CANADA 12,500 ha
HISTORY CLIMATE - Extreme Continental
Summers: exceed 30 degrees
1530s 1916-1927 20th
French colonizers Prohibition French hybrids
Winters: can drop below -20 degrees
Britain strove Wine was exempted Vidal Blanc
Death of First Nations Increased of licence 1950 - V. Vinifera
Planted near lakes - moderate temperature
War with First Nations Wineries
Land & cultural loss Winter = Reduce risk of winter freeze
Spring = delay bud break (avoid spring frost)
Summer = retains warmth
Autumn = extend growing season
19th 1920s 1980 (-) increases humidity, risk of fungal diseases
Commercial wine System of
Production Provincial
Focus away from
Hybrids
Humidity meet cold air = snow
Land is contested Liquor Boards
American Hybrids and government
US-Canada trade,
open wine market to
Snow - protect the vines- insulate it from cold air
V. Lambrusca run monopolies
America
Vintners Quality
Hazards
Alliance = VQA Drought - British Columbia, rain shadow
Climate change - unpredictable winters
Latitude = 41-51 degrees North
= shorter growing season but longer daylight in summer
VINEYARD MANAGEMENT
Advanced viticulture , up to date technology
and vineyard management techniques
Increasing awareness ( soils, microclimate) Short growing season
Canopy management techniques - crucial Bud break - early May
Open = improve air flow + avoid fungal diseases Harvest - late August ( or later according to style, ice =
VSP training system (most common) Feb)
Okanagan valley (BC) = hotter, drier = more sustainable/ High Vintage variation
organic Either unpredictable, rain, autumn frosts
(-) drought = drip irrigation Bury vines - Prince Edward County (O)
Hazards CA = time + labour = add costs
Insects - moths, mealy bugs, leafhoppers Earthing up - Okanagan, Similkameen Valleys (BC)
Birds
Animals - deer, bears
CANADA
WINEMAKING GRAPE VARIETIES
Less intervention Hybrids dominate
Ambient yeasts Ontario - 40% hybrids
Unfiltered wines British Columbia - less since vine pull scheme 1980s
Moderate use of oak Vidal
Increase use of neutral vessels FR origin
Chaptalisation - optional High acidity, stone (peach) tropical ( mango ) fruits
Slow ripening , thick skin
WINE LAWS Whistling Canadian’s harsh winters
Majority of Icewine
International Blend from Imported and domestic wines Increase V. Vinifera
(imported must/wine) Bordeaux grapes - Merlot & Cab Franc
Product of Canada - when does not qualify for VQA Chardonnay , Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling
Different styles - O cooler and BC warmer
Cooler, wide diurnal range - CA wine are w/ high acidity
Vintners Quality Alliance = VQA
100% V Vinifera grapes WINEMAKING - ice wine
Grown in the region
Min weights and chaptalisation limits
Sensory evaluation panel and laboratory analysis World largest producer of Ice wine ( Canada - Ontario)
Sub
German heritage
appellation Harvest - Hand (labour) or machine harvest
Freezing = Concentrate sugars - high level of sugar
Blend 95%
Varietal 85%
Sub GI Regional
appellation Fermentation stop naturally at 9-11%
GI Appellation
RS = 200-250 g/L , need high acidity to balance sweetness
Grapes
BRITISH COLUMBIA ONTARIO
1988
Vidal - intense aromas, stone (peach) and tropical fruit (mango)
1990
Riesling - most complex, well balanced
Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay
WINE BUSINESS Fermentation and storage - stainless steel (retain aromas)
Oak - add extra flavour (vanilla)
Small vineyards
Increases in wineries - more growers turn to production Yields = 10% of a still wine harvest
Provincial Liquor boards = distribution + sales of alcohol Grape damaged or lost (weather, animals)
Liquor Control board of Ontario = LCBO Very expensive to produce= P to SP price
Société des Alcools du Québec = SAQ
Shipping alcohol between province is illegal / complex Canadian Vintners association = promote Icewine Trademark
Wine Tourism / Cellar to door is very important VQA - rigorous standards of production
n7 Grapes grown in Canada
61%
FEDERAL LAW
IMPORT V.Vinifera or Vidal
Demand > supply n9 o
Naturally Frozen
CA VALUE
EXPORT
n 12 15%
CHINA
