Earlier this week, Wine Growers British Columbia announced that the Government of British Columbia will extend the temporary Crafted in British Columbia (CIBC) allowance through the 2025 vintage. Despite a robust growing season in 2025, the BC Grapegrowers’ Association and Wine Growers BC estimate that the province remains over 10,000 tonnes short of the wine grapes needed to meet market demand.
Initially established for the 2024 growing season, the CIBC program was designed to help wineries in the Okanagan and Similkameen recover from significant losses due to extreme winter freezes in the preceding years. A polar vortex in January 2024 caused an estimated 95% crop loss and 20% of vines to die. Many remaining buds were also damaged, leading to uncertainty about recovery. As a response, the BC Government announced the CIBC Support Replacement Program in mid-2024, allowing eligible wineries to produce BC wines using grapes or juice sourced from outside the province. The first CIBC wines of 2024, including whites and rosés, rolled out in spring 2025, with red CIBC wines debuting this fall.
The CIBC initiative was meant to be a stopgap solution, enabling affected wineries to market new wines during their recovery. Some wineries opted to source fruit widely, while others concentrated on selling existing stocks or focused on vineyard replanting. As a result, wineries are taking this opportunity to reassess their future strategies. Notably, many vineyard Syrah plants were lost to the freezes, while Chardonnay emerged relatively unscathed.
CIBC aims for transparency, ensuring consumers are informed about the origins of the grapes used in the wines. After much discussion, it was mandated that labels indicate the grape sources, but they are prohibited from including official designations. Many wineries now utilize QR codes on their labels to convey their stories and have established distinct tiers or brands to differentiate CIBC products from their 100% BC wines.
The CIBC designation is informal, emphasizing that these wines are Crafted in BC by local winemakers. Some producers prefer the term Replacement Wines to describe this category, which aims to support local businesses and workers during a challenging time. While there are still numerous BC wines on the market from pre-2024 vintages, some wineries managed to save a portion of fruit to produce 100% BC wines in 2024. Areas like Vancouver Island were not affected by the freezes and continue to produce wines as usual.
On the subject of the CIBC extension, Jeff Guignard, President and CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia, stated, “This extension is a vital bridge from last year’s crisis toward a sustainable future for BC wine. Without this support, we’ve heard directly from wineries who were days away from having to lay off staff. That’s how real the pressure is.”
Guignard reassured that Wine Growers BC will continue to prioritize local grapes and maintain a commitment to the integrity and quality of BC VQA wines. As the season progresses, it remains uncertain whether smaller wineries will be able to take advantage of opportunities to utilize imported grapes.
Interestingly, most CIBC wines released so far have included grapes sourced from the United States, amidst increasing tariffs affecting American wines in BC liquor stores. While the BC government encourages imports of American juice, it prohibits the import of American wines.
Here are some tasting notes for selected CIBC wines released thus far:
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Bartier Bros. Pristine Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2024: Sourced from Wahluke Slope, this rosé presents a shining peach color with delicate flavors of cherry blossoms and raspberry, offering excellent value. (89/100)
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Clos du Soleil Washington Series Chardonnay 2024: Sourced from Yakima Valley, this wine reveals a fresh, friendly style accentuated with ripe melon and fine spices. (89/100)
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Le Vieux Pin Ava Washington Edition Viognier – Roussanne 2024: Offering elegant layers of perfumed cream, apricot, and jasmine, this wine showcases sophistication. (89/100)
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JoieFarm A Noble Blend Pacific Northwest Edition 2024: Featuring floral notes and fruit from both BC and Washington, this wine maintains the joyful characteristics expected from JoieFarm. (89/100)
With promising harvest reports already coming in for 2025, the BC wine community appears cautiously optimistic as it navigates the effects of recent climatic challenges.