With the removal of American wines from store shelves, it’s a great time to start exploring Canadian wine—if you haven’t already. There are plenty of great Canadian wines available at both Liquor Mart and private wine stores. However, many excellent Canadian wines aren’t available in stores and can only be purchased in Manitoba by ordering directly from the winery.
Thanks to changes in interprovincial trade rules a few years ago, Manitobans are now able to have wine shipped directly from wineries in other provinces—something not all Canadians can do, due to ongoing trade barriers.
So, what’s the deal with ordering directly from a winery? Typically, you’ll need to order a minimum of six bottles and pay a delivery charge. Delivery fees usually range from $20–$40, although you can sometimes get free shipping if you order a large enough quantity. If you’re after a specific wine you can’t find in Manitoba stores, this is a great option. You can also mix and match different wines from the winery to complete your order.
As an example, I’m a big fan of Spearhead Pinot Noir, which I haven’t been able to find locally. Spearhead is located in Lake Country in the Okanagan. Their Pinot Noirs have won multiple platinum awards, and the winery has been named Winery of the Year. Shipping a case from there costs $35.
If you’re not used to buying a case of six or twelve bottles at once, you might need to think about storage. It’s often said that 90% of wine is consumed within 48 hours of purchase, so if you’re not in the habit of storing wine, you’re not alone. I’ll go into more detail on wine storage in a future article, but for now it’s worth noting that wine’s biggest enemies are heat, light, vibration, humidity, and oxidation. A small wine rack on display in your kitchen might look nice, but it’s not the best place to store wine—it’s typically warm, bright, and in a high-traffic area.
If you want to Buy Canadian—and that includes your wine—don’t forget that you can have bottles shipped directly to your home from wineries across the country. It’s a great way to access quality Canadian wines that aren’t available locally. Just don’t be surprised when your shipment notice comes from ATS Healthcare, as many wineries use them for deliveries.
By: Stu Charles
WSET Wines & Spirits Level 3, Spanish Wine Scholar, French Wine Scholar, WSET Sake Level 1, Ontario VQA Wine Appellations Level 1, BC Wines of BC Ambassador Level 1, Certified Expert in California Wine Level 2.
