Page 59 - Grapevine March-April 2020

International News

ducing wine for decades. Several factors influence 1988, the Vintner’s Quality Assurance laid out the
this: the lack of knowledge when it comes to the specific geographic guidelines for the winemaking
Ontario wine region, the stereotypes associated appellations of Ontario and set strict production
with Ontario wine, and the need for better distribu- standards on wine throughout the province.
tion of wine from within the province.
Today, there are three VQA
wine appellations in Ontario:
Lake Erie North Shore,
Niagara Peninsula and Prince
Edward County. Within the
Niagara peninsula, there are
two regional appellations:
Niagara-on-the-Lake and the
Niagara Escarpment. These
regional appellations are then
broken down further into 10
sub-appellations based on
their unique geographical
conditions. Each sub-appel-
lation has different geology,
soil, elevation and variation
Winemaking in Ontario dates back to 1811 in temperatures and precipitation. There is such
when German native, Johann Schiller plant- diverse terroir in this 13,600 acres of land that they
ed Pennsylvania-native Labrusca grapevines in can produce everything from delicate Rieslings to
Cooksville, Ontario. The first winery in the prov- bold and tannic Petit Verdot. The Niagara Peninsula
ince opened its doors in 1866 on Pelee Island and currently boasts over 46 different grape varietals.
Niagara’s first winery, the Ontario Grape Growing Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir
and Manufacturing Company, followed shortly after and Pinot Noir particularly flourish here.
in 1873. These early days of winemaking in Ontario
saw over thirty new wineries open for business by When people think of Canada, they don’t natu-
the late 1800s. Unfortunately, by the time prohibi- rally think of wine. They think, “The Great White
tion was repealed in 1927, this number had fallen North,” hockey and snow. The reality is, the
from 61 to six. At this same time, the government Ontario landscape is so vast and varied that it
created the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to con- allows for the production of a lot more than just
trol the sale, transportation and delivery of alcohol- icewine. The Great Lakes border the southern part
ic beverages in the province. Eighty-six LCBO stores of the province. Most vineyards are planted along
opened by the end of that year, and liquor permits the perimeter of Lake Ontario, an enormous body
were issued at $2 each to enable individuals to of water that moderates the typically colder win-
purchase alcohol. At this point, the rules and regu- ter temperatures of the area. Moderate temps
lations surrounding the production and sale of wine also make for a longer growing season. Harvest
did not allow for new wineries to open. of most grapes doesn’t start until late September,
with the late-ripening grapes being picked still
It wasn’t until the early 1970s that winegrow- well into November. Everything from Malbec to
ers started to take the first steps to revitalize the Nebbiolo can be grown. Ontario may have cold
Ontario wine industry. In 1974, Inniskillin Winery winters, but the summertime temperatures reach
became the first new Ontario winery to open its Mediterranean levels of 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
doors since 1916. They opened the gates for a slew
of other wineries to follow, and, by 2005, a total of Ontario also has elevation. The Niagara
75 new wineries had opened up in the region. In Escarpment stands 177 meters tall and runs

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