Recent economic analysis from Deloitte highlights the scale of this ecosystem, describing Canada’s wine sector as a “wine supercluster,” a collection of regional wine economies that collectively function as a powerful engine for national growth.

Today, that supercluster contributes $10.1 billion annually to Canada’s GDP and supports roughly 99,300 full-time equivalent jobs across the country. Yet the most important finding is not the industry’s current size. It is the scale of the opportunity still ahead.

A supercluster built around place

Wine production differs from many other industries because it is deeply tied to geography. Vineyards require years to establish, decades to mature and generations of stewardship to thrive. Once vines are planted, they anchor investment, employment and economic activity in the communities around them.

For this reason, wine regions tend to evolve into clustered economies where interconnected businesses grow together. Vineyards supply wineries. Wineries attract visitors. Visitors create demand for restaurants, hotels, events and local food producers. Transportation services, educational institutions and cultural organizations then expand to support the growing destination economy.

Across Canada, these clusters have emerged in regions such as British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula, Quebec’s Eastern Townships and Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Together they form an ecosystem that spans grape growing, wine production, distribution, tourism, hospitality and cultural programming.

The economic effects extend well beyond wineries themselves. Of the $10.1 billion in annual GDP contribution, approximately $3.2 billion comes directly from wine production, while the remaining $6.9 billion flows through interconnected sectors such as tourism, hospitality and transportation. In other words, the wine economy is not just an agricultural sector – it is a regional development platform.

The market share opportunity

Despite its economic impact, Canadian wine still accounts for a relatively small share of domestic wine consumption. Canadian wines account for about 28.8 per cent of domestic wine sales. By comparison, wine-producing countries such as France and Italy see domestic products dominate their markets. In France, roughly 83 per cent of wine consumed is produced locally.

Economic modelling suggests that increasing Canadian wine’s domestic market share could significantly expand the industry’s overall impact. If Canadian wines reached 51 per cent domestic market share over the next 15 years, Deloitte estimates that the industry’s total economic contribution could grow from $10.1 billion to $13.7 billion annually.

This growth would not be confined to wineries. Since wine operates within an interconnected cluster, each additional bottle of Canadian wine sold generates ripple effects across the broader economy. A single 750-millilitre bottle of 100 per cent Canadian wine generates an estimated $88.50 in economic activity when accounting for supply chains, tourism, hospitality and related services. Domestic market share growth, therefore, represents more than an industry goal; it represents a regional economic development strategy.

Strengthening the value chain

Wine production sits at the centre of a layered value chain that stretches from agriculture to tourism. At the beginning of the chain are vineyards, which require land preparation, irrigation systems, agricultural labour and specialized equipment. Grape harvests feed wineries, where fermentation, aging, bottling and packaging create additional manufacturing activity.

Beyond the winery gates, distribution networks, logistics providers, marketing firms and retail channels bring products to consumers. At the same time, wineries act as powerful tourism anchors. Visitors drawn to wine regions spend on accommodations, dining, cultural attractions and local experiences.

Economic modelling shows that more than 77,000 jobs are supported annually in wine-related industries, including food services, accommodation, recreation and transportation. In practical terms, a greater domestic market share would likely drive:

• Expansion of vineyard acreage
• Increased demand for Canadian-grown grapes
• Investment in winery infrastructure and equipment
• Growth in hospitality and tourism services
• Expanded distribution and logistics networks

These ripple effects reinforce both agricultural supply chains and service-sector economies.

Wine tourism and destination development

Wine regions have also become some of Canada’s most dynamic tourism destinations. Visitors are drawn not only by vineyards, but by the broader experiences that wine regions offer, such as culinary tourism, farm-to-table dining, cultural festivals, outdoor recreation and scenic landscapes.

