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Media Centre Download the 2007-2008 Wine Industry in Ontario Year In Review
Wine Industry's Contribution to Ontario's Economy
Sales (total retail value for 2007-2008): $ 506 million
Volume: 56 million litres
Every bottle of Ontario wine sold in the province adds $4.29 in added value to the Ontario economy.
Every $10 million in wine sales translates into $13 million in economic activity in Ontario
Source: KPMG Study, May 2006

EMPLOYMENT
Winery Operations
Winery Retail System
Grape Growing		 1,989
2,347
1,022
Total Wine Industry-Related Employment 5,641
Note: most of these jobs are located in the Niagara Region, where manufacturing downsizing has resulted in significant unemployment levels.

TOURISM
Estimated number of visitors to wineries (per year) 1 million

Ontario Wine Industry
Key Facts and Statistics
GRAPE GROWING
Wine grape acreage ~20,000 acres (7,000 hectares)
Wine grape vines in production (2004 harvest)
  of which, Vinifera grape vines in production		 13.1 million vines
9.2 million vines
Wine grape production (2004)
  of which, Vinifera grape production		 46,179 tonnes
24,116 tonnes
Value of wine crop (2004) $45.5 million
Value of Niagara vineyard land (2005) $40,000 per acre

WINERIES
Number of wineries in Ontario (2005) ~125
Number of grape-based wineries in Ontario (2005),
   all of which produce VQA Wine Council of Ontario 		~100+
Ontario wines' share of Ontario wine market ~44%

VQA WINES
Retail value of VQA sales (fiscal year ended March 31, 2006) $205.8 million
Volume of VQA wines sold in Ontario (fiscal 2006) 10.8 million litres
Total volume of Icewine produced (fiscal 2006) 406,239 litres
Total volume of Late Harvest wines (fiscal 2006) 95,874 litres
The top grape variety for production (by volume)
    White Chardonnay (3.8 million litres)
    Red Cabernet Franc (1.4 million litres)
Number of single-varietal wines approved (2006)
    Chardonnay 155
    Riesling 85
    Cabernet Franc 53
    Pinot Noir 59