Wine available in USA vs Canada

[cnspriggs]

For the Canadians out there what wines do you search out and buy in the USA that you can't get back home? I'm based in Vancouver and have heard the selection and prices are better in the USA. What sort of things do you search out?

Cheers!

[carswell]

Answers to your query will vary from province to province. As a rule, I rarely find prices in the States to be significantly cheaper than here, so I tend to bring back wines that I can't get at the SAQ or LCBO. Recent "suitcase imports" include Renardat-Fache's Cerdon de Bugey, Ogier's Côte-Rôtie, Punt e Mes and Ridge's Pagani Ranch zin. The problem is that you're effectively limited to bringing back two or three bottles per adult per visit, above which abusive duty is charged (see here for one particularly harrowing story).

[Brad Ballinger]

The problem is that you're effectively limited to bringing back two or three bottles per adult per visit, above which abusive duty is charged (see here for one particularly harrowing story).

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Right. A way around this is to establish a friendship with someone in the states who can legally bring a greater volume northward across the border.

[peppyre]

I find that directly across the border there is a much broader selection at a much better price. I can't think of anything in particular that I will seek out, but when I was in Portland last, it was more about the price difference. A bottle of Smoking Loon Zin for $7.95 as opposed to the over $20 at home. Thankfully, my grandmother lives in Birch Bay and she will bring anything home for me. No worries about duty for me.