A press release landed in my inbox the other day, trumpeting the news that B.C.s own Quails Gate wines were served to Prince William and Kate during their visit to Yellowknife. That, of course, is great for Quails Gate, but my first thought wasnt Good for them or I wonder who elses wines were in contention? No, my initial reaction was How was a B.C. wine served in Yellowknife?
You see, a fairly bizarre law held over from Prohibition makes it illegal to transport alcohol across provincial borders in Canada.
Whether youre a Calgarian with a lone bottle rolling around in your trunk after an Okanagan road trip, or a Manitoban hoping that the Ontario winery you just visited can ship a case of that delicious Riesling youve just tasted, you would be committing a crime should you progress with your purchasing plans.
As we all know, its not a problem to cross a federal border into Canada with a couple bottles, but within the country its a no-go.
Ridiculous? Indeed. But things are being done to put pressure on the feds to change the law, from Kelowna MP Ron Canaans recent tabling of a motion in the House of Commons with hopes of amending the law, to radio and television personality Terry David Mulligans open defiance of the law a few weeks back, transporting a case of wine from B.C. to Alberta, ensuring everyone from the CBC to Wine Spectator were reporting the event, giving exposure to the absurdity of our laws.
So how were Quails Gate wines shipped up to Yellowknife for the big event? Well, it turns out theres an exemption in the Canadian interprovincial shipping law if you are shipping to The Crown.
For those of us who arent a direct heir to the throne, there are still many hurdles to clear before Canadian wine can flow freely. Head over to FreeMyGrapes.ca to keep up with the latest news on the subject and see what you can do.
Normally Id recommend two bottles relevant to my column but, well, there are hardly any out-of-province wines available to us legally. Heres one that wont get you arrested:
Thirty Bench 2009 Winemakers Riesling | Niagra, Ontario| $17.99 | BC Liquor Stores
They do pretty delicious Riesling back east and this is one of em. Fresh lime zest, tangerine and clean minerality lead to pink grapefruit and Asian pear on the finish. A fairly dry style, but still juicy and bright. Great with Thai food and itll elevate a grilled cheese sandwich wonderfully.
TASTING NOTES: The folks over at Gastowns Salt Tasting Room have just announced a bunch of new dates in their Salt Cellar Series, hosting everyone from Naramatas Kettle Valley Winery to Driftwood Brewing. Get your charcuterie and cheese on! SaltTastingRoom.com
Kurtis Kolt does many wine-related things in Vancouver. Catch him at KurtisKolt.com
