A sense of sadness was felt this week when New York based Constellation Wines purchased Vincor, Ontario's dominant winery conglomerate and owner of such labels as Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs. I'm biased; Inniskillin the first of the new generation of Niagara wineries in the 1970s, and Jackson-Triggs have been my preferred wine labels and I always felt good patronising a proud Ontario industry and company. As Inniskillin prices traded high on the wineries reputation, I drifted towards the J-T black and gold label VQA stock.
That major international corporations are anxious to invest in the Ontario wine industry (Constellation made two unsuccessful bids before it finally raised the offer enough to get Vincor) is a very positive sign so I don't see the industry collapsing anytime soon. It does mean more pressure for the small boutique wineries though and they may be forced to amalgamate at least their marketing efforts. One such group, Niagara Wineries, has already been formed.
Vincor has dominated the Ontario retail market with a chain of over 200 retail wine stores in supermarkets and street-front locations. These stores may come into play as the LCBO reviews the licences which were awarded to support a home-grown wine industry. The Vincor competitors want the store licences to be opened-up so a greater range of product and producers is represented in the retail stores. It's an initiative I support. Perhaps the wineries, like the brewers, can form a co-operative and offer "Wine Store" to match the Beer Store. I know my wine choices are going to broaden even if it means shopping more at the LCBO than The Wine Rack at the local super market.
