Consignment Wines

Did you know that the LCBO  is not the only place to buy wine?

During COVID, to help small independent restaurants maintain an income stream, the Ontario Government allowed them to sell wines from their own inventory. This is nothing new of course: they could always sell wine, but the actual bottles had to be physically opened within the licensed establishment. Not ideal if you want to take a few bottles home for later in the week, or buy a bottle from the restaurant to go along with your takeout meal.

Most restaurants buy wines within the LCBO from a separate channel than the retail store level, called the consignment system. This operates a little differently than the LCBO retail stores in that an agency represents a certain winery in this market and is able to sell wines direct to the consumer. This includes, and is often, buyers for restaurants.

The agencies are similar to an importer, but the LCBO executes the transfer of wines from winery to warehouse in Ontario. The importer/agency then buys the wine from the LCBO and sells it to a buyer.

You too are able to buy wines that are not available on the LCBO shelves through an agency in the consignment system. There are many such agencies, offering a much broader choice of wines than are available at the retail store level. The only caveat is that you have a buy a full case, at minimum.

It’s common to think, instinctively, that you wouldn’t want to buy a whole case of one wine. Interestingly,studies show that most consumers stick to only a handful of wines they are conformable with, and only occsionally splash out for something a little more special, or out of the ordinary.

There are many benefits to buying wines by the case. Most wines will hold up perfectly well within the time you will drink them. Others might be worth holding on to, to experience how they taste in the coming years.

Buying by the case is also a great way to start a wine club among friends or colleagues. Get a case delivered once a week, everyone takes 3-4 bottles, and by the end of the year, you will have started a bona fide cellar.

There is also the added bonus of having the agencies deliver the wines directly to your home or office.

There are numerous larger agencies that represent wines in Ontario, and even more smaller agencies. One of the best ways to find them is to search for a wine on an app called By The Case.

This app allows anyone to access any wine agency within Ontario. If you discover a wine you enjoy at a restaurant, or visited a winery while on vacation, searching the app makes connecting you to the agency easy.

There is a whole wide world of wine far beyond the LCBO retail store. It is accessible, has a broader, more interesting selection than any LCBO store, all with the convenience of home delivery!