Before the pandemic, Ontario wineries welcomed approximately 2.7 million visitors annually, generating significant economic activity across hotels, restaurants, transportation services and local retail. Globally, leading wine regions have embraced this connection between wine production and tourism. Governments in France, Spain and other major wine-producing countries have developed long-term strategies that integrate wine, gastronomy, culture and travel into co-ordinated destination economies. These approaches recognize that wine regions function as economic ecosystems, where agriculture, tourism and cultural identity reinforce one another.

Canada’s wine regions already display many of these characteristics. The opportunity lies in strengthening them further.

Building competitive foundations

While Canada’s wine industry has grown steadily over the past two decades, structural challenges remain. Deloitte’s analysis notes that Canadian producers operate within a complex policy environment that includes relatively high effective tax rates and regulatory fragmentation across provinces.

By contrast, many leading wine jurisdictions pair strong domestic markets with supportive frameworks designed to encourage long-term investment. These often include capital investment programs, market development strategies and policies that reduce internal trade barriers.

Such frameworks help wineries invest confidently in vineyards, facilities and tourism infrastructure; investments that can take decades to fully mature.

A long-term growth story

One of the most striking realities of wine production is how limited suitable vineyard land is. Globally, only about one per cent of the world’s arable land is suitable for wine grapes. Planting vineyards, therefore, represents a generational commitment. The investments made today in land, vines, infrastructure and brand development shape regional economies for decades.

Canada’s wine supercluster already supports nearly 100,000 jobs and more than $10 billion in economic output each year. If domestic market share expands significantly, that economic footprint could grow substantially, bringing benefits that extend well beyond wineries themselves. Those gains would appear in stronger rural employment, expanded hospitality and culinary businesses, deeper supply chains and more vibrant tourism destinations.

Seen through this lens, wine country is more than a lifestyle destination. It is a form of economic infrastructure, a rooted, place-based industry capable of driving regional growth for generations. As Canada’s wine regions continue to mature, the opportunity ahead may be just as important as the success already achieved.

This augmented North American perspective provides invaluable market data and consumer insights, offering a more complete picture of the challenges and opportunities facing the wine industry across the continent. The 2025 BMO Wine Market Report, the second edition of this important document, highlights an industry grappling with a complex mix of optimism and increasing challenges.

Despite a challenging 2024, vintners entered 2025 with optimism, which appears to have been well-founded in some areas, but met with new, daunting hurdles in others. Political and economic instability, along with excess inventory from the pandemic surge, have made business management difficult. A disappointing Q4 2024 revealed deeper consumer demand challenges than anticipated. The shock of U.S. tariffs and retaliatory measures imposed in early 2025, particularly impacting the Canadian market for U.S. wine exports, adds another layer of complexity.

However, the report also offers glimmers of hope, noting that the total U.S. wine market value grew four per cent in 2024, and many North American wineries experienced double-digit sales growth through expanded direct sales and distribution. The inclusion of data on Canadian wineries, with a total wine market volume of 53 million cases in 2024, is a significant addition. The report suggests that a restructuring of global trade, though painful, might ultimately help improve the flow of Canadian wine across provincial borders as wineries increasingly focus on direct sales.

WGC commends BMO for this expanded and insightful report and is committed to increasing the number of Canadian wineries participating in the 2026 and future BMO Wine Market Reports to ensure even more robust and representative data for the industry. This ongoing collaboration will be vital in supporting Canadian wine producers as they adapt to evolving market dynamics and consumer preferences.

Read the full report at www2.bmocm.com/2025-wine-report.

The wine industry offers a clear example. Despite producing world-class wines, premium Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) Canadian wines account for less than nine per cent of national sales, with half of Canada’s provinces seeing less than a two per cent market share. These barriers – imposed by provincial regulations – limit market access, stifle growth and restrict wine tourism, at a significant cost to the Canadian economy.

