calendar_month2026/05/14> 2025/05/14
location_onVancouver, Canada

Barolo & Friends Lands in Canada with Journalist Michaela Morris

First edition of Barolo & Friends in Canada: a promotional day in Vancouver in collaboration with Decanter journalist Michaela Morris to maximize the visibility of Piedmontese wines in the crucial Canadian market.

The excellence of Piedmontese wine is preparing for a new adventure: we are excited to announce the imminent first edition of Barolo & Friends in Canada, British Columbia in Vancouver on May 14th,2026. The recent collapse of American wine exports to Canada due to new tariffs is creating a space of opportunity for Italian wines. Furthermore, there is a growing market interest in indigenous varieties, authentic, lighter, often less-known wines, capable of telling a story—an aspect in which Piedmont boasts an undeniable advantage.

This initiative is aimed at a maximum of 30 producers from across Piedmont and is intended to strengthen your presence by intercepting the growing interest of the Canadian market for Piedmontese denominations. We are pleased to continue in the path of the great promotional work carried out by the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani: the event will be held two days after the major BBWO (Barolo Barbaresco World Opening) Tasting event in Toronto with the aim of facilitating the participation of companies already in the country.

The final location will be communicated shortly, but the format and program have already been defined to offer maximum value in terms of professional meetings and visibility.

PROGRAM

The event is structured to offer Canadian trade operators a deep immersion into the richness and diversity of our region.

• One or more Masterclasses aimed at the trade, curated by Decanter journalist Michaela Morris.
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Networking Lunch & Coffee Service: Following the seminar, attendees will join producers and moderators for an informal networking moment. Lunch and coffee service will be the ideal opportunity to deepen the contacts established during the Masterclass, re-tasting the presented wines.
• Approx. 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Walk Around Tasting for the Trade: Piedmontese companies will have the opportunity to present their products in a dynamic format, maximizing the number of direct commercial encounters and reinforcing the visibility of the “Piedmont” brand as a whole.

Why British Columbia?

A huge opportunity is opening up for Italy, and more generally for European countries, in this market. While Italian wines are already well-represented in premium channels (particularly Barolo), there is still significant room for growth for small and medium-sized producers, especially those who can offer good value-for-money and tell the story of their territory.

• The British Columbia market accounts for 14% of the total Canadian market.
• BC Liquor Stores, which account for 198 retail locations in the province has put forward as one of their mandates for 2025/2026 to focus on Italian wines
• Italy continues to be a stable if not slightly growing category in the province, particularly for restaurants and hospitality clientele
• BC boasts a highly educated and engaged market so they are looking for unique appellations and varieties within an already well-known (Piedmont) region to support better-known appellations (Barolo, Barbaresco, etc.)