Robert Bell's

Wines of Canada

Since 1992

Wine Bricks

One of humankind’s most endearing (and annoying) qualities is its ability to skirt, outthink and get around nearly every restriction that gets in its way. That was certainly during Prohibition, as people all oveNorth America found ways to sneak around the law. During Canada’s Prohibition era (roughly 1917–1927, varying by province), grape growers and winemakers got very creative to survive the dry spell ️️.

� Loopholes & Legal Workarounds

  • Wine production wasn’t fully banned: While selling alcohol was restricted, making wine from Canadian-grown grapes was still allowed under certain permits.
  • Section 44 of Ontario’s Temperance Act let wineries produce wine if they held a license from the Board of Licence Commissioners. Sales were limited to on-site only, and customers could buy up to five gallons at a time.
  • Sacramental and medicinal use: Wine could still be used in churches and prescribed by doctors. Industrial alcohol was also permitted, which gave wineries another legal outlet.

Growth Despite Restrictions

  • Between 1917 and 1927, 57 permits were issued, supporting 67 wineries across Ontario, Toronto, Windsor, and Niagara.
  • Notable producers included: Historical Wineries
  • Twin City Wine Company
  • Fort Williams Wine Company
  • Belleville Wine Company
  • Rabbi M.H. Levey, who made kosher wine in Toronto and later sold his license to Canadian Wine Producers Ltd.

Grape Growers' Strategy

  • Many shifted focus to juice production, similar to the U.S. “wine brick” workaround.
  • Some sold grapes directly to consumers, who would ferment them at home—often quietly and illegally.
  • Others diversified crops or held out until restrictions eased.

During Prohibition in Canada—roughly from 1917 to the early 1920s depending on the province—wine bricks (also called grape bricks) were a clever workaround used by vintners to keep the wine industry alive without technically breaking the law. The Bricks made from juice concentrate could be sold illegally. They came with a very check labe warming :

    Do not dissolve in water and leave in a cool, dark place for 21 days, or it may ferment into wine. Wine bricks helped preserve vineyards and winemaking traditions during a time when alcohol sales were heavily restricted.

    In short, Canada’s grape growers didn’t just survive Prohibition—they laid the groundwork for the modern wine industry. Want to explore how this era shaped today’s wineries or dig into a specific region like Niagara or Okanagan?

    While wine bricks were most famously used in the U.S. during Prohibition, Canada had its own version of temperance laws, and some wineries here also found creative ways to survive. Today, the term “wine brick” in Canada can refer to:

    • Historical artifacts: Rare Prohibition-era bricks like those on display in Ontario museums
    • Artisan pottery: Handmade wine coolers like the Donn Zver Wine Brick, crafted in Ontario to chill bottles at the table
    • Design collectibles: Vintage French “brique à vin” coolers available on Etsy Canada

    Canada’s Prohibition history

    In the USA Joseph Gallo, father of vintners Ernest and Julio Gallo, invented Vine-Glo as a legal grape concentrate brick and would sell it through Fruit Industries.[4] The product was advertised with tips for preventing fermentation, with one salesperson giving customers a very specific warning: "Do not place the liquid in this jug and put it away in the cupboard for twenty-one days, because then it would turn into wine." Fruit Industries also promoted the Farm Board and carried a statement it was "legal in your own home".

    Grape Growers' Strategy

    • Many shifted focus to juice production, similar to the U.S. “wine brick” workaround.
    • Some sold grapes directly to consumers, who would ferment them at home—often quietly and illegally.
    • Others diversified crops or held out until restrictions eased.

    In short, Canada’s grape growers didn’t just survive Prohibition—they laid the groundwork for the modern wine industry. Want to explore how this era shaped today’s wineries or dig into a specific region like Niagara or Okanagan? I’ve got plenty more to pour.

    There’s no clear historical evidence that British Columbia or Nova Scotia produced wine bricks during the U.S. Prohibition era (1920–1933).

    History of Canada's Wine Industry

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