Curious about liquor/wine prices in Vancouver

My husband thinks they are much higher due to heavy taxes- really? :confused:

the US. We pay 2 taxes,duty and a Government surcharge on our wine and spirits.

packing it from home and possibly having it break is a pain. when we cruise we take a bottle each of vodka, brandy, port, vermouth, & olives. there is a good sized govt. store on the corner of burrard and alberni. this is one block off Robson St. a must for your time in vancouver. if you are staying on Robson or ajacent it is a very short walk. total price difference will be if the above items total 65 dollars in Calif. it will be 80 in canada.

Any liquor stores close to the Westin Bayshore?

Thanks

Also, consider the duty free store at the airport you're flying out of to get to Vancouver. They aren't always a bargain, but I've found many U.S. & Canadian airport duty free stores are getting more competitive in their pricing. You might find the duty free store cheaper than what you pay at your liquor store at home.

Also, consider the duty free store at the airport you're flying out of to get to Vancouver. They aren't always a bargain, but I've found many U.S. & Canadian airport duty free stores are getting more competitive in their pricing. You might find the duty free store cheaper than what you pay at your liquor store at home.

Customs limits the amount of liquor you can bring in. That's why we need to buy it once we get to Vancouver.

You can find out the prices in Government Liquor stores at there website

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en

There are private stores as well, but they charge more.

Site didn't work for me!

Hey, any of you BCers, would you like to steer a Florida wine lover in the right direction? I was browsing the above site and was unfamiliar with the Canadian wineries represented- they just don't get distributed down our way... my husband and I really like reds. Anything you'd recommend? (We're not snobs- they don't have to be expensive, just tasty! ;) ) Pinot Noir and Zinfandels, lots of fruit flavor, but not sweet...

Many many Australian and Chilean wines. Many local B.C. wines as well. try Wolf Blass Yellow lable you will love it!

with the cost, a review,rating out of 100 and the UPC code for you.

Some ar available in Liquor Stores and others you will have to go to a wine store like-Marquis or Liberty.

91/100 CedarCreek Chardonnay Platinum Reserve 2004

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Open inviting creamy lees and green apple nose with hazelnut, vanilla, floral, citrus aromas and just a touch of butter and peach. Rich, elegant, dry palate with good vanilla, spicy lees, nutty, citrus, baked apple, butterscotch, melon flavours. Very good balance and acidity with some finesse and integration. Will improve over the next 1-2 years. Fine effort, best yet from winemaker Tom Di Bello.

Prices: BC $28.99 (750 ml) winery direct, VQA wine shops

CSPC: 607218; UPC: 778913064043

Producer: CedarCreek Estate Winery

Distributor: Hobbs & Co. Wine Merchants Inc.; Medallion Wine Marketing

90/100 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay 2004

Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Winemaker Randy Picton has conquered the oak barrel in 2004 and given us a delicious spicy, cinnamon, leesy, baked apple chardonnay nose with nutty, floral, orange notes. Dry, elegant, slightly fat entry with nutty lees, mineral, vanilla, honey, waxy, spicy, green apple skin flavours. The finish is warm but with plenty of pear and citrus and a streak of buttered popcorn. Ready to go but with fine sophistication. Try with grilled trout and almonds meunière.

Prices: BC $24.99 (750 ml) VQA stores / private wine shops

CSPC: 086405; UPC: 836909011416

Producer: Nk’Mip Cellars

Distributor: Vincor International

89/100 Blue Mountain Chardonnay Reserve (Stripe Label) 2003

Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Spicy lees, mineral, butter, dried green apple, flinty nose with a touch of honey and hazelnut. Very dry, tight palate with good acidity. Buttery, mineral, baked green apple, leesy, vanilla, pear flavours. Restrained style with good acidity. Will improve over the next 1-2 years. Good value here.

Prices: BC $25.00 (750 ml) winery direct or Foremost Wine Domaines Inc.

CSPC: 714956

Producer: Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars

Distributor: Foremost Wine Domaines Inc.

89/100 Mission Hill Pinot Gris Reserve 2005

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Mission Hill is dialling in its Reserve gris focusing on a crisp lemony style with plenty of grapefruit and mineral aromas. Lip smacking honeyed grapefruit, green apple, and mineral flavours with some attractive leesy mid-palate textures. Fine intensity with hints of pear in the finish. Food-friendly and well done.

Prices: AB $17.25 (750 ml); BC $18.99 (750 ml) specialty listing, vqa and private wine shops; MB $16.59 (750 ml); NB $18.69 (750 ml); ON $18.95 (750 ml); SK $17.99 (750 ml)

CSPC: 537076; UPC: 776545991034

Producer: Mission Hill Family Estate

Distributor: Mark Anthony Wine Merchants; Mission Hill Winery

89/100 Township 7 Reserve Chardonnay 2004

Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Green apple, floral, popcorn nose with honey, grapefruit, cinnamon and lees aromas all in the crisp, round, elegant style. Somewhat buttery with popcorn, baked apple, citrus, mineral, floral, green apple skin flavours with a nutty, garlic lees, chalky, vanilla finish. Very solid if a bit oaky now. Should improve over the next year as the oak dissipates.

