grapes and hops

What's the deal with wine here?

I've figured out that the LCBO is owned and operated by the Province of Ontario. Certain US states have a similar deal; when I lived in Philadelphia, we bought wine or liquor at a "state store". Are liquor sales controlled by the province throughout Canada, or do different provinces have different liquor laws? I assume the latter.

More importantly, are all LCBOs the same? There's one right around the corner from us, and while it's terrifically convenient, the selection is poor. Yesterday we checked out another LCBO - this one conveniently located next to a Beer Store - but the selection was nearly identical. So is this the wine that's available in Ontario? I know Canadians are beer-lovers, but stereotypes aside, what do people do when they want to drink a nice bottle of wine?

We're also trying different Canadian beers, so if you have recommendations, send them in. Right now we're drinking Export (I prefer it to Canadian) and Steam Whistle, and we had Keith's at the Blue Jays game. US readers: Canadian and Export are both Molson. Yummy.

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