The Friday Files: News & Notes From Canada’s Wine Scene

A big news week throughout Canada; let’s dive right in!

Here in British Columbia, the new regime for wholesale pricing has many private liquor stores saying sales are down, and the new system isn’t the “level playing field” that had been promised.

A surprising announcement out of Mission Hill Family Estate winery. Long-time winemaker John Simes is leaving his post to focus on the viticulture side of the winery’s business, while Darryl Brooker of sister winery CedarCreek will now be donning the winemaker boots.

After evaluating over 1300 entries, the results of the All Canadian Wine Championships are in!

A couple things for the ol’ calendar: The International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration happens in Ontario this July, and then in August, it’s the B.C. Pinot Noir Celebration. So much celebration!!

Decanter has the story on the 2014 vintage of icewine in Canada being down by 50 percent.

Just in time for summer, wine guy James Nevison from The Province gets into Gewurztraminer.

At the Winnipeg Free Press, My Wine Canada’s very own Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson talks about the growing craft beer scene in Manitoba.

Speaking of craft beer, and really – who isn’t these days, this week at The Georgia Straight I offered a little direction on craft beer for wine lovers in honour of Vancouver Craft Beer Week.

Oh yeah, here in Vancouver it’s almost Vancouver Craft Beer Week!

At the Ottawa Citizen, Rod Philips ponders Pinot Noir.

A hearty welcome to some of My Wine Canada’s newest wineries: the Okanagan Valley’s Bench 1775 , the Similkameen Valley’s Orofino Vineyards, and Niagara's Marynissen, Riverview, and Back 10. 

While we’re covering a little My Wine Canada business, the next winery up in our Wine Club is Thornhaven out of Summerland, B.C. Get all the info by clicking here!

Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant, writer, competition judge and enthusiast. Track him down at KurtisKolt.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @KurtisKolt.