John Szabo MS: "North American consumers are varietally-driven. But like everything in the wine world, there are cycles" (19/03/2013)
John Szabo is Canada's first Master Sommelier. He is a partner and principal critic for WineAlign.com, partnered with The National Post and also wine editor of Toronto’s CityBites Magazine. His freelance work has been in Wine & Spirits Magazine, En Route, the Globe and Mail, Grapevine Magazine and Nation’s Restaurant News, among others, and he’s heard regularly on Classical 96.3FM. John is also author of "Food and Wine Pairing For Dummies", and is currently consulting wine director for a dozen restaurants at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, among others. In his spare time, John enjoys visiting his small vineyard, J&J Eger in Hungary, and holds a 3rd degree black belt in karate.
WineAlign.com provides wine consumers with multiple critic reviews on wines available at local LCBO stores. By the end of February, the site incorporated the wines distributed in British Columbia by BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) and will be exploring partnerships with private wine retailers in BC. Quebec is next.
Canada consumed 3,89 Mhl of wine in 2011, 72 % of which was imported. France was then Canada's second wine supplier in volume, with a drop in sales (515 000 hl, -3,74 % compared to 2007). Italy ranked first (565 000 hl, +16,6 % ), followed by:
- Australia (n°3, 430 000 hl, -2,57 %),
- the US (n°4, 427 500 hl, +42,79 %)
- Chile (n°5, 219 000 hl, +25,19 %)
- Spain (n°6, 155 700 hl, + 26,82 %)
according to figures issued by Vinexpo.