Marketing
Communications
Research and Development
Advocacy
Wine Tourism
Funding
Board and Committee

VQA: VQA=100% BC - All British Columbia wines bearing the VQA symbol must be made from 100% BC grown grapes. The wines are screened by a professional tasting panel and wines found faulty cannot be sold as VQA wines.*

Terroir: The Okanagan Valley has five officially recognized sub-regions – Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile, and Black Sage/Osoyoos.

Organic: A technique for growing grapes without using chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides or commercial fertilizers.*

Meritage: Rhymes with heritage. A term created in California to identify blends made with Bordeaux grape varieties.*

Geography: The southern Okanagan Valley in the area between Oliver and the border is classified as part of the Sonora Desert, which runs south to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.

*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

 
 
MARKETING – PROMOTING AND ELEVATING THE WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BRAND.
 

The Wines of British Columbia are to be trusted, loved and cherished because they are made in comparatively small quantities and handcrafted to bring out distinct flavours unique to our region.
-- Brand Promise, Wines of British Columbia

Marketing  the Wines of British Columbia brand makes up a significant portion of the BCWI’s annual budget, with a goal of promoting all BC VQA wines.

Our annual strategic marketing plan and subsequent marketing projects build upon a strong re-branding completed in 2005 and are approved by the BCWI’s marketing committee and board of directors.

Events – ‘Owning’ the food and wine event calendar.
We host spring and fall media and trade tastings to showcase new releases, and have created a signature consumer food and wine pairing event, ChefMeetsGrape.

We also represent the Wines of British Columbia at key events throughout the year, such as the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Vancouver Magazine Wine & Restaurant Awards, Home & Interior Design Show and Whistler’s Cornucopia.

On-premise Promotions – Cultivating a BC food and wine experience.
We sponsor programs such as Dine Out Vancouver and Dine Around Victoria. In partnership with several high-end Vancouver restaurants, we work with top chefs to promote whatgoeswithfish? – our signature event, pairing BC VQA wines with the freshest and best BC seafood.
 
Website – Telling the story of the Wines of British Columbia online.
Winebc.com provides facts and information about wine touring, wine varietals and food pairing, festivals and events, VQA Wine Store locations and more. Our site gives consumers around the world a taste of our province’s distinctive wine regions.

Retail Programs – Telling the story of the Wines of British Columbia in-store.
Five comprehensive retail campaigns per year keep the Wines of British Columbia (BC VQA) top-of-mind with consumers at 208 BC Liquor Stores and 20 VQA Wine Stores during key months of the year.

Printed Material – A hands-on experience with the brand.
We design and print over 500,000 touring maps of BC’s wine regions and 300,000 “Our Land, Revealed” supplements, as well as full-color brochures, educational material, annual reports and media kits to fulfill member, consumer and trade requests for information.

Print Advertising ­– Building the Wines of British Columbia brand.
To promote the Wines of British Columbia (BC VQA) brand, print ads run in selected issues of tourism, consumer and trade publications.  We utilize a media planner to ensure our marketing dollars reach the most targeted and widest possible audience for the best price.

VQA Wine Stores – Promoting an exclusive distribution channel.
We develop marketing tactics that fit the needs of the retail environment in each store, and work in partnership on innovative ways to utilize their extensive knowledge and friendly service to drive sales of BC VQA wine.

Training and Education – Creating ambassadors.
The BCWI plans and organizes tours and training for retail, trade and media personnel, to educate and inspire our best advocates of BC VQA wine and BC’s wine regions.

Consolidations – Competing on a national and international level.
Members’ wines are consolidated by the BCWI and sent to approximately 30 competitions (local, national and international) each year, as determined by input from members.

 
© 2006 British Columbia Wine Institute.  All rights reserved.