In the shadow of Donald Trump's trade war and Canada's retaliatory tariffs, Ontario's wine industry is seeing a silver lining.

Bayer defends safety of the herbicide, but legal costs may force withdrawal from U.S. market

Grapes for Humanity Canada has launched its fifth annual auction. As Canada's most successful charity wine auction, the Grapes for Humanity Fine Wine Auction has raised more than $1.8 million for humanitarian and environmental programs throughout the globe. Bidders will savour the opportunity to win rare vintages and bespoke experiences, including dinner with music icons Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush, exclusive wine experiences and rare wines by Ontario's leading winemakers, including Thomas Bachelder.

Since the 2022 vintage, Mckibbon has overseen the cellar under Ross Wise MW. This move brought his career full circle, as he first worked for Wise as a harvest intern back in 2011. Since then, he's completed 16 harvests around the world including Crystallum (South Africa), Hidden Bench (Niagara), and Felton Road (New Zealand), along with benchmark estates across the Okanagan Valley.

In early February, the Ontario Liquor Control Board made the decision to stop selling American alcoholic beverages in response to President Trump slapping 25% tariffs on Canadian imports into the United States. Since then, Canadian shelves have been stripped bare of all US-made alcoholic products, including a popular kosher wine brand that has played a role in the Jewish celebration of Passover for decades.

The missing wine illustrates how Trump's instigation of a trade war with Canada and his bellicose talk is causing pain for Canadian consumers and U.S. beverage companies like Manischewitz owner E & J Gallo Winery, as well as potential opportunities for Canadian competitors.

Sales in the network of SAQ stores and specialized centers have decreased by $6.9 million, or 0.5%, compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year, reflecting a decline in sales volume of 1.9 million liters, or 3.1%. Volumes in this network maintained their downward trend, as has been the case for the last two years, a development largely attributable to changes in customers' shopping habits.

Southbrook Organic Vineyards, Canada's leader in sustainable winemaking, proudly announces it has received the designation of Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™), to become the first winery in Canada to achieve the Organic (ECOCERT,2008), Biodynamic (Demeter, 2008), and now, Regenerative Organic Certified® designations. Southbrook has transformed its vineyards into a thriving ecosystem that improves soil health and resilience, promotes biodiversity, sequesters carbon.

"It's absurd that they didn't fix the system right off the bat," said Okanagan Spirits principal Tyler Dyck, who is also the president of the Craft Distillers Guild of British Columbia, which lists 39 members on its website.

Rewild Wine is shaking up the wine industry, making eco-conscious choices not only accessible, but delicious. By challenging the idea that sustainable wine is exclusive or expensive, Rewild is rewriting the rules--proving that great taste and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with their ethos being, "To rewild is to act. To regenerate. And to give more to the earth than we take."

Wine Growers BC fully supports the British Columbia government's decision to remove all U.S. wine from BC Liquor Store shelves in response to the tariffs imposed on Canadian wine by President Trump. This action sends a strong message in support of local wineries and helps ensure that BC's wine industry receives the priority it deserves amid challenging economic conditions.

Many Quebecers now have a different relationship to alcohol and demographic changes in Quebec also mean our stores are no longer an automatic stop on their outings. Increasingly, customers place greater value on accessibility and spontaneity, with their purchases not being planned in advance. Generation Z, which now outnumbers baby boomers in Quebec, has alcohol-related habits different from those of preceding generations, and that is as true when it comes to buying as to drinking. What's more, Quebecers have joined the worldwide trend toward reduced alcohol consumption, and a growing number are seeking alternatives to alcoholic beverages.

Leeann Froese, co-owner of Town Hall Brands, has been honoured with the 'Master Marketer Award' at the annual BC Wine Industry Insight Conference hosted by Wine Growers BC in Penticton, BC. This distinguished award recognizes outstanding marketing innovation in the promotion of BC wines and highlights individuals and organizations that think outside the box to advance the industry.

\The price of some wines could increase by as much as $4 to $6 per bottle for wines over $20 per liter.

On Monday, B.C. Premier David Eby announced the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch had stopped purchasing American beer, wine and liquor and removed existing stock from its shelves.

Maria Nunes and her brother, Fred Farinha, founded Adega on 45th in 2011 on their family farm, alongside their spouses, Alex and Pamala, establishing it as a cornerstone of the Okanagan wine community.

'We have a quality product. All we need is the will to identify it accurately.'

All provinces, except P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador, agreed to remove the obstacles preventing their alcohol from being sold in other jurisdictions.

"For us, this isn't just about politics--it's about reinforcing our commitment to the wine community we've always supported," says Shevaghn Darcy ('Darcy'), Founder of Wine Fair Halifax and Owner of Cellar Events Inc. "While we respect American producers and hope to work with them again in the future, in the midst of this climate and with these trade barriers in place, we're doubling down on what we do best -- championing local wines, fostering community and ensuring our fair has a meaningful and economic impact right here in Nova Scotia."