As consumers we all want to be told the truth, or least some reasonable facsimile of the truth, regarding the products and services we purchase.  Sit back for a couple of moments while I tell you a little tale about winemakers, government agencies and truth in advertising or in this case labeling. Imagine you are in your local wine shop or state run liquor store browsing for something different.  As you examine the wines on the well stocked shelves your just not sure what to buy.  You stop at a bottle with a striking label depicting a half naked vixen riding a Harley.  Our wine shop is definitely not in Alabama! Nah, the kids will ask too many questions.  What about something local you say to yourself.  So you make a selection from a display boasting that all the wines are local products.  Who doesn’t want to support local producers these days?  You take your bottle of wine, pay the storeowner and drive home to enjoy the wine at dinner. You’ve just been duped! What you don’t realize is that locally produced wine you purchased originated from another country entirely. What the hell?!  How can that be you ask?  Well this is exactly what has been happening in British Columbia, Canada.  I came across an article this morning by Gordon Hamilton of Canwest News Service that outlines this very practice.  It made me pause and wonder if this has been a common practice or a new trend.  Does it happen here in the US? The article outlines a practice where the three largest winemakers in Canada purchase “low-cost” wines from multiple locations outside Canada (California and Washington sourced wines are included) and re-label them as locally produced products of British Columbia.  Apparently all three producers had consulted with both federal and provincial government agencies before proceeding.  Amazing!! As someone who makes a living in sales I am completely stunned.  I’m not all that shocked at a producer trying to capitalize on the reputation of a region’s name with another product.  Whenever someone is trying to make money, none of us should be surprised by anything.  But the fact that government agencies would allow this to happen and not at least require some type of labeling letting the consumer know the origin of the wine, is, well, amazing to me. As my parents always told me – Buyer Beware!  Especially when your buying wines with naked women on the labels.

You can read the full text of the article- Sale of cheap imports as B.C. wines ’scandalous,’ say critics and consumers on the CANWEST website at – http://www.canada.com/Sale+cheap+imports+wines+scandalous+critics+consumers/2015578/story.html