Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)

As agents for wine producers, Argentum Wine Imports and The Full Wineglass Agency & Imports do not sell beverage alcohol. We act as a sales conduit, arranging for the customer in Ontario, Canada to purchase wines from the LCBO through a program called LCBO Specialty Services.

In general, no...and here's why: We represent small and medium-sized artisanal wineries that have small and medium-sized budgets. They don't always have the large quantities and deep pockets required to supply a province-wide chain of retail stores and pay for the marketing campaign and promotional support that's required.

The LCBO buys small quantities from wineries through agents like us via the Specialty Services program, and agents then promote these wines and fulfill orders.

Sommeliers at many fine restaurants purchase these wines, known as Consignment wines, through us because they appreciate their quality, value, and relative exclusivity when compared to wines that are widely available.

On rare occasion, a wine from one of our medium-sized wineries does find its way to LCBO Vintages. If so, it will be searchable on the LCBO website and available in select stores.

• You had it at a restaurant and you really like it!
• You'll have the wine you like on hand for whenever you feel like opening a bottle...
• Give some of the bottles as exclusive gifts and keep some for yourself...
• You'll have enough for everyone when you entertain...

Ratings and awards have their place in identifying wines you might want to try, but they shouldn't be your only guide. Besides the fact that many excellent wines are never submitted for ratings, we all have individual tastes and preferences and should explore them personally, rather than following trends. Your tasting experiences will vary and depend on many factors.

Experts' tastings have a different context from your own, including a date that's now in the past. Keep in mind that wine changes over time, even in an unopened bottle. Some wines are undrinkable when first bottled but are a joy after six months in the bottle. A wine that wowed a judge a year ago could be even better now or could be disappointing. And many wines, though they don't impress judges who are swishing and spitting, are outstanding when enjoyed with food.

Because wine is an alcoholic beverage, there are regulations surrounding it. Shipping wine through Canada Post appears to require a Manufacturer's License.

Also, we have been told that the trucks used for these deliveries might not be climate controlled, subjecting their loads to extreme heat or cold, depending on the weather. Shifting, unsecured loads, and pressure may lead to breakage of glass bottles.

We prefer to avoid these potential problems by making the delivery ourselves if that's feasible, or driving the wine to a specialized wine courier.

Because cases of wine are heavy, the delivery cost would also be higher when shipping with Canada Post and the other parcel delivery services.

We encourage you to check if the wine you are looking for is available through an agency in your province. If it is not, we may be able to ship it to you, but the cost of shipping a case of wine across Canada might be more than you want to pay.

No we don't...and here's why: U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations do not allow us to ship wines directly to consumers in the U.S. Anyone shipping wines from any country to the U.S. must have an importing agent. It makes sense for a producer to have an agent in the U.S. but not for us as importers to Canada.

* Find an importing agency or wine seller in your country. They may very well carry the wine you are looking for or know where you can purchase it.

* Visit the winery and purchase the wine while you are abroad (first check your country's import regulations for travellers).

* If you have friends or family living in Ontario, you can purchase the wine through us and ask to have it delivered to their address. Then pick it up when you visit them.

* Come to Ontario for a vacation or weekend getaway and purchase the wine while you are here, for delivery to you at your hotel.

Whereas a free market system exists in many other places, here in Ontario the LCBO determines the cost to us of incoming alcoholic beverages. The fluctuation of the Canadian dollar influences this process. The taxes, duties, and freight charges involved in importing to Ontario are often higher than those involved in importing to other places.

If our wines occasionally appear in an LCBO store at a lower price, it's a way for the LCBO to reduce some of its warehouse inventory by holding a sale of these wines in their stores for a limited time.

As far as factors that are within our control are concerned, we are committed to keeping our prices fair and competitive with those of other wine agencies in Ontario.

A few possible reasons include:

1) The wine may no longer be available from the producer.

2) A new vintage is not as good as a previous one and/or does not meet our expectations.

3) Overall client demand is too low to continue bringing the wine.

4) The winery raised its price and/or the freight cost became too high to support a competitive retail price.