Pictured above from left to right: Barrel cellars of Jackson-Triggs, an vineyard, ’s barn in the winter during an ice harvest. Oh, By Jeffery Lindenmuth

f you’re like most Americans you probably can’t even name the Prime Minister of Canada. (Paul Martin. Sound famil- iar?) But as a wine and spirits retailer you’d be wise to wake up to the Canadian producers that are giving us great rea- I son to look northward, even without a hockey season. Rossana Magnotta, president and co-founder of Magnotta Winery says, “It is really a lack of perception. Most countries are not even aware of the fact that we are a wine producing country, let alone one that wins international competitions. We are slowly seeing more awareness globally and in the U.S. for our icewines. Table are still relatively unknown outside of a few small markets.” And as you probably already real- ize, such relatively undiscovered regions often offer the greatest value for you and your customers.

Until recently, Canada was known to Asian markets. In both Asia and America, ing to the Distilled Spirits Council of the consumers strictly as a producer of light consumers are taking notice. “Currently, United States. “It is interesting to note that and strong beer. “Historically, Canada there is growing awareness of Canadian Canadian is the fourth largest spirit category was not known for making wines that could Icewine, especially in Asia. However, representing 9.7% of total distilled spirits sales compete in the global marketplace because of Canada being a popular tourist destination, in 2003 behind Vodka (24%), Cordials & inferior grape varieties or varieties not well and since the is home to Liqueurs (12.8%), and Rum (10.4%),” reminds suited to the growing region,” says Kevin Niagara Falls, many tourists will take home Monica Bell, spokesperson at DISCUS. Karl, representative for Inniskillin, the some knowledge about the local wine indus- It might be that when shopping global- nation’s most revered producer. try,” says Thomas Pennachetti, VP, market- ly, Canada is one of the few good places to “This began to change approximately 20 ing and sales, Cave Spring Cellars. spend your U.S. dollars. Or maybe we’re years ago as new varieties were planted and In fact, the number of wineries in finally heeding the words of Molson Beer’s serious scientific viticultural techniques were has soared from just 13 in patriotic “Joe” who in his television com- studied and implemented.” 1980 to over 70 today, with the majority mercial shouted, “Canada is the second In 1991, Inniskillin stunned the wine sprouting up in the more moderate climate largest landmass, the first nation of hockey, community when awarded the Grand Prix of the southern Okanagan and the and the best part of North America! My d'Honneur at VinExpo for their 1989 Vidal. Similkameen Valleys. name is Joe. And I am Canadian!” Here are The world at large began to take notice of At the same time, sales of Canadian just a few upcoming producers that Joe, and with the introduction of whisky in the U.S. have taken a turn for the you, may want to add to your list of great Inniskillin Icewine to the United States and better with growth of 1.7% for 2004, accord- things Canadian. Sales have taken a turn for the better (up) 1.7% in ‘04.

DISTILLERIES: WHAT YOU CAN STOCK AND SAY:

Producer: Canadian Mist Producer: Producer: Canadian Club is a national Highwood Distillers Crown Royal brand with Location: strength across Location: Alberta, Location: Manitoba the country. U.S. Distribution: Allied Located on the U.S. Distribution: U.S. Distribution: Diageo Domecq Spirits, North Georgian Bay, Pearl Spirits, Inc., America Canadian Mist Briefly: The number one combines pure Briefly: Using only selling in Briefly: Created in 1858, water with both the highest quality, the U.S., Crown Royal was Canadian Club is the only corn and barley Alberta grown, soft conceived to celebrate the Canadian Whisky blended to create a winter wheat and visit of King George VI and before aging in used white light, smooth Rocky Mountain Queen Elizabeth’s visit to oak barrels to a full six years. and very popu- water Pearl is an Canada. It was introduced to Canadian Club is the num- lar whisky. ultra-premium the U.S. in 1965. ber-one selling brand of vodka, five-times Canadian whisky in the world, Products: distilled and six- Producer: Crown Royal making it a mainstay in popu- Canadian Mist times filtered. whisky, Crown Royal lar cocktails. They are also Special Reserve recognized for their innovative Products: Pearl premium marques like whisky Producer: Vodka aged in a Sherry cask. Kittling Ridge Wines & Spirits Products: Canadian Club, Producer: Canadian Club Classic Location: Ontario Barton Brands Ltd. 12, Canadian Club Reserve and Canadian U.S. Distribution: Location: Alberta Club Sherry Cask Shaw-Ross International Imports, Miami, FL U.S. Distribution: Constellation Briefly: Kittling Brands, Inc. Ridge is a Canadian pro- Briefly: Founded ducer of Ontario as the Tom Wine and Moore Distillery Producer: Spirits, locat- in Bardstown, Seagram’s V.O. ed at the Kentucky in 1879, base of the and renamed the U.S. Distribution: Niagara Barton Distilling Diageo Escarpment, Company in on the south- 1944, Barton Briefly: One of ern shores of Brands offers 120 years of the first , distilling experience. Their Canadian dis- in Canada. leading brand, Black Velvet, tilleries to blend Their leading is made with rye, corn and whisky, exports in the Canadian water, is known Seagram’s U.S. include throughout the world for its VO was cre- Producer: the premium velvety smoothness and pre- ated in Canadian Mist Canadian Whisky Forty mium quality. 1883. Soon, Creek and several varieties it was the Location: Ontario of ice wine. Products: Canadian prod- most popu- ucts include, Black Velvet, lar whisky in U.S. Distribution: Products: Spirits: Inferno Black Velvet Reserve, the U.S. Brown-Forman Beverages Pepper Pot, Forty Creek Schenley Golden Wedding, market. Worldwide, Louisville, KY Three Grain, Forty Creek Schenley OFC, Canadian Barrel Select Supreme, Schenley Silver Producer: Seagram’s VO, Briefly: As the 13th largest Wedding Vodka, London Seagram’s VO Gold spirit brand in the U.S., Wines: IceWine Dry , Canadian Ltd WINERIES: WHAT YOU CAN STOCK AND SAY:

