues.

The goal of this survey is to understand if and how the Vaccine Card has impacted revenue, expenses, and interactions with customers in hospitality businesses. The responses will give real-world information needed to advocate for the government support businesses need to succeed.

Glenn Fawcett Given the Award of Distinction from Wine Growers of British Columbia

Congratulations to Glenn Fawcett on being recognized for his considerable contributions to the wine industry by the Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC) with its highest honour – the WGBC Award of Distinction. The Award of Distinction recognizes a winery representative for their outstanding leadership, commitment and passion for the advancement of the British Columbia wine industry.

Previous winners of this prestigious award include wine industry luminaries such as Howard Soon, Sandhill (Andrew Peller); Harry McWatters, Time Winery; and Tony Stewart, Quails’ Gate Winery.

During his 35-year career as an entrepreneur and innovator Fawcett has founded and/or consulted to numerous successful companies including Therapy Vineyards and Guesthouse and Black Hills Estate Winery. Fawcett is also a sought-after industry consultant under his company Vinequest Ltd.