Sales of red grape varietals down in Ontario

Despite a promising grape harvest in Ontario, growers are concerned that local wineries have cut back on purchases of red grape varietals.

“The problem is an underpurchased crop,” says Debbie Zimmerman, CEO, Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) at end of September 2024.  “High-valued red vinifera varieties make up a substantial part of the $7 million worth of grapes that remain unsold.”

Zimmerman points to the practice of wineries buying cheaper, imported wines to blend.  These wines are not to be confused with Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines which are certified to be 100 per cent Ontario-grown grapes. 

The provincial government is heading in the right direction, says Zimmerman, with sales of VQA wines now available at corner stores. That’s a move which should grow the domestic market.

In addition, the government removed a cap on how much Ontario wineries can access in support funds for VQA wines.  A winery that received up to $250,000 in 2023 could apply for several times that amount in 2024. 

Many of Ontario’s 500 grape growers are within the Greenbelt. This protected land and its farmers should be supported, says Zimmerman, to reach economic potential. The 2023 farmgate value of Ontario grapes was $101 million.