AmericanWinery.com

Canada is not a large wine producer and, in fact, consumes almost seven times what it produces. The cold climate severely limits the areas in which grapes can be grown successfully. However, Canada is making a serious effort to produce excellent wines. The province of Ontario is the leader in this effort, followed by British Columbia and, to a much smaller degree, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Bodies of water play a critical role in successful Canadian wine production, especially in the emerging quality-wine areas of southern Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. The climate of both areas is tempered by the surrounding lakes (see Lake Effect). Southern Ontario produces about 80 percent of Canada’s wines and has three quality growing areas—Pelee Island, Lake Erie North Shore, and the Niagara Peninsula (see Ontario, for more detail). Quebec, with over thirty wineries, produces hardy hybrids that can withstand the cold weather and the short growing season. Nova Scotia also has a small evolving wine industry. Ontario was the first to implement the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA), an appellation-regulating system. British Columbia has since adopted the VQA, Quebec and Nova Scotia are about to accept it, and there is a move to implement it on a national scale. VQA is important because it distinguishes quality wines made with Canadian grapes from wines labeled simply “Product of Canada,” which can comprise up to 75 percent imported grapes or wine. For many decades grapes grown in Canada were mainly hybrids (like Baco Noir, De Chaunac, Maréchal Foch, Seyval Blanc, and Vidal Blanc) or North American varieties (like Catawba, Concord, Elvira, and Niagara). Until the late 1980s, Canada grew limited amounts of Vitis vinifera grapes—since then, increased plantings have produced a significant amount of these varieties. The quality growing areas now cultivate increasing amounts of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gamay noir, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Needless to say, cool weather varieties DO best in Canada’s climate. One advantage that Canada’s cold weather provides is the ability to produce consistently superior icewine (see Eiswein).