HERE’S HOW THE CHAT WENT:

WHAT IS MODERNIZEWINE? 

Find out more about how to affect change for BC’s liquor laws!

Modernize Wine Association of British Columbia is advocating for a modern food and wine culture in British Columbia. The association’s board includes restaurant owners, BC winery owners, BC wine store owners, lobbyists, lawyers and wine consumers. Our goal is to modernize our liquor laws, regulations and policies.

ModernizeWine has played an integral part in pushing the following issues to the foreground:

Interprovincial Wine Shipments
Corkage Laws
Farmer’s Markets and Wineries
Charity Auctions and Private Wine Donations

Aside from any featured current issues that MWA is addressing, MWA has also identified the following issues as ones that need attention:

1. Allow Educational Wine Tastings. Current BC liquor law and policy does not permit the sampling of wine during wine education classes (such as WSET or ISG classes).
2. Allow Wine Orders at Tasting Events. BC wineries and wine importers often participate in wine tasting events. Although people tasting the wines may love what they are tasting, current BC liquor policy does not permit retail stores to take orders for wine at any location other than their licensed premises. This simply makes it difficult for consumers to purchase wine.
3. Allow Secondary Tasting Rooms. BC wineries are currently only permitted to operate a single tasting room at the site of their winery. Many other jurisdictions permit secondary tasting rooms which encourages the growth of towns focused on wine tourism (e.g. Walla Walla, Woodinville, Healdsburg).
4. Allow Off-Site Storage for Restaurants and Retail Stores. Current BC liquor policy requries that all wine and other alcohol must be stored within the licensed premises for restaurants and retailers. Off-site storage would make it much easier for stores and restaurants to manage their inventory and supply.
5. Allow Restaurants to Purchase Wine from Private Stores. Currently, restaurants must buy all of their wine from a designated government liquor store which often has a limited selection or may be out of stock on particular products.

HERE’S HOW THE CHAT WENT:

Wine, Charity Auctions and BC’s Liquor Control and Licensing

For more info about tonight’s topic: www.modernizewine.ca

Recently, the BCLCLB (BC Liquor Control and Licensing Branch) has begun enforcing a part of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act that states that all wine donated to charity auctions must come exclusively from agents or manufacturers–NOT from private individual donations or retailers.  Many of the charities in BC have long benefitted from silent and live auctions that include private individual donations of rare bottles that are highly sought after and make a great contribution to the charity’s money-raising efforts.

We will discuss how this part of the Act is being enforced, its implications on charities in BC as well as its implications on producers.  There is the distinct possibility that with private and retail donations being outlawed wineries may have to carry a bigger burden to keep charity auctions successful.

See you on Wednesday…and please don’t forget to use the hashtags #BCwineChat and #BCpoli when you tweet or retweet!