Prices: BC $24.90 (750 ml) winery direct, VQA and private wine shops

CSPC: 034579; UPC: 626990024590

Producer: Township 7 Vineyards and Wineries

Distributor: Winery Direct

90/100 Sandhill Small Lots Program Three Burrowing Owl Vineyard 2003

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Young but well balanced with peppery, chocolate, garrigue, black cherry, floral notes with vanilla, coffee, black olive and smoke. On the palate it is round and dry with fine elegant supple characters. Spicy, black cherry, mocha, vanilla, peppery, spicy, black olive flavours with a touch of cardamom. Needs 1-3 years but try now with any grilled meat. The best red blend yet from Sandhill ─ 53/21/13/13 barbera, sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

Prices: AB $32.49 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 (750 ml) winery direct and private wine shops

CSPC: 055574; UPC: 058976350704

Producer: Sandhill Wines

Distributor: Grady Wine Marketing

89/100 Blue Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve 2003

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Cedar, compost, barnyard, cherry, celery salt and vanilla aromas with a slightly rubbery note. Very dry, round, warm entry but elegant with light, tight tannins. Peppery, earthy, cedar-y, smoky vanilla, cherry, stewed rhubarb and carrot top flavours. Good acidity but quite dry on the finish and showing some wood. Needs another 1 to 3 years in bottle. A good effort that is consistent with the winery’s style.

Prices: BC $35.00 (750 ml) winery direct or Foremost Wine Domaines Inc.

CSPC: 714881

Producer: Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars

Distributor: Foremost Wine Domaines Inc.

89/100 Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz Proprietors’ Grand Reserve 2004

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

A 60/40 blend of cabernet sauvignon/shiraz age in French and American wood. It has a youthful charred barrel nose with dense generous smoky, blackberry vanilla and spicy leather notes - a la Oz. Well-balanced attractive style many will like. Another warm year and 40 per cent shiraz appears to be the tonic for the impossible to ripen cabernet.

Prices: BC $25.99 (750 ml) specialty listing, private wine shops

CSPC: 632950; UPC: 063657005378

Producer: Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate

Distributor: Vincor International

89/100 Jackson-Triggs Shiraz Proprietors’ Grand Reserve 2004

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Big cedar sausage/meaty peppery shiraz with very fine smooth youthful tannins. Plump and bold in the mouth (very JT) but not without some tannin and obvious oak. Destine to be a fine wine with some more time in the bottle. Hedonistic, if a bit oaky but this is B.C. shiraz at its best.

Prices: BC $24.99 (750 ml) specialty listing, private wine shops

CSPC: 732172; UPC: 063657005835

Producer: Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate

Distributor: Vincor International

89/100 Nichol Vineyard Syrah Reservare 2003

Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Where others wineries have floundered in a difficult 2003 vintage, the Nichols appear to have hit the target. Love this smoky, meaty, gamey, nose flecked with pepper and rootsy aromas. Dry, round, slightly tannic entry with a sense of elegance throughout. Dense peppery, gamey, meaty fruit with floral, black berry, smoky, spicy flavours with a bit of saddle leather and coffee grind on the finish. Needs 2-4 years. Well made and perfectly suited to strong meat dishes. Fine effort.

Prices: BC $34.90 (750 ml) winery direct

Producer: Nichol Vineyard & Farm Winery

Distributor: Winery Direct

89/100 Sandhill Small Lots Program Two Burrowing Owl Vineyard 2003

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Open floral peppery nose with licorice, cassis, black cherry, mocha aromas with some barnyard and smoky leather. Rich, ripe and round with dry if soft tannins. Intense coffee, peppery, smoky, resin, vanilla, cassis, black cherry, black berry flavours on the palate with a warm, vanilla pudding finish. Needs 2-5 years but will improve. Good balance overall.

Prices: BC $29.99 (750 ml) winery direct and private wine shops

CSPC: 620344; UPC: 058976350667

Producer: Sandhill Wines

Distributor: Grady Wine Marketing

89/100 Sumac Ridge Pinnacle 2002

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Stewed cherry, cassis, and coffee nose streaked with pepper, smoke, bacon, leather, barnyard and garrigue-like spice. Rich, ripe, fat and round not to mention somewhat alcoholic. Smooth, substantial tannins but balanced. Intense smoky, coffee, cedar, mocha, cherry cola, black olive, rootsy clove flavours. Big and warm and ripe. This needs another 3 to 4 years in bottle to pull it all together. Good effort.

Prices: AB $43.00 (750 ml) private wine shops; BC $50.00 (750 ml)

CSPC: 593061; UPC: 778876830617

Producer: Sumac Ridge Estate Winery

Distributor: Vincor International

89/100 Township 7 Syrah 2003

Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Tobacco leaf, menthol, pruny, cherry, shoe leather, coffee and barnyard aromas with a meaty streak. Dry, round, slightly tannic entry but good elegance. Chocolate, coffee, menthol, cool leafy, olive, tobacco flavours with some cherry mint on the finish. A touch oaky but has good expression and balance.

Prices: BC $24.90 (750 ml) winery direct, VQA and private wine shops

CSPC: 037523; UPC: 626990024552

Producer: Township 7 Vineyards and Wineries

Distributor: Winery Direct

You know your wines... I have never seen the term 'lees' used in describing wine before. I am really looking forward to trying several of the ones you mentioned- thanks again for the wonderfully thorough rundown! :D

We bought our wine in Vancouver just as you are planning to do. Sure wish I had had that list! The California wines were very expensive. (Example what normally costs $20 was $40.) We really liked the BC cabernets though. Also we stopped in Ferndale, Washington at the grocery just off the interstate and bought our champagne and 5 more bottles to cross the border with. We had three adults. That proved to be a real good move because the $45 bottle of champagne would have been almost $100 in BC and almost $150 on the ship!

We bought our wine in Vancouver just as you are planning to do. Sure wish I had had that list! The California wines were very expensive. (Example what normally costs $20 was $40.) We really liked the BC cabernets though. Also we stopped in Ferndale, Washington at the grocery just off the interstate and bought our champagne and 5 more bottles to cross the border with. We had three adults. That proved to be a real good move because the $45 bottle of champagne would have been almost $100 in BC and almost $150 on the ship!

:eek: :eek: :eek: YIKES!!!!