Canada Flashcards
How many ha are under vine in Canada?
12500
What two provinces produce most of the wine in Canada?
- Ontario
- British Columbia
What is Canada most famous for internationally?
Ice Wine
What is the name of the appellation system in Canada?
VQA - Vintners Quality Alliance
Did Canada also suffer from prohibition?
Yes, from 1916 to 1927
What is the general climate for Canada?
Cool Continental
What is the climate for Ontario and B.C.?
Extreme continental, with day times highs reach 30°C/86°F during the summers and -20°C/-4°F
Why are most of the vineyards in Canada planted near lakes?
For the moderating affects of the lakes like:
- Reducing the risk of winter freezes,
- Warming up slower and delaying bud break in the spring till after the majority of the frost threat has passed.
- Retaining the summer warmth to help extend the growing season
What is one of the drawbacks of having vineyards planted by a lake?
The increased humidity which can lead to more fungal risk
What is an important part of the vineyard work that goes into play with vineyards so close to the lakes?
Having an open canopy is one of, if not the most important part of vineyard management as this can cut down on the fungal disease pressure in the vineyard
What is the main vine training method used in Canada?
VSP
What are the main vineyard pest in Canada?
- Moths
- Mealy Bugs
- Leafhoppers
- Birds
- Deer
- Bears
What is the typical growing season in Canada?
Budbreak might be as late as May and harvest starts by late August, going as late as November
How long can the grapes be on the wine before they are picked for Ice Wine?
February of the following year
British Colombia sits between two mountain ranges, causing the region to be drier than others. But can British Colombia use irrigation?
Yes, drip irrigation is also the most common form of Irrigation
Hybrid grape varieties accounted for how much of the total harvest in 2018
40%
What is the most important french hybrid in Canada?
Vidal Blanc
Production regulations for Ice wine state that the grapes must be harvest at what temperature?
-8°C/-18°F
Due to the high levels of sugar in the must, fermentation generally stops at what abv, and what is the final residual sugar level?
- 9-11% abv
- 200-250 g/L (100 min)
Aside from Vidal, what grapes are used to create Ice Wine?
- Riesling
- Cab Franc
- Chardonnay
- Gewurztraminer
What are the normal fermentation and ageing vessels for ice wine?
Stainless Steel
Ice wine made up ___% of volume in exports, but __% of value in exports
- 13%
- 58%
True or False,
VQA wines must be made exclusively with grapes from their respective regions, and they can be made from any grapes?
False!
While it is true that the grapes all must come from the region the wine is made in, the wines either must be made from all vinifera grapes, or from certain permitted hybrids
VQA wines with a single variety on the label must contain __% of that grape
85%
If two or more varieties are listed on a VQA wine they must make up __% of the blend
95%
Name the largest wine producing region in Canada
Ontario
The majority of the vineyards are planted on or near the shores of what two lakes
- Ontario
- Erie
What is the most widely planted grape variety in Ontario
Vidal Blanc
What are the two most planted white varieties in Ontario
- Chardonnay
- Riesling
What are the 4 main black varieties planted in Ontario?
- Cab Franc
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Gamay Noir
What are the 3 appellations within Ontario?
- Niagara Peninsula
- Lake Eire North Shore
- Prince Edward County
The Niagara Peninsula accounts for __% of the vineyards in Ontario
80%
How far apart are British Colombia and Ontario
~4,000km
What appellations are found in British Colombia?
- Okanagan Valley
- Similkameen Valley
- Vancouver Island
- Gulf Islands
- Fraser Valley
How much of the vineyard area was removed due to the vine pull scheme in the 1980s?
2/3s
What are the main black varieties in B.C.?
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Cab Sauv
What are the main white varieties in B.C.?
- Pinot Gris (most planted)
- Chardonnay
How much of the total plantings in B.C. are found in the Okanagan Valley?
85%
