Let the wine flow across provincial borders

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VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – A lot of things have changed since the prohibition in 1928, but shipping wine in Canada wasn’t one of them, until today.

Minister Rich Coleman said that British Columbians can now order their wine of choice from a winery that produces 100 per cent Canadian wine in another province, and as long as it’s for personal consumption, they can have it shipped directly to them.

This is getting a thumbs up from the wine industry.

Miles Prodan with the BC Wine Institute is happy the province is taking the reigns.

“BC has taken a leadership role and is being very specific about it…and allowing, most importantly, for our wine industry directly to consumer shipping through Internet, online or phone sales.”

He also hopes it means a boom to wine tourism.

“We just need to the other provinces to follow suit.”

Coleman is the minister responsible for liquor, and he says the province is endorsing the BC wine marketplace. “Today, we encourage other jurisdictions to take immediate steps to reciprocate by opening up their borders and allow all Canadians to order wine over the Internet.”

Wine directly shipped from a winery in another area to BC residents will be exempt from provincial mark-ups.

The move comes after Ottawa passed a law allowing folks to import wine from other provinces.

Could this affect prices?

It’s about supply and demand. If a lot of wine gets shipped out, it is possible wine prices will begin to creep up, so says Dan Wier with www.myliquorstore.ca

“For me, as a buyer, I think there are all these small vineyards, are they now going to be shipping out, and since there might be more demand for their product, will our prices then inflate for us here in BC.”

Weir adds local wines could now be in a price competition with other, possibly more expensive wines.

“It might be a little bit of ‘you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’, those $15 bottles that can compete with $30 bottles around the world, they’ll become $30 bottles potentially. Which is great for our BC vineyards, but not so great for buyers like us.”

Many owners, however, say the laws are a step in the right direction, and are optimistic that inflation will be kept at bay.

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