"Eh Team" to put B.C. on global wine map
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B.C. wines are becoming increasingly popular locally, and the 'Eh Team' wants to bring that success to the global market. |
The idea is that if the wineries -- many from the Okanagan and from Ontario's Niagara-on-the-Lake area -- can put their products on the shelf next to premium products, then consumers will recognize our quality.
"We want to get some recognition as a category, a Canadian wine category, not just a Canadian winery trying to do it on their own," said Dan Zepponi of Mission Hill winery, an "Eh Team" member.
And if Canadian consumers see wine from home on wine lists around the world, that can only help consumption at home, says Ontario winemaker Paul Bosc.
"They're going to come back and tell that story and say hey, that's not just the winery down the road, these guys are all over the world and in order to do that they have to be very good," he said.
B.C.'s wine industry is tiny relative to the world supply, with about 7,500 acres of grapes in production.
By comparison, California's wine industry has 500,000 acres in production.
For smaller wineries in the Okanagan, there are no thoughts of world production.
"No, we're not even in a position to think about that," said Stephanie Schales, of Eighth Generation Winery. "We're quite happy."
Andy Gebert of St. Hubertus Winery says he sells a few cases to clients in Denmark, but he's happy with his local business.
"B.C. and Alberta are our biggest customers by far, and they are easy for us to access," he said.