Chilly times for pricey icewine

Niagara wineries producing premium icewine should hold the line on pricing, even as the economy spirals downward, says a wine exporting expert.

The flagging economy has lessened demand for luxury goods such as Champagne and Canadian icewine, Randy Dufour told a crowd of winemakers at the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention at Brock University on Wednesday morning.

But the Vincor Canada director of exports advised producers to stay the course when it comes to Canada's signature dessert wine product and try to keep prices steady on the country's best icewine.

Icewine typically costs upwards of $50 for a half bottle or 375 mL.

"What we do well compared to every other country around the world is icewine," said Dufour, whose portfolio includes icewine-making powerhouse Inniskillin Wines in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Not only does the Canadian wine industry need to remain focused on icewine, it needs to keep promoting its premium table wines, Dufour told the crowd.

It's too hard for Canada to compete on the world stage with mass market wines in the $10 range, he said.

Making wine in cool-climate Canada is just too expensive, he said.

"We have to focus on top end varietals," Dufour said.

"In the long-term, that's the only way we're going to succeed."

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