Irreverent Crushable owner challenges status quo in Canadian wine

By Lidija Biro

Unconventional is too mild of a description of Laura Milnes, owner of Crushable. She epitomizes the essence of being a maverick and fits beautifully into this series of articles on local trendsetters in the wine industry.

Mavericks are individuals with independent or unorthodox views; they believe in their own vision or ideas for the world. They challenge the status quo and have strong convictions.

Well, that’s Milnes in a nutshell. But a nutshell is too confining for this super-confident, opinionated, and at times irreverent entrepreneur. If you have caught any of her social media posts, you will understand what I mean. Note: Click here for Milnes’ IG Crushable feed.

However, Milnes is also open, gracious and knowledgeable.

She hosts The Canadian Wine Tasting Experience, private tastings in a Toronto studio that her guests describe as a “warm, cosy, candle-lit living room.” Milnes introduces her guests to “beautiful, quality Canadian wine from coast to coast, paired with local cheese, charcuterie, bread, and more.” For Milnes, this is what wine was always meant for: “breaking bread, connecting, laughter and friendship.”

But Crushable is more than a wine tasting experience. It’s also a wine club with a difference.

There are no prepaid subscriptions, no minimum orders, you need not buy anything to belong and receive offers. There are two levels of membership: “concierge” (whose members get dibs on wine one day ahead of everyone else) and the rest of the members.

The wines are an eclectic mix of Canadian and international producers, though there is a heavier focus on small, family-owned Canadian wineries (from British Columbia, Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia), which Milnes has established relationships. Crushable functions as an online retailer, shipping wine direct from producers to consumers. Milnes does not warehouse the wines; she acts as a go-between and is paid by commission based on sales. A smart business model.

Wines in Niagara recently sat down with Milnes (via Zoom) for this interview.

Wines in Niagara: How did you get your start in the wine industry?

Laura Milnes: I came into wine by osmosis. My parents had property in the Okanagan bordering on vineyards owned by Mark Anthony. Wine was also consumed at home around the dinner table. Note: The Mark Anthony Group of Companies is one of North America’s most diversified and successful private beverage companies focused on the alcohol beverage sector.

Although I studied political science at university and worked in the oil and gas industry in Calgary, I was not happy. So, I started doing wine tasting with friends and progressed to hosting wine tastings at stagettes by advertising on Kijiji.

I moved back to the Okanagan and worked for wineries and did several harvests. Then I fell into writing about wine with Now Media Group in Kelowna (British Columbia) while also blogging and vlogging.

Fast forward 20 years, I moved to Toronto in 2019 and started Crushable.

WIN: You are erudite, articulate, and you and do not mince words. Where does your chutzpah or bravado come from?

Milnes: It’s always been there. I was often told to tone it down. I’ve been fired from every job I had and even went to my therapist to say, “what’s wrong with me?” She told me, “You are made to be an entrepreneur.” Entrepreneurship saved me. Here I am able to express my voice, and I make no apologies.

WIN: What is the secret of the success of your business model? Is it diversification? You do tastings, retail wine sales, merch sales, and wine education classes.

Milnes: Yes, but I need to scale back, I am juggling too many balls. I need to work smarter, not harder. And I have to look at what’s cost effective such as tasting experiences and wine sales.

My business is about building connections and trust — it’s personal, maybe because I am a woman. I don’t want to run it like a man where business is business.

I saw an opportunity that others have not taken advantage of — direct to winery sales where I receive a commission on wines sold — that way I can offer no or minimal mark-up on wine sales and not deal with storage and shipping.

WIN: Who are your wine club members and wine tasting guests? Any particular age group?

Milnes: It’s predominantly well educated, young professionals aged 25-40. They are well travelled and looking for the “unconventional.” For example, I’ll get emails asking for the best wine bars in Tokyo. They are also curious about Canadian wine.

It still baffles me that people are not aware how great our wines are. Canadians should be proud and be shouting from the rooftops. We make great wine. There is a perception out there that our wines are inferior — well, they’d be right if they only drank IDB — that’s such a shame, as are our inter-provincial trade barriers. Note: IDB wines (International Domestic Blends), are made with a minimum of 25% Canadian grapes and the rest made up of imported bulk wine.

It’s an age-old issue, a Canadian inferiority complex. We have an identity issue, but that’s another topic. I’m focused on changing the notion that Canadian wine is somehow subpar.

WIN: Where do you see yourself, your business five years down the road?

Milnes: I want to transition my business model to fully online. I need to scale back on the tasting experiences. Although they are profitable and I enjoy them a lot, they are very exhausting on my time and energy. I need to value my time … flowing like water, not trying so damn hard.

This year, 2025, it’s time to recalibrate. I want to return to writing again, a book perhaps — a sexy, dangerous, tell-all exposé (she laughs).

After two decades of experience and accumulated knowledge, I would also like to be speaking on the wine circuit and be seen as a valuable resource. Flipping the script, you might say — I want to be sought out.

The ultimate goal is to make my own wine. Probably somewhere in Europe where life is more affordable. Become more nomadic. I would love to do it in the Okanagan. I have family there. But it’s too expensive.

WIN: Which Canadian wines have captured your heart?

Milnes: I’m drawn to the unique, special, on the fringe of exclusivity — so a wine from Summerland (B.C.) comes to mind. It’s a Viognier from Lightning Rock Winery. A Viognier that’s atypical, plush, supple and smooth. But sadly, the vineyard was ripped out due to the polar vortex that hit B.C. hard in late 2022 and again in early 2024.

Another favourite is more local, from Wescott Vineyards in Niagara — Carolyn’s Block Pinot Noir 2020 (Twenty Mile Bench). It’s 100% whole cluster. I admire risk and the confidence it takes to manage a whole cluster ferment. It’s also a wild ferment, wild MLF, spent 30 days on skins and aged for 22 months in French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Here’s a review of the Westcott Pinot from Rick VanSickle and published in March of 2023:

Westcott Carolyn’s Block Pinot Noir 2020 ($60, 92 points) — This young vineyard is showing great promise in its early life. The 2020 version has a pretty, violet nose with ripe red berries, black currants, earthy/spicy notes, subtle savoury accents, and fine oak spices. It’s lovely on the palate with good tannic structure, integrated red and dark berries, seductive texture and verve and rich spice notes all leading to a long, lifted finish. Can cellar 5+ years.

About writer Lidija Biro

Lidija Biro, wine writer and blogger, is passionate about wine and particularly Ontario wine. She completed her DipWSET as well as the Winery and Viticulture Technician Program at Niagara College, and the French Wine Scholar program with Wine Scholar Guild. Adding to her wine knowledge, she’s tried her hand at making wine, pruning and planting vines, doing harvests, and working in wine sales and marketing. But she says there is always more to know and that’s what makes the world of wine so fascinating!

You can find her blog here and follow her on Instagram here as well as LinkedIn here.

She also writes about wine for other publications.