April is B.C. Wine Month — the perfect time to raise your glass to British Columbia’s wine industry.

“B.C. wineries enrich our communities, attracting tourism to our province and opening up employment opportunities,” said Premier John Horgan. “B.C. Wine Month is our chance to raise a glass in celebration of our delicious local wines, and the hardworking people who make them.”

Premier Horgan and Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, were joined by Miles Prodan, president and CEO of the BC Wine Institute, to kick off B.C. Wine Month with a tour of the vineyard, tasting rooms and Miradoro restaurant at the Tinhorn Creek winery in Oliver.

“All month long we will be celebrating B.C. wine and encouraging everyone to learn more about the province’s wine industry, from the growing and harvesting of the grapes, to winemaking and wine and food pairings, and everything in between,” said Popham.

April’s B.C. Wine Month campaign will showcase the world-class wines that are produced in the province. British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA) wine will be featured in all BC Liquor Stores. There will also be sommeliers and chefs teaming up for wine and food-pairing events in BC VQA wine stores.

B.C. Wine Month will also tie into Buy BC: Eat Drink Local, a dine-out campaign run by the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association. This promotion will highlight local food and beverages to customers during the month of May, so everyone can experience restaurant takes on locally grown and produced food and drinks.

“We are grateful for provincial support to promote the many B.C. grape growers and wineries, most of which are small, family-owned and operated businesses, here at home,” said Prodan. “Celebrating all things grown, crushed, raised and produced in B.C., we are working with restaurants, retail liquor stores, tourism organizations, including Destination BC, and wineries themselves throughout the province, in a collaboration of efforts to support B.C. Wine Month.”

During B.C. Wine Month, the BC Wine Institute will be holding a sweepstake competition. The grand prize is an all-inclusive trip for two to the Chef Meets BC Grape Taste of the Okanagan signature event in the heart of B.C.’s wine country.

For more information on the sweepstake competition and the events going-on during April, locations and dates of dinners, please visit: http://winebc.com/bc-wine-month/

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is home to 929 vineyards, including over 350 licensed wineries.
• There are approximately 3,900 hectares of wine grapes grown in B.C.
• Over 60 different grape varieties are produced in the province, including Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.
• In 2016, B.C. wine exports increased 4% over the previous year to $9.7 million, and were shipped to 17 international markets.
• Ice wine exports were $1.8 million of the total.
• The top markets for B.C. wine were China (54%), Taiwan (23%) and the United States (11%).
• The support of B.C.’s wine industry will be developed in the context of B.C.’s existing trade obligations.

Learn More:

Tinhorn Creek winery: http://www.tinhorn.com/

BC Wine Institute: www.WineBC.com

BC Liquor Stores: www.BCLiquorStores.com

April is B.C. Wine Month news release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018AGRI0010-000209

BC Wine Institute receives provincial funding: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018AGRI0013-000383 

Buy BC: Eat Drink Local: http://www.eatdrinklocal.ca/