USA Min -8 Degrees
o HONG KONG
CONSUMPTION Min Sugar CA VOLUMES
CANADA
ONTARIO - 7,200ha - largest producer
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY
Surrounded by water WEST WINDS
Winter winds
Winter freeze - burying or covering them
Limestone plateau - conduct heat and radiate at night
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Extremely high acidity
DEEP
LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE
Surrounded by water = moderate temperatures
Shallowest lake
Warm (spring) / cool (autumn) - more quickly
Hazards - winter freeze
Warmest vineyards of Ontario = Merlot, Cab F, Cab S
more ripe fruits but less structure than Niagara
NIAGARA PENINSULA
Largest region
North facing , 100m above the lake, river valleys
Wide variety of soils and microclimates
One of the deepest great lakes
= longer warming up (spring), longer cool down (autumn)
Warming air flow in winter, cooling air flow in summer
= Prolong growing season, reduce diseases
Escarpment = protect from very cold SW winds in winter
https://winesofcanada.ca/
NIAGARA ESCARPMENT NIAGARA ON THE LAKE
SHALLOWEST
Bench, gentle, Warmer
northern slopes Flat land, wind from lake
Altitude + cool lake breeze W from Niagara river
= coolest Longer , warmer autumn
= high level of acidity Chardonnay, Riesling
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc,
Cabernet Franc, Riesling Bordeaux blend
Niagara Peninsula : 2 regional appellations
GROWING ENVIRONMENT
Largest producing region - 7,200ha
Latitude : 41 to 44N
Near two lakes : Erie and Ontario
Moderate extreme continental climate
Sub
Cooling influence in summer = M+ acidity appellation
Long sunshine hours during growing season = ripe fruit flavours 100%
Wide range of soils - clays and sand, lake = limestones
are the
Regional
a
na from
appellation
90% of Icewine and Vidal from Canada is in Ontario
ted
de 85%
sig
n
mi
Appellation
GRAPES & STYLES ONTARIO
1988
Riesling - high acidity, citrus, peach , floral - dry to sweet
Chardonnay - M+ to high acidity, apple, citrus
Rosé
10 %
Cabernet Franc - elegant, fresh, red plum , red berry,
Red
green pepper, herbal characteristics , aged in oak 43,56 %
Bordeaux blend or Icewine White
47 %
Merlot - Bordeaux blend, soft, M bodied red, M tannins, dark fruits
Pinot Noir - great potential, M body, red cherry, strawberry
Gamay - light body, fresh, red fruit flavour, can be oak aged
BRITISH COLUMBIA - 4,500ha
CANADA OKANAGAN VALLEY
N: cool / S: desert
Soils: glacial deposit ( N: Loam / S: Sandy)
Irrigation is essential
Chain of lake - moderating temp. (Hot summer/cold winter)
Deep Okanagan Lake - North
(Water irrigation)
Rainfall : N-400mm / S: 300mm
Dry - less pest/diseases/ organic increases
EXTREME CONTINENTAL CLIMATE
Shorter growing season, long days, hot summers (altitude 300-600m)
Spring frost (slopes)
Wide diurnal range
North - east facing = cooler varieties (PN, PG, C, Riesling, Gewu)
South - Warner = red , Merlot, Cab F/S, Syrah,
GULF ISLAND riper, full body, high acidity
COOL MARITIME CLIMATE
https://winebc.com
SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY
VANCOUVER ISLAND Similkameen river
COOL MARITIME CLIMATE FRASER VALLEY EXTREME CONTINENTAL CLIMATE
Moderated by Pacific COOL MARITIME CLIMATE Hot summer / mountain trap the heat
Mild winters, cool/wet summer (fungal diseases) + Altitude : 400-500m = wide diurnal range
Pinot Noir Merlot, PN, Cab S, Chardonnay
GROWING ENVIRONMENT
2 AREAS
Coastal - Maritime influence
Sub GI
ell m
on
Inland - sheltered from maritime influence by the mountains
pp fro
ati
e a 5%
Latitude : 48 to 51 N = shorter growing season, but longer days
Th n 9
Mi
Long hot summers, cool nights = wide diurnal range
= ripe fruit flavours and high acidity GI
1980 - vine pull scheme (-66% of vineyards, esp. hybrids)
New planting = international varieties
VQA wines - G to VG, Mid to P prices BRITISH COLUMBIA
1990
GRAPES & STYLES
Merlot
More full body, higher alc., riper fruit, more tannins
Pinot Noir
riper, fruitier
Cabernet Sauvignon
intensely fruity, high tannins, acidity, more consistent than O
Pinot Gris
