Canadian Wine Library Revived
The Canadian Wine Library is back in business within the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) at Brock University in Niagara. It opened in 1998 as a repository of Canadian wines that could age in ideal conditions and be used by groups and wineries to monitor the maturation and ageing ability of Canadian wines. Being a cool climate region with its natural acidity it was always assumed, and anecdotally proven our wines could age, and the CWL was established to prove it though research, and spread the message.
I was on the Board in the early days. It was active through mid-2000s with submissions tastings, and the cellar capacity was expanded to 42,000 bottles. But activity and submissions waned. In 2014 its terms of reference were reviewed, but still there was little activity for another ten years.
Then, in June last year it was announced that Taylor MaGee, a wine inventory specialist, was hired as CCOVI Operations Coordinator. Jeff Daiter, Co-Founder of the InVintory program is also a partner. He created a customized on-line inventory system and held a tasting with winemakers to confirm the current health of the collection. Today most of the cellar is still comprised of Ontario wines and a very few B.C wines, from the early 1990s to about 2002 that are surely long in the tooth. There are 2,145 bottles in the collection.
This year things have ramped up with the launch of a new website. A Board of Directors has been re-constituted, and a Library Collections Committee has been struck, last month holding its first submissions tasting in years. The plan is to expand to other provinces with B.C., Quebec and Nova Scotia having their own Collections Committee, and one member on the Board of Directors. Wine media are being recruited in each province for a seat on the Committee as well. Journalist Rick van Sickle of Wines in Niagara is in this this role in Ontario.
For further information on the work of the CWL, submissions, and requests for tastings please click here.
Steven Elphick Remembered
Canada, and its wine industry, lost an immense artistic talent and friend with the recent passing of photographer Steven Elphick. He was not just a photographer with a great eye. He loved wine and its community, spending much of his time in Canadian vineyards, cellars and tasting rooms. Close friend and veteran wine writer Michael Vaughan claims Steven’s palate and wine memory was the keenest he had ever experienced. Steven loved blind tasting and bantering wine with his colleagues, and in the days of the Wine Writers Circle in Toronto we had ample opportunity to do just that.
In college, my journalism photography instructor said one needs ‘photographic vision and imagination’ to succeed. Steven certainly had that, with all his images showing that extra eye-catching detail, drama or twist that drew one in to the story being told. A lot of it had to with light of course, which I think he perhaps saw differently. Sunrise was his favourite time of day, where he often found himself in vineyards, having travelled in darkness to be on the spot and ready to shoot. In the publishing of just one book ‘Spectacular Wineries of Ontario’ he clocked 75 days of sunrises and sunsets.
He will be remembered as the one of the most prolific photographers in Canada, with his work illustrating The Wine Atlas of Canada with Tony Aspler, plus countless other books and magazines. His photos have been shown in many galleries, museums and private collection spaces. Wine and food were often his subjects, but he also ran a successful commercial photography studio in Toronto with his wife and business partner Paula Elphick. They were among the most industrious, and the loveliest, couples I have ever known.
Steven’s relaxation was golf. He and Paula were members of the Weston Golf Club, near their home in northwest Toronto. At the Club he was famous for his very early morning tee times. Through a friend who is also a member, we on occasion made up a foursome on one the toughest courses I have ever played. Steven was very good and always positive, which is sometimes not easy while golfing. Because mostly it was just about enjoying nature and his friends.
He was remembered by Weston Golf Club, which hosted his Celebration of Life, with a eulogy that speaks to the man. “Above all, Steven was the consummate gentleman. He was effortlessly easy to like, a truly great club member whose warmth, grace, and kindness endeared him to everyone he met. He was absolutely adored by both the membership and our staff, and his absence will leave a deep void in our community”
Ontario and Nova Scotia Sign Direct to Consumer Sales Agreements
On March 2, Premier Doug Ford of Ontario and Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia signed an agreement that allows wineries to direct ship their wines to consumers (DTC) in the other province. It is an important step in the process of allowing easier access between provinces across Canada, as part of the intention to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers in the face of Trump tariffs. Each province is negotiating these deals directly with other provinces.
The Ontario government document explains that “since July 2025, Ontario and ten other jurisdictions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing them to advance pan-Canadian DTC alcohol sales with an implementation deadline of May 2026”.
A toast to this being the first one!
The great benefit to consumers is the opening up of selection and immediate delivery of wines from the other provinces, that do not have to go through the liquor board approval and listing process.
The pricing of the wines remains let’s wait and see. The Ontario government statement says that “Ontario and Nova Scotia will both implement a mark-up structure that ensures fairness and competitiveness for domestic producers and aligns with existing domestic tax rates”
Nor does this mean that you can go on line right now and order through this program. The agreement set March 3 as the day that wineries in each province “will be able to begin applying for the necessary authorizations to sell in each province”. We will see how long this takes!
Canadian Wines at SIP Trade Tasting Toronto April 23
Wines of Ontario, Wine Growers British Columbia and Wine Growers Nova Scotia will be representing Canadian wine at the new SIP Tasting coming up at the Table Fare & Social Food Hall, CIBC Square, in downtown Toronto. It is branded as a new concept with a wide range of over 400 international wines and other beverages. Regional/national wine organizations and an excellent collection of wine importers are pouring in the three-hour time frame. Sounds intense. There are masterclasses as well. Attendance is free but attendees must register and be trade approved. Click here for tickets.
‘Cuvee From the Heart’ Coming Up for Auction April 16-22
As in previous years, winemakers in Ontario have come together to create collaborative bottlings that will be part of the Grapes for Humanity Fine Wine Auction to be held on-line from April 16 to 22. Which means the wine lovers from across Canada can participate. Cuvee from the Heart consists of twelve wines from the 2024 and 2025 vintages, representing the classic varieties and styles produced in Ontario, with twelve teams of three winemakers each having got together to make and blend the wines. The auction lot configurations and pricing are being worked out now. I plan to taste the wines in early April and provide notes either at Canada’s Best Wines or WineAlign or both. We will let you know, but for now, put the Auction on your calendar. Founded in 2000, Grapes for Humanity is the largest and longest serving wine-based charity in Canada. The auction is administered by Waddingtons Auction House Click here for information and registration.
Cheers, David
