Ted Kane (right), owner of River Stone Estate Winery, pours a sample of wine for John Yap, the Parliamentary Secretary to B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton. Yap has been responsible for reforming liquor legislation, including making it possible for locally produced beer, wine and spirits to be sold and sampled at farmers’ markets. At left is Anna Angotti, an employee of River Stone. (Richard McGuire photo)
A year ago, B.C.’s liquor regulations were changed to allow local wineries at farmers’ markets to sell and serve samples of their products.
On Saturday, three of those wineries told the man behind the changes that the policy is a resounding success.
John Yap, the parliamentary secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton, was at the Osoyoos Market on Main on Saturday to hear first hand how the policy has been working.
Yap, the MLA for Richmond-Steveston, is responsible for liquor policy reform and he spearheaded this and other changes to liquor regulations that came into effect last year.
Yap visited the booths of Moon Curser Vineyards, from Osoyoos; Forbidden Fruit Winery, from near Cawston; and River Stone Estate Winery, from near Oliver.
He sampled a few of the wines and chatted with the winemakers.
Osoyoos was the third farmers’ market that Yap has visited on his current tour.
“This is my first opportunity to get out,” said Yap. “It’s about a year since the changes were implemented and I really wanted to have a chance to look at the communities, how it’s being received and how the winemakers are finding this new opportunity.”
One of the most enthusiastic responses came from Kim Brind’Amour, owner of Forbidden Fruit and Yap wanted to make sure a reporter heard her praise for the policy. Others, he said, are also happy with the change.
“They tell me, as Kim just did here, that it’s been absolutely amazing,” he said. “It’s opened up a new channel and a meaningful channel, because it’s local. It supports the farm-to-table concept, which more and more people are very interested in. For us, we’re very pleased that more and more communities are embracing this and including products like wine and fruit wines in the farmers’ markets.”
The policy also allows local producers of craft beer and spirits to offer small samples and to sell their products. With the exception of gin tasting offered on an earlier weekend by Dubh Glas Distillery from Gallagher Lake, the participants at Market on Main have been wineries.
Samples are limited in size and number. Those providing samples must have Serving it Right certification.
Market on Main’s board has limited the number of booths with alcohol to no more than three at a time.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful for us,” said Brind’Amour of Forbidden Fruit. “Exposing people to try these wines at the markets brings them to our tasting room to try everything else that we produce. So it’s been absolutely a wonderful way to reach the public and the consumer.”
She acknowledges that many market visitors were not aware of her winery, located off Highway 3 between Nighthawk Road and Cawston. They produce a number of organic fruit-based dessert wines as well as wine from grapes.
“When you’re running a business, you’re trying to reach as many people as you can,” she said, adding that the markets are very different from other events that serve wine and where people go from booth to booth.
“This is people on vacation with children,” she said. “It’s a totally different environment. We’re reaching more of the family consumers.”
She also sets up a booth at the Penticton farmers’ market.
Beverly Forbes, a wine server at Moon Curser Vineyards for the past six years, agrees the new policy has helped the winery gain exposure.
Prior to the policy change, it was difficult even to reach local people, some who didn’t know where Moon Curser is, because they don’t often go east of Osoyoos on Highway 3 toward Anarchist Mountain, she said.
This was the second market Moon Curser took part in, she said, adding that they plan to do three more Saturdays and two Wednesday evening markets in Osoyoos.
The winery, she adds, has also raised its profile by getting its wines into government liquor stores, winning awards and putting up a new sign opposite the winery.
Ted Kane, an owner at River Stone, agrees that the farmers’ markets have increased his winery’s exposure.
“People are discovering us here and then coming to the winery,” he said. “Or they’re loving it when they can buy the wine right here.”
Many tourists haven’t yet heard about River Stone, but they are enjoying the experience of finding it at the market, he said.
“So it’s been really great for us and I think good for all the guys,” Kane said.
Yap, as might be expected, says he’s “absolutely delighted” to see the positive results from the liquor policy change. He’s not aware of any problems.
“Overall, it’s been very positive,” he said. “I haven’t heard of any specific issues with regard to alcohol products in farmers’ markets. I think it’s off to a very good start.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
John Yap (left), the parliamentary secretary to B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, discusses wine with Beverly Forbes of Moon Curser Vineyards. Yap has been responsible for reforming B.C.’s liquor laws, including the change that allows local producers of beer, wine and spirits to sell and sample their products at farmers’ markets. He toured Market on Main in Osoyoos on Saturday to find out how the program is working for local winemakers. (Richard McGuire photo)
John Yap (right), the parliamentary secretary to B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, samples wine at the Moon Curser Vineyards booth at Market on Main last Saturday. From left are Beverly Forbes, Monty Tolley and Marisa Munday. Yap has been responsible for reforming B.C.’s liquor laws, including the change that allows local producers of beer, wine and spirits to sell and sample their products at farmers’ markets. He toured Market on Main in Osoyoos on Saturday to find out how the program is working for local winemakers. (Richard McGuire photo)
John Yap (left), the parliamentary secretary to B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, chats with Kim Brind’Amour, owner of Forbidden Fruit Winery, while her son Nathan Venables pours a sample for a customer. Yap has been responsible for reforming B.C.’s liquor laws, including the change that allows local producers of beer, wine and spirits to sell and sample their products at farmers’ markets. He toured Market on Main in Osoyoos on Saturday to find out how the program is working for local winemakers. (Richard McGuire photo)
John Yap (left), the parliamentary secretary to B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, poses with Kim Brind’Amour, owner of Forbidden Fruit Winery, and her son Nathan Venables. Yap has been responsible for reforming B.C.’s liquor laws, including the change that allows local producers of beer, wine and spirits to sell and sample their products at farmers’ markets. He toured Market on Main in Osoyoos on Saturday to find out how the program is working for local winemakers. (Richard McGuire photo)
