Canadian military in Kandahar gets free wine
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 | 9:33 AM ET
The Canadian Press
Canadian military members at the Kandahar Airfield who prefer a Pinot over a pilsner can now raise a glass with their beer-drinking buddies for free.
Each month, Canadian Forces personnel in Afghanistan are allowed two drinks.
The beer comes at no cost thanks to donations from breweries, whereas a half bottle of wine goes for $9.
But to Lt.-Col. Doug Johnson, that inequity was unpalatable.
And after he arrived in theatre in November, Johnson discovered something even worse — the wine wasn't Canadian.
The resident of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., a town renowned for its grapes, began reaching out to some wineries he knew in the hope they would donate vino.
His request was rejected, but he didn't relent.
In April, he emailed Dan Aykroyd Wines, owned by the comedian-actor, and within weeks, hundreds of bottles of Pinot Noir and Riesling were being shipped to the Kandahar Airfield.
Johnson says Canadians in Afghanistan consume about 82 bottles of wine per month.
Aykroyd's winery is donating about 110 bottles per month, but Johnson believes there will be no trouble going through that because it's free.
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