Canadians move in on South Africa

Yes, Canada’s dominant wine company Vincor is clearly really serious about becoming a global player. Its latest international acquisition, Western Wines, arguably the most dynamic wine distributor in Britain, is its biggest yet. Vincor paid £84 million and assumed £49 million in debt.

Vincor is by far the most important wine company in Canada with a host of brand such as Inniskillin, Jackson-Triggs and R H Phillips in California – as well as a heck of a lot of more dubious ‘grape-based products’. Over recent years it has added Kim Crawford in New Zealand, Goundrey and Amberley Estate...