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WSET 4 > Canada > Flashcards

Canada Flashcards

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1
Q

History of viticulture in Canada

A

98% comes from two provinces - Ontario and British Columbia

Famous for ice wine
- started by German immigrants

Wine was initially produced from American hybrids and later V. Lambrusca (19th century)

1950 - first vinifera plantings

Prohibition (wine was excempted)

System of liquor boards and government-run monopolies over alcohol

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2
Q

Climate in Canada

A

Extreme continental climate

Most vineyards are near to lakes (later bud break, less risk of winter freeze, retention of warmth into autumn)

Snow protects from winter freeze

Higher level of humidity - fungal disease pressure

Drought is regular concern (mainly British Columbia)

Shorter growing season but longer day time hours of sunshine

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3
Q

Vineyard management

A

Very advanced

Canopy management is crucial (air flow - diseases)

VSP most common (some experiments with Lyre, Geneva Double Courtain, Scott Henry)

Pests are regular concern - birds and mammals, moths, mealy bugs

Significant vintage variation

Drip irrigation common (Okanagan Valley)

Burying wines over winter, geotextiles over vines.

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4
Q

Grape varieties

A

Still significant number of hybrids used

  • Vidal (high acidity, slow ripening and thick skin)
    • tropical fruit flavours in ice wine (Peach, mango)

Bordeaux varieties (mainly Merlot and Cabernet Franc)

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Aromatic white varieties

  • Riesling
  • Pinot Gris
  • Gewurztraminer

All characterised by relatively high acidity

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5
Q

General winemaking trends

A

looking into reducing intervention

Ambient yeast, unfiltered etc

Moderate use of new oak

Chaptalization is sometimes practised

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6
Q

Icewine

A

Must be harvested at -8 or below

Machine harvesting common

Ferment usually stops at 9-11% abv leaving aroung 200-250 g/l RS

Stone and tropical fruit aroma: Peach , mango

Riesling, Vidal, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay

Often fermented and stored in steel

Oak is sometimes used for maturation

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7
Q

Yield of Icewine compare to still wine

A

10% of still wine harvest

Bad weather, pest, rot

15% of Canadian production but 2/3 of value of production

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8
Q

Legal requirements for Icewine

A

Legally protected term

Only from grapes which are naturally frozen

Grown in Canada

From Vinifera or Vidal

Minimum sugar level is stated

Artificial concentration or addition of sugar is prohibited

Harvested at -8 degrees minimum

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9
Q

VQA regulations

A

Wines must be exclusively from grapes grown in the province stated

100% Vinifera or certain permitted hybrids

States certain standards for growing and wine production
- min must weights and chaptalization limits

Wines are tested by panel and laboratory analysis

Single varietal wines must contain at least 85% of that variety
2 or more varieties listed must add up to 95%

If wine does not fit requirements it is labeled ‘Product of Canada’

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10
Q

International Canadian Blend labelling

A

imported must or wine

can say ‘cellared in Canada’ but must state that imported wines were used

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11
Q

Wine regions in province Ontario

A

Niagara Peninsula

  • Niagara Escarpment
  • Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara Erie North Shore

Prince Edward County

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12
Q

Wine regions in province of British Columbia

A

Okanagan Valley

Similkameen Valley

Vancouver Island

Gulf Islands

Fraiser Valley

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13
Q

Province Ontario

A

41-44’N (Bordeaux to Central Italy equivalent)

Vineyards neer to Lake Erie and Ontario which moderate the extreme climate

Long sunshine hours (ripe fruit flavours) high acidity

Wide variety of soils - clay, sand mainly, then gravel) and around lakes Limestone

90% of Canadian Icewine

50% whites -Riesling, Chardonnay
45% red - Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gamay
5% rose

85% of grapes must come from the appellation and the rest can come from elsewhere in Ontario

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14
Q

Producers in Ontario

A

Bachelder

Norman Hardie

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15
Q

Niagara Peninsula

A

Largest producer region in Ontario - 80%

Wide variety of soils and microclimates - wide range of styles

Lake Ontario is very deep and moderates temperature

2 regional appellations

  • Niagara Escarpment
  • Niagara-on-the-Lake

Wines labelled sub-appellation must come entirely from that sub-appellation

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16
Q

Moderating influence of lakes

A

Aids circulation of air in the region

In winter land away from lake cools down quickly and flows toward the lake. At the same time warm air from above the lake rises and flows inland

Cooling air flow in summer

Prolonging growing season

Reducing fungal disease pressure and frost

Delays bud break

17
Q

Niagara Escarpment

A

Benches and northern slopes of escarpment

Altitude and cooling lake breezes make it coolest part of Peninsula - high level of acidity

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (some Cabernet Franc and Riesling)

18
Q

Niagara-on-the-Lake

A

Relatively flat land, slightly warmer than Escarpment

Proximity to lake reduces the drop in night time temperatures and autumns stay warmer longer

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc (slightly riper than Escarpment)
Better suited to Bordeaux style red blends

19
Q

Lake Erie North Shore

A

Includes number of islands

Shallowest of Great lakes (warms up more quickly)

Winter freeze is large concern here

Warmest of Ontario - Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon - more ripe but less structure than Niagara

20
Q

Prince Edward County

A

Ontario’s most northerly appellation

Almost entirely surrounded by water and exposed to winter winds from Lake Ontario

Winter freeze is regular concern (burying or covering vines)

limestone plateau with stony topsoil which reradiate heat at night (help to ripening)

Early-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- extremely high acidity

21
Q

British Columbia

A

Cool maritime climate (except Okanagan - continental)

48-51’N
Shorter growing season but days are longer
Wide diurnal range
Ripe fruit flavours and high acidity

1980’ vine pull scheme targeting hybrids

Equal amount of white (Pinot Gris, Chardonnay) and red (Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon)

If appeallation is stated 95% of grapes must come from the appeallation, the rest from elsewhere in British Columbia

22
Q

Producers in British Columbia

A

Le Vieux Pin

Mission Hill

23
Q

Okanagan Valley

A

84% of British Columbia production

wide range of climates (cool north, hot desert in south)

Irrigation is essential (free draining soils)

Chain of lakes - deep Okanagan lake - smaller lakes than Great Lakes (smaller moderating effect)

  • provides water for irrigation
  • rainfall 300-400mm

Pest and disease is not such a large isssue
- Organic viti increses

Frost is concern, winter freeze not so much here (mid slope reduces risk)

North - cool climate varieties - Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer

Southern part - Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah

24
Q

Similkameen Valley

A

Rocky valley with narrow strip of vineyards by Similkameen River,

High mountains on each side of river funnel winds down the valley

Similar to Okanagan valley climate but without moderating influence of lake. Wider diurnal range due to mountains trapping heat

Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay

25
Q

Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, Fraser Valley

A

Cool maritime climate moderated by Pacific

Mild winters without freeze concern

Cooler wetter summers (fungal disease problem)

Only early ripening varieties grown - Pinot Noir

26
Q

Canada Wine business

A

Almost all wine (except Icewine) is consumed domestically

Demand exceeds supply (large import of certain styles)

Vineyards tend to be small and family owned

Liquor boards have control over distribution

  • Liquor Control Board of Ontario
  • Societe des Alcools du Quebec

Most wine is consumed within the same province because regulations make shippig illegal or highly complex

Cellar doors are allowed

WSET 4 (32 decks)

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