Italy is in first place in
2016 for quantity of wine imported to Canada, with over 50
million liters, and in second after the United States for total
value, with over 300 million Canadian dollars' worth of wine
imported, according to Italian Ambassador to Canada Gian Lorenzo
Cornado, speaking from Montreal on the final stop of the 'Great
Tastings in Canada 2016' initiative.
The tour is the Italian Foreign Trade Institute's (ICE)
most important event dedicated to Italian wine in Canada, with
stops in four cities for a "coast to coast" tour.
After starting in Vancouver on the Pacific Ocean, the tour
stopped in Calgary in the province of Alberta, then moved to
Toronto and finally Montreal in the country's east, involving
thousands of importers, industry journalists and sector opinion
leaders.
More than 500 labels were present in the tour, coming from
102 different Italian producers across 14 regions, attracted by
a continually growing market.
Cornado said the market is destined to grow, especially in
light of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
between the European Union and Canada signed on October 30.
Italian Consul General in Montreal Riccardo Rusconi said
that Quebec in particular has a historical propensity for wine
culture, especially high-level wines.
That propensity is driving ICE collateral events, such as
wine tastings and seminars by Italian enologists to educate
young Canadian sommeliers about Italian wine, organised by ICE
Toronto Director Pasquale Bova.
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