While progress has been made through initiatives like MP Dan Albas’ Bill C-311, which allowed personal interprovincial wine imports, and the recent federal-provincial task force on direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping, a comprehensive national framework is still needed. The March 5 First Ministers’ meeting marked a step forward, with nine of 10 provinces and one territory committing to allow interprovincial DTC alcohol sales. However, action is needed to implement this agreement uniformly and ensure that DTC taxes and levies are fair, transparent and do not undermine the competitiveness of Canadian wines.

New Brunswick has already set a positive example, passing legislation in late March 2025 to allow interprovincial DTC alcohol sales. Other provinces must now follow suit, creating a cohesive national framework that allows Canadians to access wines from any winery across the country.

Breaking down these barriers isn’t just about wine. It’s about creating new economic opportunities – new revenue streams, thousands of jobs and stimulating innovation across various sectors. Canada’s wine industry has the potential to become a significant economic driver and we must seize this opportunity to strengthen our economy.

The path forward requires a “Team Canada” approach, where all levels of government work together to remove trade barriers and educate consumers about the benefits of local products. By promoting Canadian wines and encouraging consumer loyalty, we can build a more connected, resilient economy.

Now is the time for bold action. Leaders like Minister Anand and Premiers Ford, Holt, and Houston have shown the way. However, the rest of Canada must act swiftly to remove trade barriers and unlock the full potential of Canadian businesses. Together, we can create a stronger, more self-sufficient Canada, ready to meet global challenges head-on.

The choice is ours. Let’s choose Canada.

The website’s online standard drink calculator is integral to helping Canadians make informed decisions about their wine consumption, enhancing understanding of what a standard drink looks like.

In Canada, a standard drink refers to 13.45 grams of alcohol. The Canadian government recommends that men do not go over 15 standard drinks per week, and women stay within a maximum of 10 standard drinks a week. The website’s widget helps consumers select the alcohol content and volume of wine consumed, before indicating how many standard drinks this equates to. For example, a 142 ml (5 oz) glass of 12 per cent wine is one standard drink, while a 177 ml (6 oz) glass of 13 per cent wine is 1.4 standard drinks.

Restaurants and bars offer a range of pour sizes, typically from 5 oz to 9 oz for table wine, and alcohol content can vary from less than 10 per cent to 16 per cent, so WGC hopes this tool helps increase standard drink awareness among Canadians and, in turn, helps them stick to their goals, whether these are serving-related, calorie-related or otherwise.

The Right Amount campaign has been so successful that earlier this year, WGC decided to expand the website to engage and inform Canadians on calories and sugar content in wine. The commitment to healthy living (while still enjoying the occasional glass of wine) is a personal lifestyle choice, so whether someone is looking to inform him or herself on standard drinks and responsible consumption, or has a goal to address sugar or calorie intake, The Right Amount is now home to information on both elements.

Calorie and sugar content vary for multiple reasons, including the ripeness of the grape crushed, the type of wine and the alcohol content of the wine. Generally speaking, dryness is a good indicator of calorie content in a wine. Just like food, sweetness is a good clue to sugar content, indicative of residual sugar in the wine. Though grapes have natural sugars, fermentation converts most of those sugars into alcohol. Any sugar leftover in the wine is called residual sugar, hence the sweeter taste on the palate. The website’s interactive widget allows Canadians to find out the average amount of sugar and calories found in a standard serving of wine by wine type.

As the campaign continues to engage and inform Canadians, WGC invites wineries to consider supporting the initiative by integrating standard drink labelling or a QR code onto their wine labels, to support consumer education and awareness of moderate consumption. Design resources are available, including postcards, social media content, neck tags and labels that provide information about the contents of the wine, standard drinks or a link to the website. The label resources are easy to download in different colours and formats, and are available in either English, French, or as bilingual logos and labels.

All of these resources, accessible at resources.therightamount.ca/design-resources, are provided to help wine producers and other industry stakeholders raise awareness of The Right Amount initiative, and to help consumers make an informed choice when it comes to responsible consumption.

