Wine Council of Ontario ANNUAL REPORT Year Ending March 31, 2016 2015-2016 Annual Review | 1 Table of Contents Wine Council of Ontario Members | Page 3 Members of the Wine Council of Ontario Wine Council of Ontario Board & Committee | Page 4 Niagara-on-the-Lake Prince Edward County Between the Lines Winery Niagara College Teaching Winery Black Prince Winery Our Association | Page 5 Big Head Wines Palatine Hills Estate Winery Broken Stone Winery Caroline Cellars Pillitteri Estates Winery By Chadsey’s Cairns Winery & Minister’s & MPP’s Message | Page 6 – 7 Cattail Creek Estate Winery PondView Estate Winery Vineyard Colaneri Estate Winery Rancourt Winery Casa-Dea Estates Winery Chairman’s & President’s Message | Page 8 – 9 Coyote’s Run Estate Winery Ravine Vineyard Closson Chase Five Rows Craft Wine Reif Estate Winery Grange of Prince Edward Strategic Priorities | Page 10 – 17 Frogpond Farm Organic Winery Reimer Vineyards Harwood Estate Vineyards Hare Wine Co. (The) Riverview Cellars Estate Winery Hillier Creek Estates Wine Council of Ontario Trade Members | Page 18 Hinterbrook Estate Winery Small Talk Vineyards Hinterland Wine Company Ice House Winery (The) Southbrook Vineyards Huff Estates Winery Joseph’s Estate Wines Stratus Lacey Estates Winery Konzelmann Estate Winery Strewn Winery Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard Lailey Winery Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery Rosehall Run Maleta & St. Henry Estate Winery Two Sisters Vineyards Marynissen Estates Sandbanks Estate Winery Sugarbush Vineyards S Three Dog Winery Trail Estate Winery Niagara Escarpment and Twenty Valley Waupoos Estates Winery 13th Street Winery Leaning Post Wines Angels Gate Winery Malivoire Wine Company S Aure Wines Mike Weir Winery Bachelder Wines Mountain Road Wine Company Lake Erie North Shore Back 10 Cellars Organized Crime Winery (The) Colchester Ridge Estate Winery Calamus Estate Winery Pearl Morissette Estate Winery Mastronardi Estate Winery Cave Spring Cellars Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Muscedere Vineyards Cornerstone Estate Winery Puddicombe Estate Farms, Wines & Oxley Estate Winery Creekside Estate Winery Cider Pelee Island Winery Di Profio Wines Limited Redstone Winery Pelee Island Winery Pavilion Domaine Queylus Rennie Estate Winery Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery Featherstone Estate Winery Ridgepoint Wines Fielding Estate Winery Rockway Vineyards S Flat Rock Cellars Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery Foreign Affair Winery (The) Royal DeMaria Wines Emerging Regions Good Earth Vineyard & Winery (The) Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Burning Kiln Winery GreenLane Estate Winery Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery Harbour Estates Winery Tawse Winery Dark Horse Estate Winery Inc. Harvest Estate Wines Vieni Estates Wine & Spirits Frisky & Gamble Cellars Henry of Pelham Family Estate Vineland Estates Winery Gallucci Winery Hernder Estate Wines Westcott Vineyards Generations Wine Company Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Georgian Hills Vineyards Willow Springs Winery 2 | Wine Council of Ontario 2015-2016 Annual Review | 3 Wine Council of Ontario Board of Directors Mission June 2015 – 2016 The Wine Council of Ontario (WCO) leads the growth and Allan Schmidt, Chair Len Pennachetti, Vice Chair sustainability of Ontario’s VQA wines. Vineland Estates Winery Cave Spring Cellars Vision Norm Beal, Treasurer Caroline Granger, Governance Chair Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Grange of Prince Edward The WCO will undertake: Curtis Fielding Walter Schmoranz S Advocacy and actions to foster the development of a profitable and growing business Fielding Estate Winery Pelee Island Winery environment for VQA wines Jeff Aubry Jamie Slingerland S To grow sales of VQA wines to ensure the success of all partners on the value chain Coyote’s Run Estate Winery Pillitteri Estates Winery S To ensure that 100 percent authentically local VQA wines own the hearts and minds of wine consumers both in Ontario and in our growing markets outside of Ontario Ed Madronich Dan Sullivan Flat Rock Cellars Rosehall Run Who We Are Paul Speck Newman Smith Henry of Pelham Family Estate Strewn Winery The WCO is the champion of Ontario’s high quality, authentically local Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines and of promoting Ontario’s wine country as a tourism destination. Nicolette Novak Sue-Ann Staff As a non-profit trade association, the WCO represents over 107 wineries from across the three The Good Earth Vineyard & Winery Sue-Ann Staff Winery Designated Viticultural Areas of the province (Niagara, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore, including Pelee Island) as well as emerging wine producing regions such as Ontario’s South Coast and Georgian Bay/Grey County. Wine Council of