Canada Copied & Amended Flashcards
The Niagara Peninsula VQA is further divided into 2 main appellations. What are they?
Niagara Escarpment
Niagara-On-The-Lake
What is the climate throughout Canada’s wine regions?
What helps moderate the high temperatures of July and August?
Continental
Proximity to large lakes help moderate the temperature extremes
84% of British Columbia’s vineyards are planted in what appellation?
Okanagan Valley
Most important hybrid in Canada is Vidal - describe it and wine made
- Most important hybrid is Vidal Blanc
- Bred from Ugni Blanc and Seyval Blanc
- Produces the majority of Icewine
- Can withstand Canada’s harsh winters
- Has high acidity (not as high as Riesling)
- Slow ripening and thick skins
- Particularly suitable for sweet late-harvest wines and Icewine
- Doesn’t have the aromatic complexity and ageing potential of the finest Riesling Icewines
- Wines:
- High acidity
- Stone and tropical fruit flavours such as peach and mango
Winter freeze is a serious challenge for viticulture in Canada - what is done about it?
- Winter Freeze:
- Where you have bitterly cold winters
- vines are buried in areas like Prince Edward County
- this is time consuming and labour intensive
- can add significantly to production costs
- in areas where the winters are not so bitterly cold they hill up soil around the vines to protect the graft unions
What are the 5 dominant varieties grown in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula?
Riesling / Cabernet Franc / Gamay / Pinot Noir / Chardonnay
What is the French hybrid variety allowed for Candian VQA Icewine?
Where is it mostly found and what types of wine does it typically make?
Vidal
Niagara Peninsula DVA, Ontario
When made into a dry white wine, it has little character, but commonly used for Icewine production.
What are the rules regarding imported wine/must being bottled in Canada?
-
Significant amt of wine bottled is from imported must or wine
- Termed “International Canadian blends”
- Can say “cellared in Canada”
- but label must state imported wines were used
If an appellation under the VQA system is used in British Columbia what are the labelling requirements?
- If an appellation is named on label:
- 95% of grapes must come from that appellation
& remainder from rest of British Columbia
the three primary appellations of Ontario? and labelling rules applicable?
- Three primary appellations:
- Niagara Peninsula
- Lake Erie North Shore
- Prince Edward County
- If appellation is on any label;
- 85% of grapes must have come from appellation
- Balance must come from somewhere else in Ontario
The significant change in vineyards plantings in Canada since the 80s has been?
- Significant increase in Vinifera plantings since late 1980s
- Mainly Bordeaux varietals
- Merlot, Cabernet Franc and some Cabernet Sauvignon
- Plus Chardonnay, Pinot noir
- and aromatic white varieties – Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling
What are the 3 main sub-appellations of the Ontario VQA in Canada?
Lake Erie North Shore
Prince Edward County
Niagara Peninsula
Ice Wine is Canada’s largest export - any details?
15% by volume and 66% by value of exports
The Okanagan Valley is one of the most northerly wine regions in the world at 50 degrees North latitude - what is its climate like?
-
Climate
- Lake that moderates the hot summers and semi-arid condition
- Range of climates cool northern end to hot desert in the south
- one of the world’s most northerly wine region
- Extreme continental climate;
- Spring frosts an issue; vineyards planted on mid-level slopes to reduce risk of frosts
- Summers hot, temps 40°C despite lake effect
- Altitude: 300-600m; cooling creating a wide diurnal
- Sub-appellations created to recognize the characteristics of sub regions
- Rainfall: 300mm South & 400mm in North
What are Canada’s two most important wine regions?
What are the most important DVAs in each region?
Ontario - Niagara Peninsula
British Columbia - Okanagan Valley
The effect of Lake Okanagan on the climate compared to the lakes of Ontario?
Lakes are much smaller than Ontario and have less impact on the local climate
Simply summarise Canada’s appellation system and requirements
-
VQA wines
- The VQA Act establishes the legal framework for the appellation within each region (min must weights, vinifera varieties)
- Wines are tested for eligibility through sensory evaluation panel and laboratory analysis
- Rules for regional & sub appellations vary by province but the rules are generally:
- must be made from 100% grapes grown in respective province
- 100% Vitis vinifera grapes or permitted hybrids (Vidal)
- Single variety: 85% of variety
- If Two or more varieties listed - must make up at least 95%
- The VQA rules, administered by each Provincial government, determine which regional appellations can appear on the labels
Most vineyards in Canada are planted by Lakes, what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Lakes:
- Most vineyards planted near lakes to moderate temps
- Lake effect reduces risk of winter freeze by moderating the temperature
- In Spring, water heats up slowly delaying budbreak until after spring frosts have passed
- In Autumn, retains summer warmth into Autumn, extending the growing season
- In Winter:
- Moisture from lakes evaporate during winter and meets the cold ambient air
- snow is formed; enough snow to cover & protect the vines by insulating them from cold air
- the snow therefore covers and protects the vines
- Climate change - increasingly unpredictable winters & in some years minimal protective cover of snow
- Lakes cause higher levels of humidity; risk of fungal disease
VQA wines were introducted in the late 80s and was done to promote Canadian wine - give details on how this system works
-
VQA wines
- must be made from grapes grown in respective province
- The VQA Act establishes the legal framework for the appellation within each region (min must weights, vinifera varieties)
- Wines are tested for eligibility through sensory evaluation panel and laboratory analysis
- Rules for regional & sub appellations vary by province
- The VQA rules determine which regional appellations can appear on the labels
- 100% Vitis vinifera grapes or permitted hybrids (Vidal)
- Single variety: 85% of variety
- If Two or more varieties listed - must make up at least 95%
Icewine? Give all the details, the wine laws, describe the wines, explain the winemaking
Icewine
- Largest producer of Icewine
- Ontario accounts for vast majority of Production
-
Law states
- that Grapes must be harvested at -8°C or below
- no chaptalization allowed
- can only be made from grapes frozen naturally on the vine
- made from grapes exclusively grown in Canada
- from either vinifera frapes or Vidal
- minimum sugar levels are prescribed
- no artificial concentration or addition of sugars
- Some harvested by hand; as labour is difficult to find, machine harvested
- Freezing concentrates sugars;
-
Wines
- High levels of sugar means that ferment stops at 9-11% abv and 200-250g/l;
- Varieties used should have high natural Acidity
- Most made from Vidal
- The most complex, well-balanced examples are from Riesling
- best have intense aromas of stone and tropical fruit – peach and mango
- command premium and super-premium prices
-
Winemaking
- Often fermented & stored in SS to retain fruit aromas;
- oak sometimes used to and extra flavours of spice, vanilla
- Expensive to produce
- Yields are very low; 10% of still wine production;
- Dehydrating grapes, damaged or lost to bad weather while waiting for temps to drop to -8°
- Chaptilisation is prohibited
VQA stands for?
Vintners Quality Alliance
Most planted white vitis vinifera in Ontario - just the top two and the wine styles made from them
- Most planted white VINIFERA:
- Riesling:
- High Acidity; citrus, peach, floral
- Range from dry to sweet
- Chardonnay:
- Medium (+) to High Acidity;
- Apple, Citrus, typical of cooler climate; although some stone fruit, tropical found in warmer sites
- Riesling:
Most planted white vitis vinifera in Ontario - just the top two and the wine styles made from them
- Most planted white VINIFERA:
- Riesling:
- High Acidity; citrus, peach, floral
- Range from dry to sweet
- Chardonnay:
- Medium (+) to High Acidity;
- Apple, Citrus, typical of cooler climate; although some stone fruit, tropical found in warmer sites
- Riesling:
