Price & Availability: BC & ON

One of Anthony Gismondi’s Tweets compared the BC price of a bottle of wine from the Okanagan Valley with the price of the same wine in Ontario - one of only a few BC wines that make it to LCBO customers. This prompted a review of the wines I’ve purchased in the second half of this year to compare prices in each Province as well as the availability of these wines to BC consumers.

Speaking of @Spitter (Gismondi's Twitter ID, also at Gismondi on Wine) Vancouver's Global TV Morning News interviewed the noted wine expert with his season’s wine suggestions.  And, No, none of the seven wines are available at an Ontario Outlet.  (the video is no longer available.)

Of 112 wines I've purchased at the LCBO  in the latter half of this year as of this date twenty seven (15 reds and 12 whites) are available in BC Liquor Stores .  These wines are listed below with the LCBO Product Code (not the same as BC's) and the current price of each, first in Ontario then in BC.

Of the twenty seven only wines from BC had a lower price in BC. The remaining imported wines were priced $1 to $5 higher in BC. Since the source of the wine is the same in both provinces I assume any price difference is tax and possibly shipping costs. Does it make anyone feel better knowing consumers in another Province are paying more than those in Ontario? I don’t think so.  Hope this is of some value. Cheers, Ww


REDS:  15 available in BC of 73 in Ontario

1. Chakana ‘Andean Wines’ Malbec 2007, Argentina --  #003509 ,  $13.95/$14.99
2. Alamos Malbec 2009, Argentina -- #467951 ,  $13.95/$14.99
3. Pascual Toso Malbec 2008, Argentina --   #035170 ,  $12.95/$13.99
4. Grant Burge ‘Barossa’ Shiraz 2008, Australia  -- #738567 ,  $16.95/$19.99
5. Rosemount ‘Diamond’ Merlot 2008, Australia  --  #542431 ,  $15.95/$16.99
6. Mitolo Jester ‘McLaren Vale’ Shiraz 2007, Australia -- #659607 ,  $21.95/$26.00
7. Inniskillin Okanagan Reserve Pinot Noir 2008 VQA, BC  --  #183541 ,  $18.95/$18.99
8. Mission Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 VQA, BC  --  #553321 ,  $22.95/$21.99
9. Sterling Vineyards Merlot 2005, California  --  #330241 ,  $24.95/$27.99
10. Mirassou California Pinot Noir 2008, California  --  #185249 ,  $12.95/$13.99
11. E Guigal Côtes du Rhône 2006, France  --  #259721 ,  $16.95/$21.99
12. J.P. Chenet Limited Release Pinot Noir 2008, France  --  #142406 ,  $11.95/$12.99
13. Georges DuBoeuf Crus du Beaujolais Brouilly 2009, France  --  #070540 ,  $16.95/$19.99
14. Hob Nob Pinot Noir 2008, France  --  #184069 ,  $12.95/$15.99
15. Masi Campofiorin Rosso Del Veronese 2007 IGT, Italy  --  #155051 ,  $17.95/$19.99

WHITES:  12 available in BC of 39 in Ontario

1.  McWilliams Hanwood Chardonnay 2008, Australia  --  #557934 , $13.95/$13.99
2. Lindemans Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2009, Australia  --  #668947 ,  $10.95/$11.99
3. Laurenz und Sophie 'Singing' Grüner Veltliner 2008, Austria  --  #087627 , $14.95/$21.99
4. Gray Monk Gewurztraminer 2008 VQA Okanagan Valley, BC  --   #321588 , $18.95/$16.99
5. Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2008 VQA Okanagan Valley, BC  --  #118638 , $19.95/$16.99
6. J. Lohr ‘Riverstone’ Chardonnay 2009, California --  #258699 , $18.95/$22.99
7. The Bend in the River Riesling 2008, Germany  --  #501080 , $10.95/$11.99
8. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009, NZ  --  #304469 , $29.95/$31.50
9. Sileni ‘Cellar Selection’ Sauvignon Blanc 2009, NZ  --  #662882 , $15.95/$14.99
10. Barefoot Pinot Grigio NV, California  --  #053983 , $9.95/$9.99
11. Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo 2009 IGT, Italy  --  #620773 , $14.95/$16.99
12. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009, NZ  --  #035386 , $18.95/$21.99