Industry anticipates new Ontario rules to expand fruit wine sales to farmers markets

Thursday, February 11, 2016

by SUSAN MANN

Two years after squelching the sale of fruit wines at farmers’ markets as part of a pilot project permitting VQA grape wines to be available at the markets, the Ontario government may be poised to approve such sales.

John Rufa, who co-owns the fruit winery Kawartha Country Wines with his wife, Trish Dougherty, says, “we just heard through official sources there’s going to be a major announcement (from the Ontario government) early next week relating to the entire wine industry in the province.”

Rufa says fruit wineries are hoping the announcement will include permission for fruit wine sales at farmers’ markets starting in the spring “and on grocery store shelves.”

Asked if he thinks the government will be announcing approval of fruit wine sales at farmers’ markets, Rufa says, “If I had to bet, I’d say yes.”

The opportunity to sell fruit wines at farmers’ markets will help Ontario’s 16 to 18 fruit wineries sell more of their product and expand their businesses. Currently the fruit wineries are restricted to only being able to sell their wines at on-farm winery retail stores.

“We’re all in rural areas and there’s only so much you can do to bring people in,” he explains.

Expanding sales locations will mean fruit wineries can buy more fruit to produce more wine and hire additional employees, he notes. The sales of fruit wines at the markets will also help to increase the product’s profile in Ontario.

Fruit wines are a natural fit with farmers’ markets, Rufa says. “We never understood why the government choose VQA wines” only for sales at the markets, he notes. “There’s no reason to keep us out.”

Bert Andrews, who produces fruit wines at his Scotch Block Country Winery in Halton Region, says government rules stipulate fruit wines must be made using 100 per cent Ontario fruit so the expansion of the sector will greatly benefit the province. Andrews’ most popular wine is black currant. The winery’s other popular products are: blueberry, strawberry and raspberry wines along with a wine that’s a mixture of black currants and other fruits grown on the farm.

Farmers Markets’ Ontario, the umbrella group for Ontario’s 180 farmers’ markets, is in favour of having fruit wines, along with cider and craft beer, for sale at the markets. Executive director Bob Chorney says the pilot allowing the VQA wine sales went “very well. The program was very successful. The wineries were very respectful of the rules.”

During the two-year pilot, wineries sold 125,000 litres of VQA grape wine at the farmers’ markets and the sales were valued at $2.5 million, he says.

Chorney says they’ve been working with the fruit wineries for five or six years to have fruit wine sales at the markets. “It doesn’t make sense they couldn’t sell at the farmers’ markets.”

He too said, “Something could be happening this year, I’m sure. With the two years being up, they (the Ontario government) may make an announcement on fruit wines.”

Andrews agrees the pilot was successful and he’d like to see the program expanded to include fruit wine sales at the markets “so we can have parity with VQA grape wine here in Ontario.”

Other provinces, when they introduced wine sales at farmers’ markets, didn’t distinguish between grape and fruit wines but permitted both types of products to be sold, Andrews notes.

The Ontario government’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission is currently reviewing the two-year pilot project, which began in May 2014. It was established with input from the wine and grape industry, social responsibility groups and other community organizations, Ministry of the Attorney General senior media relations coordinator Brendan Crawley says by email.

The program’s aim is to provide wineries producing VQA wines “with enhanced opportunities to create jobs, drive tourism and stimulate the local economy in a socially responsible manner,” he notes.

“The Premier’s Advisory Council has been reviewing the wine retail framework with a view to providing enhanced opportunities for businesses and consumers,” Crawley says. “The government is currently waiting for final recommendations from the Council before deciding on next steps.” BF