Canadian wine, much more than ice wine

When you think of Canada, you probably don't immediately think of wine. And that's not so strange. It's only since the 1980s that a vibrant quality wine industry has emerged in Canada. Moreover, only a few parts of the country are suitable for wine growing. Most of Canada is simply too cold for that. But excellent wines are made in a few microclimates in Ontario and British Columbia. And did you know that Canada is the largest producer of ice wine in the world?

Wine was already being made in Canada in the nineteenth century. An important difference with today: in the past, wine was mainly made in Canada from (indigenous) grapes that did not belong to the Viniferia family. These American grapes with names such as Isabella and Lambrusca produce wines that taste really different from the grapes of 'our' Viniferia family. Not only different, they are also considered inferior internationally. Moreover, until the end of the last century, the Canadians often made fortified, sweet wine from it. Until the eighties of the last century, Canada was therefore not considered a serious wine country.

That changed in the eighties of the last century. On the one hand, the demand for wine changed. The preferences of wine lovers became 'drier'. The consumer had had enough of the fortified, sweet Canadian wines. In addition, so-called 'boutique wineries' emerged, also in Canada. Boutique wineries are small-scale wine companies that focus on high quality and are usually run by the owner himself. These small quality producers went in search of vineyards where Viniferia grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Merlot could develop sufficient ripeness.

The quality producers joined forces and set quality requirements to protect the quality of their market. In 1988, the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia received an appellation regulation: the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). Since then, dozens of Canadian wine companies have joined that focus on quality wines from Viniferia grapes. It is estimated that there are now around 270 professional wineries active in Canada.

The Canadian vineyards are mainly found in the south of the country and near lakes. Because they have a moderating effect on the (micro)climate. They temper the heat of the summers and moderate the temperature in the winter. Wine production is limited to four Canadian provinces: Ontario (the largest), British Columbia (the best), Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The cool Canadian climate also has advantages for wine growers: Canada is the world champion in making ice wine. No other country in the world produces as much ice wine as Canada. In addition, the legal requirements for ice wine in Canada are stricter, or rather: sweeter, than in Germany, for example.