Ontario wineries selling at St Jacobs Farmers’ Market

CTV Kitchener: Local wines For the first time, customers are getting the chance to buy Ontario made wine at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. Nicole Lampa reports.

Fresh fruits, vegetables and bread are typical items to pick up at St. Jacobs market on a Saturday, and you can now add wine to the list.

Selling wine at farmers markets is part of a $75 million wine and grape strategy, meant to boost Ontario’s wine industry.

So far, customers seem to like the idea.

“I think it's a really good way to get Ontario wine out there, instead of just the LCBO and kiosks at Zehrs or what not,” says St. Jacobs customer Mark Wesseling.

Gabrielle Wertsch owns Between the Lines Winery, andsays selling wine At St. Jacobs will hopefully increase demand and set them apart from other wineries.

“If we can sell here I think that it can keep us unique,” says Wertsch.

The province stepped in last December, to boost the local wine industry, by allowing VQA Ontario wines to sell atfarmers markets starting this month.

Management at St. Jacobs say they are starting off with two small wineries.

“(they are) smaller wineries that you might not hear about, but have a fantastic offering of wines,” says St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market manager Mairi Borsi.

Some customers are even hoping the province will expand the wine offering to include other types of locally produced booze.