Diageo, the world's leading spirits, wine and beer company, and Wirtz Beverage Group, a leading distributor of the world's top luxury and premium wine, spirits and beer brands, today announced that they have signed an agreement naming Wirtz Beverage as the exclusive national broker for Diageo beer, wine, spirits and Ready to Drink (RTD) brands in Canada.

Repeated thermometer plunges near or below -20°C in Niagara - conditions not seen in years - are taking a toll on Ontario's orchards. And Vineland Estates, winemaker Brian Schmidt says it's cold-averse varieties like Merlot, Sauvignon blanc and Syrah that have suffered the worst. These varieties can endure bud damage at readings of -19°C or lower.

Wirtz Beverage Group, led by Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, on Monday said that it will soon become Diageo's exclusive national broker in Canada

Fruit winemakers still want to be included in the Ontario government's plans to launch wine sales at farmer's markets this year, but so far they continue to be shut out.

This Saturday, as they have for the past 25 years, the Ontario wine industry and supporters will come together to taste wine. Over time, the by-invitation gathering, dubbed the Experts Tasting, has looked at specially selected wines grouped by theme to gain better understanding of which styles best express Ontario's growing conditions and how local wines compare with benchmark bottles from around the world.

The new head of NB Liquor doesn't expect to see beer and wine for sale in New Brunswick corner stores any time soon. Brian Harriman has been on the job as the president and chief executive officer for about a month and has launched a review of the Crown corporation's retail strategy. ?Harriman says he'll look at the idea of sales in convenience stores, but he doesn't expect it to happen

British Columbia Wine Institute says wider sales threaten local wineries. "Our biggest concern is a grocery store getting hold of a liquor license, frankly," said Miles Prodan, president and CEO of the B.C. Wine Institute, at a seminar held by Law Seminars International this week to review legal issues associated with the wine business in B.C.

Jennifer Cockrall-King of the Okanagan Food and Wine Writers' Workshop has just announced the facilty for this year's event, and hallelujah, Anita Stewart is going to be there.

The report contains a total of 73 recommendations that touch on everything from how alcohol is sold and purchased to how it's licensed and distributed, and the Province has announced that it fully supports every one of them.

On Monday's Edmonton A.M., Justice Minister Jonathan Denis told the CBC's John Archer that it's worth having the discussion, particularly about staggering bar closing hours. "There has been quite a conversation the last 18 hours or so on my Facebook and Twitter about whether or not this would increase people's safety," Denis said.

Unsurprisingly, liquor monopolists in other provinces criticize Alberta's liquor privatization. The latest critic is Ted Moroz, president of the Ontario-based The Beer Store, which has a near monopoly on private sector beer sales in the province.

Although Beaufort's new manager Mark Timmermans couldn't give many details Wednesday, he confirmed Cameron is the new owner

New benchmark for wine reviews, ratings and personalized recommendations set to shift consumer wine buying habits.

After extensive consultation, the Government of Canada is introducing regulatory amendments that will help Canadian icewine producers expand export markets and protect consumers from fraudulent products. Primarily, the amendments will create a new national standard for icewine.

Premier Kathleen Wynne pledges to "modernize" beer sales in Ontario but won't be specific in Reddit chat on the Internet.

The SAQ, the Crown corporation that distributes and sells liquor and wine in the province, says it has to raise prices to keep up with inflation. Every February for the past few years, the SAQ has increased its prices by at least five cents a bottle, but this year, some bottles are becoming significantly more expensive.

Ontario recently announced that wines bearing the VQA designation and made solely from Ontario grapes could be sold at farmers markets, while a three-location pilot of boutiques selling exclusively VQA wines would be expanded.

CedarCreek Estate Winery to join Von Mandl Family Estates

The polar vortex two weeks ago was too much for the grape vines to handle and the more sensitive grapes likely didn't survive

The $75-million, five-year program, will focus on 100 per cent Ontario grown Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines. "The Grape Growers of Ontario welcome the announcement, and look forward to building on the governments strategy to grow the success of Ontarios grape and wine industry," said Debbie Zimmerman, CEO, Grape Growers of Ontario.