Canada launches online wine directory

The Canadian Viticultural Association has announced a new project to produce an independent, online directory of Canada’s wineries.

Okanagan Falls

Project Wine411 in association with Blacksquare will list Canada’s 800 wineries, as well as its cideries and meaderies, and will be the first such comprehensive and independent online resource.

When finished later this year, Wine411 will provide winery contact information, production volumes, varieties produced, awards received, the winemakers, data on visitor facilities and other features.

Tony Stewart, chairman of the CVA and president of Quail’s Gate in the Okanagan, said: “Wine411 will help raise the profile of our vibrant Canadian wine industry. I expect this directory to become a go-to resource for a broad range of users.”

Blacksquare’s CEO, Matthew Protti, added: “Wine411 was an easy decision for BlackSquare. We work with wineries globally and know that every important wine-producing country enjoys some form of national winery directory.

“Canada currently has none, so we decided to apply our industry and technology expertise to meet that need. Happily, the CVA independently recognized the need for a national directory, so we joined forces.”

It is hoped that the directory will also help boost Canada’s burgeoning wine tourism scene. More than three million people visit Canadian wineries each year with an economic impact valued at C$6.8 billion.