Canada Flashcards
What are the main two areas under vine in Canada?
Ontario (Niagara Pensinsula) British Columbia (Okinagan Valley)
When did Icewine production begin in Canada? Who started it?
In the 1970s German immigrants (wanting to carry on production)
Is Germany or Canada the world’s largest producer of Icewine?
Canada
Commercial wine production in Canada began in the early 19th century; wine was initially produced from ____ ____ and later, vitis ____, which could withstand cold winters.
In the 20th century, hybrids from ____ were introduce, most notably ___ ___ which is still widely used for Icewine production.
American hybrids, and later, Vitis Labrusca
Hybrids from France
Vidal Blanc
When did Vitis Vinifera varieties arrive in Canada?
When did focus shift from hybrids to Vitis Vinifera and why?
Arrived in the 50s
Focus shifted in the 80s because…
- A US trade deal opened the Canadian market to American imports and removed subsidies for Canadian Growers
- an appellation system was introduced (the Vintners Quality Alliance)
When was prohibition in Canada?
What happened to the number of wineries in this period?
1916 to 1927
Wine was exempt, and the number of wineries actually increased
What was introduced following the end of prohibition in Canada?
Provincial liquor boards and monopolies which strictly control the sale and distribution of alcohol in Canada
Describe the climate in Ontario - what temperatures are reached in winter and summer?
Extreme continental
Winter temperatures can be lower than -20 degrees
Summer temperatures can exceed 30 degrees
How do growers in Ontario and inland British Columbia chose vineyard sites to mitigate extreme temperatures?
Plant near lakes
Explain how lakes can mitigate extreme temperatures.
What negative effect can lakes have?
- Reduce the effects of winter freeze
- In winter, moisture from the lake evaporates, meets ambient cold air and falls as snow; this covers and protects the vines, insulating them from cold air
- In spring, the lake heats up slowly delaying budbreak, usually until after the risk of spring frost has passed
- Lakes retain heat from summer into autumn and extend the growing season
Lakes increase humidity and risk of fungal disease
Where might drought be a hazard in Canada and why?
Inland British Columbia; regions here lie in the rain shadow of two mountain ranges
How does a Canada’s northerly latitude affect:
- Length of the growing season?
- Daylight hours?
- Shorter growing season
- Longer daylight hours in the summer (compensates for shorter season)
How might growers train vines close to lakes?
VSP is common
Vines need open canopies to increase airflow
Where might organic and sustainable vineyard practices be more common in Canada?
In hotter drier areas like Okanagan Valley
When is the growing season in Canada?
From early May to late August - it is short
What pests might you expect in Canadian vineyards?
Moths Mealy bugs Leaf hoppers Birds Deer Bears
What might Canadian producers do to wines in cooler years?
Chaptalise them for higher alcohol
Where is most Canadian Icewine produced?
Ontario
What temperature do grapes destined for Icewine in Canada have to be picked at?
-8 degrees or below
Why might Canadian growers choose to use machines to harvest grapes for icewine?
Low temperatures are often achieved at night, and it can be hard to find manual labour
High levels of sugar in grapes destined for Icewine means fermentations naturally stop between:
____ and ____% ABV
____ and ____g/l sugar
9-11% ABC (low alcohol)
200-250g/l sugar
What varieties are usually used for making Canadian Icewine?
What other varieties might be used?
Usually Riesling or Vidal Blanc
Sometimes Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer or Chardonnay
Why is Icewine premium priced?
Low yields - as little as 10% of still wine harvest due to dehydration
Grapes stay on vine longer - loss to rot and pests
Is artificial concentration or addition of sugar to Icewine permitted?
No
VQA wines with a stated single varietal must be ___% from that grape
85%
In VQA labelling laws, if two varietals are stated on the label, they must make up ___% of the blend
95%