LCBO's ONTARIO WINE PROMOTION KICKS OFF WITH A SKY-HIGH STOMP
TORONTO, Sept. 14 /CNW/ - With the stomping and squishing of grapes atop Toronto's CN Tower, LCBO, in partnership with the Wine Council of Ontario, today launched goLOCAL - It's seriously cool, the largest-ever, province-wide promotion of Ontario wines. This annual four-week promotion showcases 148 wines from 50 Ontario producers in 615 LCBO stores and builds on the double-digit sales growth that VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) wines are enjoying at the LCBO.
"The sky's the limit for Ontario VQA wines, which saw sales in 2009-10 soar 19 per cent higher than the previous year," says LCBO President and CEO Bob Peter. "This promotion aims to carry that momentum forward by showing consumers that Ontario makes some of the best, cool-climate style wines in the world. We'd love to see Ontario wine in every shopping basket during this promotion."
Participating in the CN Tower celebrity grape stomp launch event were TV interior design personalities Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan competing against comedian Colin Mochrie and actress Debra McGrath. Wine Council of Ontario Chair Ed Madronich acted as official judge.
"There's a growing recognition that Ontario's cool climate produces some of the best wines and the best wine styles to pair with food," says Madronich. "To find out why this is so, consumers need only to visit their local LCBO store during this promotion. It's a seriously cool thing to do, especially when shopping for Thanksgiving entertaining."
goLOCAL - It's seriously cool, which runs until October 9, features 20 products from the LCBO's wines Category making their first appearance in stores. Vintages, LCBO's fine wine and premium spirits business unit, is also releasing 18 Ontario VQA wines during this promotion. There will also be 1,500 in-store tastings, an online contest to win four winemaker dinners and numerous consumer events at major LCBO stores with demonstration kitchens.
A year-round microsite www.lcbogolocal.com has been created featuring an array of Ontario wine information, such as food and wine pairing suggestions, winery maps and product information. LCBO will also be hosting three virtual tastings of Ontario wines on September 22, 29 and October 6 on www.lcbogolocal.com.
Consumers can also find online information about goLOCAL - It's seriously cool through Suresh Doss of Spotlight Toronto, who will be blogging about his experiences on www.lcbogolocal.com as part of a 30-day goLOCAL challenge during this promotion.
A video message from Premier Dalton McGuinty encouraging consumers to support Ontario wines and other local businesses is also featured on this microsite.
More than 70 restaurants across the province are participating in the promotion, encouraging customers to take the goLOCAL challenge during their dining experiences.
For more information on goLOCAL - It's seriously cool, featured products and tastings, call the toll-free, bilingual LCBO Customer Service at 1-800-ONT-LCBO (668-5226). In Toronto, call 416 365-5900, visit your nearest LCBO store or go online to www.lcbo.com/service. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 416 864-6898 or 1-800-361-3291.
Consumers are reminded to bring a reusable bag when shopping at the LCBO and to take empty beverage alcohol containers (large and small glass bottles, PET plastic, Tetra Paks, bag-in-box and cans) to The Beer Store for a full deposit refund.
FACT SHEET
goLOCAL
2010 Fact Sheet
- The LCBO, in partnership with the Wine Council of Ontario, presents
goLOCAL - It's seriously cool, the largest ever annual promotion of
Ontario wines. No other region or country has a major annual LCBO
promotion.
- goLOCAL runs from September 12 - October 9, 2010 at all 615 LCBO
stores and gives customers the opportunity to discover the wines that
Ontario does best, while learning about the province's cool climate
winemaking practices that produce such high-quality wines.
- goLOCAL supports the local wine industry and economy by featuring
products from Ontario wineries. All featured products have been chosen
by participating wineries in consultation with the LCBO.
- Some 148 products from more than 50 Ontario wineries will be
highlighted in the promotion.
- LCBO Wines Category will feature 120 products, including 20 new
wines, such as Trend (owned by CBC-TV hosts Steven Sabados and
Chris Hyndman), and Union Red and White and Generation 7 from
Chateau des Charmes winery.
- Vintages, LCBO's fine wine and premium spirits business unit,
will offer 18 Ontario VQA wines in its September 18 release
catalogue entitled, What we do best.
- The Autumn issue of FOOD& DRINK in LCBO stores September 8 showcases
Ontario's wine classics via day tripping through wine country.
- The promotion also includes: an online contest on LCBO's new year-
round microsite, www.lcbogolocal.com, to win four wine country
experiences; three virtual tastings; and in-store tasting events.
Tasting events:
- There will also be many opportunities during the promotion for
customers to taste featured products:
- 1,500 in-store tastings will be presented in LCBO stores across
Ontario;
- 'Going Local for Thanksgiving' events, taking place in LCBO
event kitchens* on Saturday afternoons, will demonstrate how
to prepare a delectable Thanksgiving feast by pairing
ingredients with Ontario wines. Each week features a different
menu course:
Saturday, September 18, 2010 Saturday, September 25, 2010
Menu course: Appetizers Menu course: Sides
Saturday, October 2, 2010 Saturday, October 9, 2010
Menu course: Turkey Menu course: Dessert
*Event kitchen locations include:
- LCBO Summerhill, 10 Scrivener Square, Toronto
- LCBO The Kingsway, 2946 Bloor Street West, Toronto
- LCBO Bayview Village, 2901 Bayview Avenue, Toronto
- LCBO Maple, 2943 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple
- LCBO Millcroft Centre, 2000 Appleby Line, Burlington
- LCBO Orion Gate, 545 Steeles Avenue East, Brampton
- LCBO Rideau Street, 275 Rideau Street, Ottawa
- LCBO Nepean Crossroads, 543 West Hunt Club Road, Nepean
- LCBO Roundhouse, 3165 Howard Avenue, Windsor
- LCBO Old Oakville Market Place, 321 Cornwall Drive, Oakville
(demo island)
- Vintages is also presenting Taste Ontario, a tasting of 100
Ontario VQA wines from 36 wineries at the Art Gallery of
Ontario. This event is an opportunity for consumers to meet
talented and passionate winemakers from Tawse, Stratus, Coyote's
Run, Hardie Wines, Le Clos Jordanne and more. It will also offer
exclusive Ontario VQA wines for purchase.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Art Gallery of Ontario
Baillie Court, 3rd Floor
317 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Trade/media tasting: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. General tasting: 6:30
- 9:00 p.m. ($55 per person)
- Please visit www.lcbo.com for additional information about these
events.
- LCBO Wines Category currently offers 426 wines produced in Ontario.
Since the beginning of the year, they have also released 34 new VQA
wines, including many varietal blends, one of the fastest-growing
segments of the industry. Vintages released another 231 Ontario VQA
wines over the past 12 months, including 21 available year-round
through the Vintages Essentials program.
- VQA wine sales growth outpaces all other wine categories at the LCBO.
In fiscal 2009-10, sales of Ontario VQA wines in the LCBO Wines
Category were up 19.5 per cent, while Ontario VQA wines in Vintages
grew by 9.5 per cent. Sales of Ontario VQA table wines were up more
than 17per cent in Vintages. LCBO sales of all products from Ontario
wineries in 2009-10 totaled $295 million, up 4.4 per cent over 2008-
09. LCBO sales of imported wines were down 0.7 per cent in 2009-10.
For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Trina Hendry, Media Relations Consultant, Marketing and Customer Insights, Tel. 416 864-6803, Cell: 416 358-0357, E-mail: [email protected]; Chris Layton, LCBO Media Relations Co-ordinator, Corporate Communications, Tel. 416 864-6772, Cell: 416 587-3729, E-mail: [email protected]
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