What is the magic of Canadian wine from Ontario?

What makes Ontario wine so special? After all, there are plenty of award-winning French, German and Italian wines. These are closer to home and often cheaper than wine from Canada. So why should we drink this Canadian wine?

First of all, the vineyards of Ontario are fantastically situated. They are located between 41° and 44° North latitude. This is at about the same altitude as Burgundy. This is relatively far north for wine production. A slightly cooler climate has the advantage that the grapes have a longer ripening period. This allows the grapes to develop much better. The Canadian wines therefore get a refined and complex aroma with a very nice acid balance. This gives the wines from Ontario a certain magic.

In addition, Ontario’s vineyards are located near three of the Great Lakes: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron. The lakes moderate the cold winter temperatures and thus cool the vineyards during Ontario’s hot summers.
The bottoms of the Great Lakes are made of sand, clay and rock. Over the centuries, ice shifts have formed the subsoil of Ontario. Not only have the reef structures been formed by this, but the Niagara Escarpment has also been created. This is partly why the subsoil has a high concentration of limestone. This limestone has ended up here from an old seabed by all kinds of ice shifts. Limestone is an inexhaustible source of calcium for the grape. The calcium provides the right acidity to the soil and ensures less nitrogen.

Limestone is the same basic soil type shared by Burgundy and other regions in northern France. Some of Ontario's vineyards lie flat on former seabed areas, while others are located on hills and benches that formed the old coastline.

The combination of the soil, the climate and the other components of the special terroir give the wine from Ontario a very unique character.

A little history of Canadian wine:
The beginning of winemaking in Ontario dates back to 1811, when German-born Johann Schiller Labrusca planted the first vines on the banks of the Credit River in Cooksville. This created the first vineyard of about 20 hectares. From there, winegrowing in Ontario continued to grow.

However, in 1916, everything came to a complete standstill when the Ontario Temperance Act was passed. This act led to a total ban on alcohol throughout Ontario. Strong support for the ban came from the religious community. The ban on drinking alcohol was intended to eradicate violent behaviour and family abuse.

It took many decades for that to change. In 1974, Inniskillin became the first to receive a wine license since Prohibition. Soon, more wineries opened their doors. These wineries laid the foundation for the vibrant, thriving wine industry in Ontario today.

View our range of Canadian wines here