On Nov 11, 2016, we kicked off the inaugural Wine Summit, part of celebrating Whistler’s 20th Anniversary Cornucopia Wine Festival. I presented a few thoughts on the external environment facing the BC wine industry. I’ve condensed them and offer them below. 1. A Trade Challenge? What we know is that a diplomatic letter to the […]
A Looming Trade Challenge to BC’s New Wine and Liquor Laws and Policies?
There is fairly wide awareness among the wine trade – and knowledgeable consumers – in British Columbia that the BC government’s implementation of its Liquor Policy Review changes are controversial in the eyes of several of our major wine-producing trading partners. What do we really know about the issues, and how can we assess the […]
BC has its first sub-appellation – the Golden Mile Bench. What does it mean?
On March 30, 2015, the BC Ministry of Agriculture announced the approval of BC’s first sub-appellation: the Golden Mile Bench. The 11 wineries who operate on the Bench were surely popping corks to celebrate the culmination of seven years’ work to scope the definition of the Bench, conduct the scientific studies, develop (and maintain) the […]
Countdown to Launch of New Liquor Pricing Model
As the BC government lurches toward the April 1 2015 launch of major changes to how wine and liquor are priced and where they may be sold in this province, the whole process is taking on an ever more Alice-through-the-looking-glass quality. Bearing in mind that the goal is a level playing field and a more […]
The Curious Climbdown on BC’s Wine Markup
As part of the BC government’s ongoing wine and liquor reforms resulting from its Liquor Policy Review, a new wine wholesale price structure was announced in December 2014. The changes rested on two premises: that the price structure would “level the playing field” among various categories of retailer (licenced retail stores – LRS, private wine […]
New Rules Will Encourage Wine Tourism – How to Keep it Sustainable? Part 2
Part 2 – What about the non-economic impacts of wine tourism? As studies of established and emerging wine regions around the world have shown, rapid increases in tourism to regions whose appeal depend on their “viewscapes” (in our case “winescapes”), rural character and the sustainable produce of the region can kill the goose that laid […]
New Rules Will Encourage Wine Tourism – How to Keep it Sustainable? Part 1
Part 1 – What are the economic benefits? The advance trickle of endorsements by the BC government of uncontroversial recommendations from the Liquor Policy Review continued in mid-December. Several of these were warmly welcomed in BC wine tourism circles. Among the tourism-friendly announcements (also applicable to craft breweries and distilleries) were: streamlining producer licenses to […]
Tax on Wine in British Columbia: A Certainty, But What Kind Should It Be?
With the delivery of Parliamentary Secretary John Yap’s report on the BC Liquor Policy Review last week to Attorney General Suzanne Anton, it’s a good time to reflect on one of the hotter issues that emerged from the stakeholder (but definitely not public!) consultation. The words “taxes” and “hot” don’t usually go together – nor […]
Comments to British Columbia’s Liquor Policy Review
October 28, 2013 Hon. John Yap Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Policy Reform Province of British Columbia, East Annex, Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V7V 1X4 Via email to http://engage.gov.bc.ca/liquorpolicyreview/ Dear Mr. Yap: Re: Comments to British Columbia’s Liquor Policy Review The initiative taken by the Province to review BC’s antiquated liquor laws is welcome – for […]
The Politics of Wine: More Heat than Light (So Far)
Two recent political developments have caused BC wine enthusiasts – and winemakers – to get excited about the prospects for the industry. On the heels of the BC Liberal re-election, the first took place in the heart of the Okanagan, when MLA and winery proprietor Ben Stewart stepped aside for Premier Christy Clark to contest […]