The warehouses and distribution system - not the government liquor stores - were put up on the auction block as part of the government's $700-million asset sale announced in the provincial budget last February.

Despite the bill, the provinces, which skim fat profits through liquor-board markups, can still throw a wrench into the e-commerce locomotive. Under the terms of the amendment, they must set down laws defining "personal consumption."

Canadians currently go through about 13 litres of wine per capita.

Swiss banker-turned-winery owner Hanspeter Stutz raises a glass of honey-golden wine. "We have one of the hottest spots in the valley," he says of his 12-hectare vineyard.

The federal government is finally moving to modernize its alcohol transportation rules, amending a 1928 law that prevents people from buying wine across provincial borders.

But wait. The provinces apparently still think jail is a fine place for Internet wine shoppers. They interpret the law differently. Direct shipping is off the table, they say, and was never the intent of Bill C-311.

This law, which essentially opens up a whole new market to B.C.'s wine industry, has local wineries making changes to get ready to capitalize on this new market.

British Columbia winery owners say new regulations just introduced in this province prevent them from sending wine to other provinces despite last week's vote in the House of Commons to liberalize wine shipments

Many Canadian wine drinkers could be free to transport wines across provincial borders for the first time in their lives, if a new law passes as expected

With this bill, the federal government is simply 'getting out of the way', i.e. removing the illegality of transporting liquor across provincial borders. This bill is NOT yet law, and, but is anticipated to move quickly through the Senate and hopefully will receive Royal Assent this summer.

Ontario and B.C. are the largest producers of Canada's grape-based wines. Global News caught up with the wine experts from coast-to-coast to discuss the bill and talk - a lot of - wine.

The passage of a federal bill on Thursday to lift archaic restrictions on interprovincial wine trade was supposed to fix that, but Mr. Skinner says the B.C. government has dropped the ball.

Private member's bill to 'free the grapes' will replace decades-old prohibition

Canadians will soon be free to transport wines across provincial borders if, as expected, a Conservative backbencher's private member's bill is passed Wednesday evening in the House of Commons.

Bill C-311, a private member's bill, will add an exception to the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act to allow individuals to import wine from one province to another for personal consumption.

Bill C-311, introduced by B.C. Conservative MP Dan Albas, will amend the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act to remove a regulation that hinders domestic wine shipping.

only original winery that is still operated by its founders

Stratus Vineyards has launched a bold new website offering easy-to-use online shopping wrapped in a visually appealing design.

For each bottle of white wine sold, the SAQ promised to donate $1 to Banques alimentaires Québec (BAQ), while various suppliers upped the SAQ's donation by another $1 for certain wines.

Federal NDP house leader Nathan Cullen says the Conservatives have created a tempest in a wine glass by accusing New Democrats of blocking a bill to update Canada's archaic liquor laws.