From the vagaries of the climate to the lingering impacts of COVID-19, the wine industry has been impacted and consumer behaviours have been altered. Today, the industry is facing many challenges, but four major ones are hitting it all at once: Generational preference shifts, increased competition, climate change and growing efforts to demonize the responsible and moderate consumption of alcohol.

WGC’s core advocacy efforts resulted in the Government of Canada announcing the extension of the Wine Sector Support Program (WSSP), with an additional investment of up to $177 million covering a three-year period from 2024-25 to 2026-27. This investment in rural economic growth in Canada’s highest value-added agricultural product will provide the support required for critical investments by Canada’s 600-plus wineries, delivering a positive return on investment for the federal government and wine value chain.

Over the past few years, Canadian vineyards have faced numerous challenges including input price increases, labour shortages, climate limitations and extreme weather events. The WSSP will allow Canadian wineries to invest in research, innovative technology, skilled labour and certifications, which will build the resilience of the sector and boost its future growth.

The commitment of the federal government to Canada’s wine economy was clear when the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal minister of agriculture and agri-food, said, “Canada’s wine sector creates jobs, drives economic growth and supports so many communities right across the country. This extension of the Wine Sector Support Program will provide vitally important support to our wineries as they continue to innovate and adapt to challenges so the sector can stay strong and competitive for years to come.”

After months of advocacy by the wine, beer, spirits and restaurant sectors, the federal government also announced a two-year, two per cent cap on alcohol excise taxes (which are legislated to increase annually by the rate of inflation) until March 31, 2026. This ensured the excise duty on wine and other alcoholic beverages increased by two per cent on April 1, 2024, rather than the consumer price index rate of 4.7 per cent.

Looking ahead, WGC is focusing its efforts on engaging federal decision-makers to initiate the development of a comprehensive federal wine strategy. Such a strategy would provide a collaborative framework to quantify Canada’s wine cluster potential, boosting Canada’s grape and wine sector’s competitiveness and wine sales market share and addressing policy and regulatory options. This would create a more robust and sustainable industry capable of attracting investment, driving regional economic development and addressing the vagaries of climate change.

The first step in this process is the commissioning of a federal white paper to analyze the industry’s economic cluster potential. In tandem with these efforts, WGC is proactively monitoring and engaging in consultations on the federal temporary foreign worker program – ensuring vineyards have access to a required labour stream – and benchmarking Canadian sustainability practices against international norms and best practices, as more retailers seek to offer wine that is sustainable-certified.

With members from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, WGC advocates on a wide range of issues on behalf of its diverse membership. WGC is proud to represent wineries that, in total, craft over 93 per cent of the wine produced in Canada and seeks to continue increasing its membership to deliver real and sustainable benefits for the long-term prosperity of this important agricultural sector.

To learn more, please refer to the WGC website or contact WGC at winegrowerscanada.ca/membership-benefits/.

The nomination process for the awards is open to all organizations, businesses and individuals in the Canadian grape wine industry. This year, several outstanding nominees were considered for all three award categories, reflecting the dedication and enthusiasm for Canadian grape wines across six provinces from coast-to-coast.

This year, the awards went to a well-known B.C. winery family, an acclaimed wine writer and author, and a winemaker from Nova Scotia who was also recently awarded the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal in recognition of her significant service. WGC president and CEO, Dan Paszkowski, was proud to announce the deserving recipients of the 2024 Canadian Wine Industry Awards:

• Canadian Wine Industry Award of Distinction – The Wyse family, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
• Canadian Wine Industry Champion Award – Natalie MacLean, accomplished Canadian wine expert and journalist
• Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award – Gina Haverstock, Head Winemaker, Devonian Coast Wineries

The Canadian Wine Industry Award of Distinction

Regarded as the highest form of peer recognition in the Canadian wine industry, the winner of the Canadian Wine Industry Award of Distinction was the Wyse family, of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery in Oliver, B.C.

