Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced Tuesday that the first LCBO Express stores will appear in large grocery retailers by the end of 2014. "This pilot will begin with 10 stores and we expect to have these up and running within a year."

"We are very pleased with the decision by the VQAC to recognize the CVA as the organization best positioned to protect the VQA and Icewine trademarks in Canada and abroad," said Tony Stewart, President of Quails' Gate Winery in British Columbia and CVA Chair.

"I've always believed in trying new things," Macfarlane told Gulf Island Mail, "I know a lot of people are going to make a lot of jokes about it but I say 'why not?' I'm already pushing the boundaries with biodynamics, why not push them further?

The province is providing $111,000 through the Local Food Fund to help organize and promote the Gananoque Brewing Company Harvest Festival. The month-long celebration will start in late August and will feature brewery, winery and farms tours, hop picking, mill visits and a country market. The festival will attract visitors, boost tourism in the region and strengthen the market for local food and beverages.

The B.C. government has proposed major changes to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), opening the door for East Kootenay farmers to gain permission to use their properties for non-agricultural uses.

Simone Castellarin grew up in the vineyards of Northern Italy. Now he wants to share his wine-growing knowledge with B.C. growers

The USA, Canada and China are to remain top investment targets for importers for the next 20 years according to a report by Wine Intelligence.

American wine exports - 90 per cent of which are from California - reached a record high $1.55 billion in revenue in 2013, up 16.4 per cent compared with the previous year. In all, California exports one fifth of its production and is on track to reach its goal of $2 billion in exports by 2020.

Surprisingly, despite the relatively warm summer temperatures, one of the consistently outstanding qualities of both red and white wines was their lively acidity, which definitely made them more like our wines than those from either Washington or California

Local wine merchants and distillers say unless they get their hands on the containers piling up at backlogged Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) terminals, local drinkers will soon have to find alternative social lubricants.

Canadian exporters of agricultural products such as beef, pork, canola and grains will be among the winners in the free trade deal with South Korea, but the benefits to Canadian consumers may not be as striking. However, International Trade Minister Ed Fast told CBC News Network's Power & Politics on Tuesday that the elimination of tariffs would be good for Canadian consumers.

The Canadian Vintners Association (CVA), the national voice of the grape and wine industry, applauds the Government of Canada's conclusion of the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA). On March 10, 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Park Geun-hye, president of the Republic of Korea, finalized negotiations and announced the historic agreement.

Beginning next year, British Columbia grocery stores will be allowed to sell beer, wine and liquor, the Times-Colonist reports. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton announced the change last week as she introduced amendments to the province's liquor laws. The law would establish a "store-within-a-store" to sell alcohol through separate cashiers within a grocery store. Anton said the law would enhance convenience while providing an economic boost to retailers.

Ontario's auto sector fears "one-sided" trade flow, but industries like aerospace and food producers are more optimistic.

A Canadian beverage company is set to launch a new protein-filled ale marketed as a post workout sports drink.

After announcing in 2013 that British Columbians may soon be able to buy alcohol with their groceries, the provincial government outlined today (March 6) its plan for grocery store liquor sales. The B.C. government is moving to implement a two-part model that will be in place by early 2015.

The B.C. government is permitting beer, spirits and wine to be sold in local grocery stores through separate cashiers by 2015. B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton says expanded liquor sales will also be allowed in other places.

The VQA Promoters Awards for 2014 were announced Saturday at the "experts tasting" hosted by Brock's Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.

Freezing temperatures across Ontario have damaged vines in the Canadian province's vineyards, with some producers reporting bud loss of around 90 percent.

Wirtz Beverage Group is to become Diageo's exclusive national broker in Canada, after signing an agreement last week.