Tiny wines find home in B.C.'s market, as Canadians consider reducing consumption
Wine lovers have growing options on the shelf to enjoy their favourite beverage as producers in B.C. offer smaller container sizes.
Multiple British Columbia wineries over the last several years have begun offering their product in smaller, single-serve cans and bottles.
Along with making wine more attractive to those looking to toss some in a backpack or sip on the golf course, the petite containers leave wineries with options for a potential shift in mindset as Canadians discuss the health benefits of reducing alcohol consumption.
Vancouver-based wine consultant Kurtis Kolt said he's watched the segment of the wine industry offering smaller bottles and cans “explode” over the last several years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were meeting outdoors in parks and beaches and looking for something more portable to take with them.
“You're not taking a hit on quality, you know? In fact, if someone is only going to be having a glass or two, you're cracking a can and it's completely fresh, guaranteed,” he said.
It's also an advantage for people who want to drink less, he said.
“It's much less of a commitment to crack open a can or a small bottle or a smaller vessel than it is to open a bottle,” he said.
“Then you have to decide how quickly you're going to go through it or end up dumping some out if you don't finish it.”
Last month, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction released a report funded by Health Canada saying no amount of alcohol is safe and those who consume up to two standard drinks per week face a low health risk.
That's a significant change from the centre's 2011 advice that said having 15 drinks per week for men and 10 drinks per week for women was low risk.
Health Canada has said it is reviewing the report.
Charlie Baessler, the managing partner at Corcelettes Estate Winery in the southern Interior, said his winery's Sante en Cannette sparkling wine in a can was released in 2020 as a reduced alcohol, reduced sugar, low-calorie option.
“We've kind of gone above and beyond to attract a bit of a younger, millennial-type market segment with a fun design concept of the can and sparkling, low alcohol - all these things that have been recently a big item on the news,” he said.
Sante en Cannette is a nine per cent wine and reducing the alcohol was a way to reduce its calories, he said. The can also makes it attractive for events like a picnic or golf, is recyclable, and makes it easier for restaurants that might want to offer sparkling wine by the glass without opening an entire bottle.
At the same time, the lower alcohol content makes it an option for people who might want a glass of wine without feeling the same effect that comes from a higher alcohol content, he said.
“So the health is clearly one incentive, but I think more importantly, so was being able to enjoy a locally made product of B.C. from a boutique winery, dare I say, with a mimosa at 11 o'clock and not ruin your day,” he said.
Baessler said the winery has doubled production since the product was first released to about 30,000 cans a year, which they expect to match this year.
He said there's naturally a market for the product but he doesn't expect it to compete with the higher-alcohol wine.
“So this isn't our Holy Grail. This is something that we do for fun and we'll never compete, or never distract, from what is our core line of riper, higher-alcohol wine,” he said.
Jeff Guignard, executive director of B.C.'s Alliance of Beverage Licensees, which represents bars, pubs and private liquor stores, said the industry has seen a shift in consumers wanting options that are more convenient.
“It's not a massive change in consumer behaviour but it is a definitely a noticeable one, which is why you see big companies responding to it,” he said.
Guignard said the latest CCSA report is creating an increased awareness and desire to become educated about responsible consumption choices, which is a good thing, but he adds it's important for people to look at the relative risk of what they're doing.
“If you're eating fast food three meals a day, I don't think having a beer or not is going to be the single most important determinant of your health,” he said.
“But from a consumer perspective, as consumer preferences change, of course beverage manufacturers respond with different packaging or different products, the same way you've seen in the last five years, a large number of low-alcohol or no-alcohol beverages being introduced to the market.”
While he won't predict how much the market share could grow, Guignard said non-alcoholic beverages and low-alcoholic beverages will continue to be a significant piece of the market.
“I don't know if it's reached its peak or if it will grow. I just expect it to be part of the market for now on.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2023.
04:00ET 05-02-23
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.