The Wyse family established their vineyard in 1993 and their winery, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, a few years later. Their focus on premium Vintners Quality Alliance wines, environmental stewardship and a welcoming tourism destination has led to praise among their peers, and from consumers and tourists alike. Their use of solar and geothermal energy, installation of electric vehicle charging stations on-site, employment of energy efficient building standards, wine production practices and ultra-efficient irrigation systems, and efforts to promote the conservation of the burrowing owl, are just a few examples of their ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.

“The Wyse family’s unwavering focus on premium quality wines, along with their pioneering commitment to the environment, has made an enduring mark on the B.C. wine industry,” said Paszkowski. “The dedication of three generations of their family to an innovative, energy efficient winery, a culinary and wine tourism destination, and to the conservation of the burrowing owl, their winery namesake, leaves a huge legacy on the wider wine industry in British Columbia and across Canada.”

The Wine Industry Champion Award

The Wine Industry Champion Award, presented to an individual who has provided exemplary support to the Canadian wine industry through media, policy or advocacy, was awarded to Ontario-based author and wine expert, Natalie MacLean.

MacLean is a certified sommelier and the author of three best-selling books on wine, lifestyle and responsible wine consumption, as well as a wine instructor, reviewer and frequent guest on all things wine on breakfast and daytime television. She appears regularly on CTV and has won several awards for journalism. She is passionate about demystifying the world of wine and advocating for moderate and responsible wine consumption, actively supporting The Right Amount, an initiative aimed at informing Canadians about drinking in moderation, including how to calculate how many standard drinks are in their glass of wine.

The Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award

The Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award, which celebrates great Canadian winemakers, was awarded to Gina Haverstock, the head winemaker at Devonian Coast family of wineries located in Nova Scotia.

Haverstock was not only the first woman to win this distinguished award, but was also the first winemaker based in Nova Scotia to be the recipient of this award. Equipped with a humble approach to leading the winemaking and vineyard team she oversees, Haverstock is also well-known to have a one of the best palates in Eastern Canada, and for her pioneering work with vinifera in Nova Scotia, specifically Riesling.

When I look down the list of past recipients of this award … I see a list of accomplished winemakers who I respect. To be associated with this group of people and to think of the very long list of accomplished Canadian winemakers that could have received this award, I am humbled.

Gina Haverstock, Devonian Coast Wineries

Receiving the award, Haverstock thanked the Jost family for giving her a start in the industry, and the Sparkes family for allowing her creative freedom in a job she is so incredibly passionate about.

As she accepted the award, she said, “When I look down the list of past recipients of this award … I see a list of accomplished winemakers who I respect. To be associated with this group of people and to think of the very long list of accomplished Canadian winemakers that could have received this award, I am humbled.”

The awards were presented in concert with the British Columbia Industry Recognition Awards at the Penticton Convention Centre as part of an evening reception as industry gathered to celebrate the ongoing momentum of Canada’s wine industry.

Introduced as a two-year pilot program in 2022, the WSSP aimed to assist the Canadian wine industry in adapting to persistent challenges, including adverse climate events, surging inflation and sustained competition from major wine-producing countries that dominate wine sales in Canada. The sector continued to grapple with many challenges.

Dan Paszkowski, president and CEO of WGC, emphasized the significance of the announcement.

“Canada’s 600 wineries and nearly 2,000 grape growers contribute significantly to job creation, drive rural economic development and attract over four million wine country tourists annually,” he said. “[The program’s] renewed investment serves as a foundation for Canadian wineries, investors and associated businesses, guiding crucial decisions, particularly in the face of challenges like vine replanting. We applaud Minister MacAulay’s leadership and the Canadian Government’s continued partnership in advancing this important value-added industry deeply rooted in local agriculture.”

The extended WSSP will help provide certainty for grape-growing communities in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. Its implementation is anticipated to provide a stable environment for wineries, fostering job creation and economic growth across Canada.

What many people don’t realize is that, within the world’s premier wine regions, the wine industry operates as the catalyst upon which economic fortunes rise and fall.

This is because wine industries serve as magnets for investment due to their ability to create and connect economic clusters of industries that thrive in their presence. Clusters are areas of intense economic activity made up of companies, academic institutions and non-profit organizations that boost innovation and growth in a particular industry.

All around the world, wine industries serve as the tide that can lift their local economies, providing an economic uplift to the industries that often cluster around them, which include transportation infrastructure, post-secondary education, housing and development, advanced manufacturing, farming and agriculture, tourism, food and hospitality, and culture and entertainment.

The range of climates and topographies that are required to grow grapes for premium-quality wine are so specific that only 0.53 per cent of the world’s arable land is used for vineyards. Coupled with the long-term investment horizon associated with winemaking (for example, it takes three years for a newly planted vine to become commercially productive), wine industries are effectively fixed in the regions in which they reside. Unlike automobile manufacturers, which can relocate production facilities with relative ease, when wine producers invest capital into their operations in the form of newly planted vines or winemaking facilities, those investments remain in the region for decades.

When people travel to places like Italy and France, it’s well understood by those countries that tourists are visiting to experience their wine, food and culture. As the wine industry grows, so does the number of restaurants and experiential offerings in the surrounding area. This growth, in turn, fuels more tourism and innovation, enabling wine producers to scale up their operations and increasingly hire the specialized workers needed for wine production.

The need for specialized labour then sparks the demand for industry-specific programs at post-secondary institutions, along with transportation infrastructure to facilitate more traffic to the region, and the development of housing for those who relocate to the area to live and work. On and on, this cycle of economic development goes, reaching its zenith when the private and public sectors within the cluster begin to collaborate on a holistic strategy for economic growth. With every industry in the cluster working in concert, the effect of the cluster intensifies, further accelerating the economic growth of the region.

This cluster concept had long been tacitly understood within Ontario’s wine industry. However, it wasn’t until this past year that it was credibly validated. Key leaders from across Ontario’s wine sector, including Wine Growers Ontario (WGO), Ontario Craft Wineries (OCW) and Tourism Partnership of Niagara, joined forces to partner with Deloitte on the development of an economic impact study titled The Niagara Cluster: Ontario’s Untapped Economic Engine to model and understand the growth drivers behind the world’s leading wine economies and how they could best be leveraged in Ontario.

In addition to the rare presence of farmland that’s suitable for vineyards, the Deloitte report’s global scan identified several other critical conditions that must be present for a wine region to thrive to the point where an economic cluster will develop around it. Referred to as “global best practices,” these conditions from the world’s premier wine regions include:

1. Domestic wines maintaining a dominant market share position compared to foreign wines.
2. A connected strategy between the wine and tourism industries that enables the development of world-class tourism offerings.
3. Tax policies that incentivize investment into the wine sector.
4. Capital support programs that incentivize investment into the agriculture and hospitality sectors.

“The most successful wine and tourism regions around the world are investing capital and growing their domestic share because their domestic industry is a priority and is supported by policies that incentivize investment,” said Paul Speck, president of Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery and OCW member.

“Ontario wines already compete and win on the global stage, so working together to turn Niagara into a world-class wine and tourism region to drive significant economic growth is within reach.”

John Peller, Andrew Peller Ltd.

In Ontario, the wine industry is on the precipice of transformational growth, but greater support is needed from the provincial government for this potential to be realized. For example, Ontario is the most heavily-taxed wine-producing jurisdiction in the world and is subject to tax policies that are not observed in any other wine producing region. This includes British Columbia, Canada’s other major wine-producing region. Just as critically, as opposed to championing local products, the policies that govern how alcohol is retailed in Ontario work to provide foreign wine producers with competitive advantages over domestic producers, making it more difficult for Ontario’s wineries to win in their own backyard.

“Ontario wines already compete and win on the global stage, so working together to turn Niagara into a world-class wine and tourism region to drive significant economic growth is within reach,” said John Peller, president of Andrew Peller Ltd. and WGO member. “What’s required are supporting policies and best practices that both B.C. and leading global wine regions adhere to and where Ontario needs to catch-up.”

Although there are interconnected pockets of wine-producing regions across southern Ontario, the vast majority of grape growing and wine production takes place in the region of Niagara, hence the title of the Deloitte report. As stated in the Deloitte report, should Ontario’s government work together with the wine industry to develop and enact the policy support that’s desperately needed for it to reach its full potential, the Niagara Cluster stands to benefit from an economic uplift of $8 billion in a single generation. As seen from the world’s leading wine regions, $8 billion is merely scratching the surface.

They celebrated the success, leadership and outstanding commitment in Canada’s grape wine industry. The industry was thrilled to hold the awards ceremony in-person for the first time since 2019, with industry professionals from across the country in attendance, as well as wine country Members of Parliament to celebrate the recipients’ achievements.

This year’s distinguished recipients were:

• Canadian Wine Industry Award of Distinction – Jay Wright and John Howard
• Canadian Wine Industry Champion Award – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau and the Parliamentary National Wine Caucus
• The Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award – Jean-Laurent “J-L” Groux

The Canadian Wine Industry Award of Distinction is regarded as the highest form of peer recognition and appreciation in the Canadian wine industry. The award is presented to an individual or family who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, commitment and passion for the advancement of the Canadian wine industry. The 2023 award was presented jointly to Jay Wright, former president and CEO at Arterra Wines Canada, and John Howard, owner and founder of Megalomaniac Winery.

“This being the first in-person Canadian Wine Industry Awards in a number of years, Wine Growers Canada was overwhelmed by the quality and number of nominations received this year,” said Kelly Brown, chair of WGC. “This year, our national industry committee unanimously voted to have two individuals receive the Award of Distinction: Jay Wright and John Howard.”

Over the past two decades, Wright’s pioneering legacy has helped take the Canadian wine industry to new heights. A passionate advocate and champion for VQA wine, Wright played a key role in growing the VQA premium Canadian wine category and supporting the overall growth of the entire Canadian wine industry.

Howard’s background in business and his entrepreneurial attitude led to the growth of two of Niagara’s most respected and well-known wineries – Vineland Estates Winery and Megalomaniac Winery – from small start-up businesses into iconic brands and destinations known for their award-winning wines and superb hospitality. He has been an integral part of the development of the Niagara Escarpment as a coveted viticultural area and a must-visit tourism destination in Niagara wine country.

The Canadian Wine Industry Champion Award is presented to an individual who has provided exemplary support to the Canadian wine industry through media, research, policy or advocacy, significantly contributing to the overall strength and long-term viability of the industry. The award recognizes the extensive community of Canadian wine champions who are passionate about Canadian wine and industry prosperity beyond those employed directly in the industry. The 2023 award was presented jointly to Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau and the Parliamentary National Wine Caucus.

“This year, our national industry awards committee knew that, if there was one sole initiative that made the greatest impact on every grape winery across Canada, it was the implementation of the federal government’s Wine Sector Support Program,” said Dan Paszkowski, president and CEO of WGC. “The Wine Sector Support Program is the direct result of the unwavering support and dedication from the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and a long list of Members of Parliament from every political party in wine ridings across Canada.”

Minister Bibeau is passionate about the prosperity of rural Canada, rural tourism and destination development, and is the first woman to hold the role of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

At the awards ceremony, which took place at the White Oaks Hotel & Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Francesco Sorbara, MP for Vaughan-Woodbridge and chair of the Parliamentary National Wine Caucus, thanked the industry for this coveted award on behalf of the wine caucus and Minister Bibeau, who was in Eastern Canada attending the annual Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers’ Conference.

“Wine Caucus chair Francesco Sorbara’s support has been instrumental not only in the establishment of the Wine Sector Support Program, but across a range of policy files,” said Paszkowski. “He has been resolute in his support of the Canadian wine industry and is so incredibly deserving of this award.”

The Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award was created in 2018 to celebrate great Canadian winemakers, in honour of the legacy of the late Karl Kaiser, a Canadian wine industry pioneer and one of the founding winemakers of the modern Canadian wine industry. The 2023 award was presented to Niagara-based J-L Groux, the founding winemaker of Stratus Vineyards.

Groux’s contributions to the Canadian wine industry have made him a Canadian wine legend. He has introduced new grape varieties to Canadian vineyards, and experimented with a range of viticultural practices and winemaking techniques that have benefited winemakers across Canada. His passion for sustainable practices is something he readily shares with fellow winemakers.

“His passion for precision viticulture, sustainable practices and the art of blending have made a critical mark on terroir-driven, appellation-focused wines across Canada,” said Paszkowski.

According to data released by global beverage analysis group, IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, the value of no- and low-alcohol category topped $11 billion in 2022 in the 10 key global markets it analyzed (including Canada). The pace of growth is expected to gain speed with the market analysis firm forecasting a volume compound annual growth rate of over seven per cent through 2026, compared to five per cent from 2018 to 2022.

For Canadian wineries that are active or diversifying into the low- and no-alcohol market segment, there is a keen sense of pride. There is pride in producing distinct Canadian wines in a space traditionally dominated by imported wine. There is also pride in the rich connection to place in wine regions where the climate and terroir naturally give rise to lower-sugar grapes, and thereby lower-alcohol wines.

The reasons for this foray are many, but one thing is certain: the consumer is top of mind. Some Canadian wineries see it as part of a commitment to diversity and inclusion, others are conscious of consumers who have specific wellness goals. Ensuring these low- and no-alcohol offerings are also great-tasting products that consumers will savour is undoubtedly a labour of love for Canadian winemakers.

Nova Scotia-based winery Benjamin Bridge has produced low-alcohol wine for some time in the form of its Tidal Bay (around 10% ABV) and Nova 7 (around 6.5% ABV) wines. Tidal Bay is Nova Scotia’s first appellation, characterizing an aromatic white wine, blended from only specific varietals. To obtain the Tidal Bay designation, a wine must have an alcohol content of no more than 11% ABV.

Benjamin Bridge’s head winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, says the recent diversification of their low- and no-alcohol product offering into piquettes was a natural follow-on from their experience with Tidal Bay and Nova 7, coupled with their commitment to showcasing the fruit of their unique micro-climate to consumers. Deslauriers says the winery’s goal is to “create extraordinary sensory experiences connected to place.”

Piquette is a lightly effervescent wine made from the refermentation of grape pomace, which makes it naturally low in alcohol. The Nova Scotia winery has added a half-dozen piquettes to its low-alcohol product offering, all at 5% ABV, as well as their piquette zero, at 0% ABV.

Another winery that has diversified into the low-alcohol market is Niagara-based Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits. Diamond released a new 8% ABV range of wines in May 2022, called Mindful. In addition to their current range of two Mindful wines – a Pinot Grigio and a rosé – they will soon launch a third, Mindful Sparkling. The only low-alcohol low-sugar wine that is VQA-certified at the LCBO, Diamond works with their growers to ensure the grapes that go into Mindful are harvested early, so they are naturally lower in sugar and thereby lower in alcohol. While the new year can kick-start conversations around resolutions, or a Dry or Damp January, the winery says sales have grown steadily throughout the year.

Whether through a cool micro-climate, early harvest, de-alcoholization or experimentation with a secondary pressing, Canadian wineries are certainly stepping into the exciting low- and no-alcohol segment of the wine market. With other wineries – including British Columbia-based Haywire Winery – making inroads in the low-alcohol space, it is only a matter of time before consumers see an ever-increasing range of Canadian wine offerings in the low- and no-alcohol space.