"This is a British Columbia success story about what can happen when we all work together for the greater good of the environment," says Mary Polak, Minister of Environment. "A big congratulations to Encorp Pacific for the progress they've made, and to all British Columbians who have helped reach this milestone."

WineAlign, a Web-based business that helps oenophiles select the perfect wine for any occasion, has spent $511,000 in software development fees since starting up in 2008. "And that's just development," says founder Bryan McCaw. "Not testing, quality assurance or anything else. The total is probably double that."

In many ways, the Okanagan Valley is ideally suited for wine production. As in eastern Washington, the summers are hot and dry and the northerly latitude ensures lots of sun during the day.

This harvest of success, which has expanded in recent years, includes everything from craft beers and various wines to cold-pressed pumpkin oil and pears grown in brandy bottles on trees.

Although beer remains the top choice for Albertans with just over $1 billion in sales in 2013, wine sales overall jumped by 11 per cent last year - the highest hike in the country and more than double the national average - to $614.2 million, according to Statistics Canada.

A public meeting in Iqaluit last night to talk about opening a beer and wine store was a sobering one, with lengthy testimonies from elders about the harms of alcohol. Some said Iqaluit's last liquor store 40 years ago was the pilot program, and it failed.

Enjoy gorgeous fall foliage across Canada while savouring the country's best wines on an autumn wine tour.

While B.C. has encouraged open exchange with Ontario and other provinces, allowing B.C. residents to purchase Ontario wine, Ontario hasn't been so quick to reciprocate, even though Ontario wineries have gone on the record in support of opening provincial borders for wine sales.

A Canadian town where the sale of alcohol has been illegal for the last 109 years is to vote on its reintroduction.

A Canadian town has overwhelmingly voted in favour of keeping a 100-year-old ban on the sale of alcohol.

Starting Oct. 1, eight hand-selected BC VQA wines will be available for purchase at 15 Whole Foods Market stores across Washington and Oregon.

Plans for Dark Horse Estate Winery were unveiled at a special ceremony at the Huron Country Playhouse in South Huron. Construction is expected to start next year, and the goal is to have the winery open in the spring of 2016.

Out of 540 entries, an Okanagan wine has won the prestigious Premier Wine Award, being recognized as the best in the province.

The wines on the shelves at the LCBO are constantly changing and I am tasting the new ones all the time. Many favourites are always there but the range and variety is gradually being updated.

Jay Garnett, CEO of Icon Fine Wine & Spirits, announced the acquisition of Free House Wine + Spirits Ltd. The deal brings together two of Western Canada's most dynamic boutique wine and spirits import companies and positions Icon as one of the country's top mid-sized agencies.

This new wine program offers a selection of red and white wines, at a variety of price points, curated by Erez Klein, Whole Foods Market Wine Buyer of the Pacific Northwest region.

There was a good turnout for the official opening of the BC Wine Information Society Sensory Centre at Okanagan College's Penticton campus on Wednesday.

The 2015 B.C. Wine Awards will be judged at the new B.C. Wine Information Society Sensory Centre at the Penticton campus of Okanagan College.

The annual meeting of Canada's premiers at the Council of the Federation conference in Charlottetown recently was dominated by the topic of interprovincial trade.

On September 18, Fort Berens Estate Winery held an official grand opening ceremony to celebrate the opening of their new winery building. To mark this key milestone, Hugh Agro, Heleen Pannekoek and Rolf de Bruin, on behalf of the entire ownership team, raised a new flag at their new winery. Dignitaries, media, staff and key supporters were in attendance for the special ceremony.