Canada Flashcards
History of viticulture in Canada
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
Climate in Canada
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
Vineyard management
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.
Grape varieties
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
General winemaking trends
looking into reducing intervention
Ambient yeast, unfiltered etc
Moderate use of new oak
Chaptalization is sometimes practised
Icewine
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
Yield of Icewine compare to still wine
10% of still wine harvest
Bad weather, pest, rot
15% of Canadian production but 2/3 of value of production
Legal requirements for Icewine
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
VQA regulations
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’
International Canadian Blend labelling
imported must or wine
can say ‘cellared in Canada’ but must state that imported wines were used
Wine regions in province Ontario
Niagara Peninsula
- Niagara Escarpment
- Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara Erie North Shore
Prince Edward County
Wine regions in province of British Columbia
Okanagan Valley
Similkameen Valley
Vancouver Island
Gulf Islands
Fraiser Valley
Province Ontario
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
Producers in Ontario
Bachelder
Norman Hardie
Niagara Peninsula
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
Moderating influence of lakes
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
Niagara Escarpment
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)
Niagara-on-the-Lake
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
Lake Erie North Shore
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
Prince Edward County
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
British Columbia
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
Producers in British Columbia
Le Vieux Pin
Mission Hill
Okanagan Valley
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
Similkameen Valley
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
Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, Fraser Valley
Cool maritime climate moderated by Pacific
Mild winters without freeze concern
Cooler wetter summers (fungal disease problem)
Only early ripening varieties grown - Pinot Noir
Canada Wine business
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