Producer: Producer: equipment and techniques. Cave Spring Cellars Magnotta Winery and Products: Jackson-Triggs Distillery Niagara Estate: Location: Ontario Proprieter’s Reserve Vidal Location: Ontario Icewine, Jackson-Triggs U.S. Distribution: Okanagan Estate: Varietal Nial J. Hadden Associates U.S. Distribution: Total table wines including Beverage Solution, , , Briefly: Cave Spring Cellars Charleston, SC , was founded in 1986 by the and a Pennachetti family and wine- Briefly: As both a winery Meritage. maker Angelo Pavan. The and distillery, innovation has winery’s focus from its always been a strongpoint inception has been the pro- for Magnotta. They count Ice Producer: duction of premium wines Grappa and grappa Inniskillin Wines Inc. from the Beamsville Bench enhanced products, as well of the . as the world’s first true Location: Ontario Concentrating on sparkling ice wine, among and Chardonnay, the winery their accomplishments. U.S. Distribution: produces 60,000 cases of Extraordinary packaging also R.H. Phillips Wine Company, wine annually, all of which is defines Magnotta. The Esparto, California bottled under the VQA Magnotta family holds the Niagara highest regard for product Briefly: In 1975, Inniskillin’s Peninsula. labels, with each Magnotta founders Donald Ziraldo and wine product featuring a Karl Kaiser brought the cen- Products: Riesling Dry, work by Canadian or interna- turies-old tradition of ice Producer: Riesling Semi-dry, tional artists. winemaking to Canada’s La Face Cachée de la Riesling Reserve, Riesling Niagara Pomme Cave Spring Vineyard Products: Magnotta Peninsula (CSV), Riesling Indian Icewines include: Vidal, wine Location: Quebec Summer (Select Late Riesling and Cabernet region, Harvest), Riesling Icewine, Franc. which is U.S. Distribution: Monsieur Chardonnay, Chardonnay ideally suit- Selection Ltd. CSV, , . ed to ice New York, NY Producer: wine pro- Semi-dry Riesling, Jackson-Triggs Vintners duction Briefly: Former filmmaker Riesling Reserve, Riesling and, today, François Pouliot acquired Indian Summer, Riesling Location: Ontario is the world the apple orchard at La Face Icewine, Chardonnay CSV. leader in Cachée de la Pomme in U.S. Distribution: the produc- 1994, when he was 29 years R. H. Phillips Wine tion of this old, and soon thereafter, he Company, Esparto, CA dessert and his friend and vintner wine. Their Christian Barthomeuf devel- Briefly: The proprietors of icewines, oped and began marketing Jackson-Triggs Vintners, critically artisanal cider. They also Donald Triggs and Allan lauded and internationally produce a uniquely Jackson are uncompromising awarded, remain the best- Canadian apple ice wine, in their pursuit of excellence known Canadian wines. which has opened a promis- in the production of premium ing new category. and super-premium Products: Icewines include Canadian wine by applying Riesling, Vidal, Cabernet Products: Neige, an apple the wisdom gained from Franc and sparkling ice wine that is produced by decades of viticultural icewine. Table wines are natural freezing. research and state-of-the-art available in the U.S. in very farming and vinification limited quantities.