Domestic sparkling wine is the fastest growing category of wine sales in B.C. – a fact that is encouraging for Vintage Consulting Group owner Harry McWatters, who made the first premium sparking wine in Canada in 1987: Sumac Ridge’s Stellar’s Jay brut.
The British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) released data this week showing in 2010’s fourth quarter, domestic sparkling wine sales grew 15.3% to $2.6 million. That’s compared with the same quarter a year ago.
That compares with:
- Red table wine sales growing 8.8% to $53 million;
- Rose table wine sales growing 7.5% to $2.1 million;
- White table wine sales growing 4.1% to $47.2 million; and
- Dessert and fortified wine sales falling 4.3% to $3.4 million.
This came while international sparkling wine sales in B.C. grew a more modest 3.1% to $12.8 million.
Eleven B.C. wineries now produce sparkling wine.
“I always thought there was a pretty good opportunity for sparkling wine in B.C.,” said McWatters, who is a member of the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame.
“There were products out there like Baby Duck, which long preceded us, but for a true Champagne-style wine, we were the first to do it.”
McWatters first run of Stellar’s Jay brut in 1987 was 6,000 cases. Its production has since grown to 10,000 cases. He sold Sumac Ridge to Vincor Canada, which is now part of Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ).
“I have a number of sparkling wine producers that I do some consulting for. One is a small producer, but they’re going to make four sparkling wines – two different styles of brut plus an aromatic white and a rose,” McWatters said.
“I consult on everything from starting a winery from scratch to the business plan or what the plantings should be, how to build the winery, the rebranding and developing product portfolios.”