RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Buying at Maximum Pessimism Happy New Year back to you too!
Definitely agree that the Estate Experience is going to be critical to the company success.
However, with almost $400MM in sales required to keep the business afloat, they need to maintain and grow their distribution channels outside of the LCBO. They won't be able to compete with the mass market plonk and nor should they try. They will do better to maintain quality products and compete where margins are greater. The Ontario government does need to maintain some form of home field advantage for the wine industry vis-a-vis imports - they've had no problem plunking down billions for battery plants and roads to the far North, so a few million $ to create a better homefield advantage for the wine industry shouldn't be a problem.
They do need to refresh the hockey association. Gretzky is not nearly as popular with the younger players as he was with my generation. I still get a better Whisky vibe from him, than a fine wine. Getting an association with women's hockey could be a win-win arrangement for their wines.