Is Canadian Wine "Good"?

Canadian wine has been quietly carving out its place on the world stage, yet many Canadians remain unaware of the exceptional bottles produced in their own backyard. Canadian wine offers remarkable diversity and depth, yet when quality wine is so readily available, why do most liquor stores stock the same handful of wines?

The answer lies in a tangle of regulations, interprovincial trading barriers, and the policies of provincial liquor control boards.

The Rise of Canadian Wine

Canada has become known for our cool‑climate varietals, like Riesling, Chardonnay and Gamay. Common characteristics of Canadian wine include crisp acidity, vibrant aromatics, and remarkable minerality.

While there are great wineries across Canada, we have yet to see many of their high‑end offerings on store shelves.

Interprovincial Trading Barriers and Accessibility

Canada’s unique system of liquor control creates interprovincial trading barriers that severely limit the flow of wine between provinces.

Each province’s liquor control board manages distribution, pricing and retailing within its borders, effectively creating “walled gardens.” Luckily, as of April 2025, provinces are taking action to change this. However, we are still in a state of transition, and there will be some time before people in Manitoba can easily purchase a BC Pinot Noir. 

Liquor Control Boards and Profit Margins

Many provincial liquor control boards impose rigid pricing and markup structures. And while they guarantee access to the market for large producers, it can be unprofitable or unsustainable for smaller wineries to sell their wine through retail stores.

To cover costs, most of the Canadian wine that you find on the shelves is mass‑produced labels that can absorb the markup, meaning you’ll easily find “okay” quality wines, while a lot of the outstanding Canadian wines remain obscure to the everyday Canadian.

Why Mass‑Produced Labels Dominate

Because of these rules, the selection in most provincial liquor stores skews heavily toward large‑scale producers. These wines can meet the demands of wide distribution, but they seldom showcase diverse options from smaller Canadian wineries. As a result, many Canadians judge Canadian wine by these mass-market offerings, and miss out on the extraordinary bottles craft producers create in limited quantities.

Sampling the Best: How to Bypass the System

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: buy wine online. This approach gives you access to small‑batch, limited‑edition releases, reserve collections, and library wines that never reach brick‑and‑mortar stores.

Canadian wine is world‑class. Yet, due to interprovincial trading barriers and the policies of liquor control boards, many Canadians have only experienced the mass‑produced labels on the shelves. Don’t miss out on the outstanding quality wine crafted by passionate Canadian vintners.

Skip the provincial monopoly and buy wine online today to explore the full richness of Canada’s vineyards. Support local wineries, expand your palate and discover why Canadian wine truly deserves a place in your cellar.