Ontario Sustainability Committee Our members are independently owned small and medium sized enterprises – grape growers, manufacturers and leaders in tourism in their communities. Our members are the future of Ontario’s wine industry which is a source of new investment, jobs and award-winning wines. Jamie Slingerland (Pillitteri Estates Winery) – Chair Jamie Evans (Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery), Bruno Friesen (Pelee Island Winery), Jens Gemmrich (Frogpond Farm Organic Winery), J-L Groux (Stratus), Dave Hooper (Cave Spring Cellars), Shiraz We Support Authenticity Mottiar (Malivoire Wine Company) Our role is to promote Ontario VQA wines and vintners, support the production of excellent local wines valued both at home and abroad, and build on the substantial economic benefits that the VQA wine industry brings to the province. Authentically local VQA wine is made without imported grapes. Wine Council of Ontario Staff Our Strategic Priorities: S Richard Linley, President S Growing opportunities for VQA wine sales S Duncan Gibson, Director of Finance S WCO leadership and relationships S Tanya Gorchynski, Administrative Lead S Membership growth and value S Excellence in promoting Wine Country Ontario S Alison Oppenlaender, Projects Coordinator S Bettering the Ontario wine industry 4 | Wine Council of Ontario 2015-2016 Annual Review | 5 Greetings from the Honourable Jim Bradley, MPP St. Catharines Greetings from the Honourable Jeff Leal June 2016 Greetings from MPP Jim Bradley As the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for St. Catharines, I would It has been a very busy yearlike for tothe take wine this industry, opportunity and I thankto convey the to all members of the WineAs Councilthe Member of Ontario, of the Legislativemy Assembly of Ontario for St. Catharines, I would like to take this Wine Council of Ontario (WCO)congratulations for its continued on another leadership successful and year for the province’s wineopportunity industry. to convey to all members of the Wine Council of Ontario (WCO), my congratulations on hard work on behalf of Ontario’s wine industry. another successful year for the province’s wine industry. Those of us who reside in this province, and particularly those of us who reside in Strengthening the wine andareas grape where industry our is grapes an important are grown part and of our wine is produced, areThose very muchof us who aware reside of thein this province, and particularly those of us who the Ontario government’s economiccontribution plan. that We theremain wine committed industry makesto to the economic prosperityreside ofin areasour province, where our both grapes are grown and our wine is produced, making strategic investmentsdirectly that fosterand indirectly. an innovative economic are very much aware of the contribution that the wine industry makes climate, create jobs and help the province’s businesses compete in to the economic prosperity of our province, both directly and indirectly. a global market. The Wine Council of Ontario has helped represent approximately 100 wineries The WCO has helped represent approximately 100 wineries across the across the province in Niagara, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore The Ontario government is pleased to continue supporting the province in Niagara, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore including Pelee Island. These efforts have been responsible for the impressive progress that growth and success of the industry. Through the Wine and Grape including Pelee Island. These efforts have been responsible for the has been experienced in these areas and have contributed to the status of our province as an Strategy, the Ontario government will provide total funding of $28 impressive progress that has been experienced in these areas and have internationally acclaimed wine region which has helped grow the industry to emerging million through to 2017 for VQA wine support, vineyard improvement,regions inmarketing Ontario’s and South research. Coast and Georgian Bay/Grey County.contributed to the status of our province as an internationally acclaimed wine region which has helped grow the industry to emerging regions in I appreciate the WCO’s work with the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets. Your insightful Ontario’s South Coast and Georgian Bay/Grey County. contributions have helped with reforms to wine retail marketing in OntarioAlthough and your plans businesses for expanding have had to confront many challenges over the years, the VQA wine sales to grocery stores. This is a major milestone, whichsuccess will that provide has beennew opportunitiesachieved in the for wine industry in Ontario isAlthough evidenced your by businesses the fact that have had to confront many challenges over Ontario wineries and further build this thriving industry. the industry has grown