Is BC holding out on us?

[auld argonian]

Macman's post from a little while ago:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...light=wineries

...got me thinking about this and last night my wife and I went to an expo for Canadian tourism and brought this up with the folks who were there representing British Columbia...

How come that good BC wine never seems to make it out of the province?

Mrs. Argon got to taste several BC wines when she was there on business a couple of years ago and we have been looking for them here in Chicago ever since. No luck. In fact, the shop personnel, who seem to be quite knowledgeable, give you a funny I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about look when you even mention wine from BC.

So what's the deal up there, eh? Too good to share or what?

Best

AA

[Colin]

That's because, even thought they may not be the absolute best in the world, they are still pretty damn great and we are keeping them for ourselves

I think in reality it is simply that the Ontario wineries and the California wineries have bigger budgets and support. Some people can't seem to see past these regions for North America (beats the heck out of me, why).

I try and promote the Okanagan wine tour to anyone I know coming into BC. It is a fun experience with several very good, and affordable, wines. BC has been lucky to have many prize winning wines, desert wines, and ice wines in the past decade or so.

Seriously though, I hope they don't get too popular, as I have grown quite accustomed to paying $10-$20 for a really good bottle of wine.

Big Mikey and his wife did a bit of a tour this past summer. Check out his thread here http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=30644

This picture of his shows some of the many wineries in very close proximity. Okanagan Falls to Osoyoos has some of my personal favourites, but the whole region is great.

[ccga3359]

That's just swill, diluted with rain water. Have you not tried any of our Ontario wines yet?

[davedove]

I may have to do with production volume as well. I don't know the relative amounts between Ontario and BC, but we have a similar situation here in the States. Because California produces SO MUCH wine, it is everywhere in the market. Most people don't know it, but there are wineries in nearly every state (I think Alaska is the only exception). But, if you go into the stores, most of the US wine you find is from California.

Also, the wholesalers don't want to deal with small volumes. They would much rather deal in a California wine that produces, say 500,000 bottles or more a year, than a wine that produces only 50,000 a year.

[Colin]

That's just swill, diluted with rain water. Have you not tried any of our Ontario wines yet?

Oh Sorry, Grant. I thought you were talking about the Ontario wine Ah well, I would drink it too if I had to have the Leafs as my team

[ccga3359]

Oh Sorry, Grant. I thought you were talking about the Ontario wine Ah well, I would drink it too if I had to have the Leafs as my team

Ontario wine is diluted by the tears of a million Leaf fans.

[Casper]

Oh Sorry, Grant. I thought you were talking about the Ontario wine Ah well, I would drink it too if I had to have the Leafs as my team

Well, that, and all of the acid rain must really give those grapes an extra kick!

All of the above is true.... A) We keep it for ourselves, B) Other regions are bigger names, and more popular, and C) I like having access to cheap, good quality local wines.

On another note about the wine tours... there's also lots of good golfing up there. My dad goes every summer on a golf & wine tour.... unfortunately, once the wine starts, the golf suffers (if they even make it to the course!).

Many of those wineries listed don't sell their product in stores. Many make limited runs that you can only purchase at the winery stores... of course, they allow you to sample first.

[The Wizard of BC]

Shhhh!!! quiet!!!!

In fact, mod squad please delete this entire thread.

We like our local wines. We like having them all to ourselves. When you cross any border leaving BC you must pass through the mind erasing beams that delete any knowledge of our wines.

Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time.

[scoutniagara]

Ontario and the Okanagan Valley of BC are some of the best cold-climate viticultural growing regions in the world even though we're number 32 on the list of world producers by quantity (USA is 4th). We have a wide variety of grapes grown, too; more than just Chardonnay and Zinfandel. While we don't yet, have a high quantity of grapes grown, our wines are winning in world competitions.
...from the wine capital of Canada

[Macman]

I think what everyone says about production volumes is correct. I suspect that most of the wine produced on Vancouver Island is sold at the wineries themselves and in local restaurants. The production levels are so small that very little of it even gets into the local liquor stores or wine outlets. I've no documentation for this, it's just what I pick up in my meanderings through wineries, etc.