D3: Canada Flashcards
(15 cards)
Canada : Climate
**Ontario ** ( an inland BC) : extreme continental climate with summer temps exceeding 30 and winters -20 dgrees
Most vines are planted near lakes to moderate
Lake effect reduces winter freeze
-water heats up slowly DELAYING budbreak unti lthe spring frosts have passed
- retains warmth until end of autum , extending the growing season
-higher humidity = disease pressure
- Moisture from the lakes evaporates and meet the cold air, it forms snow
-snow actually insulates the vines ( some areas like Prince Edward County freeze - growers bury their vines =$$$
Also experimenting with geotextiles draped over vnes to insulate
-climate change means less snow /unpredicatble
**British Colombia - Oakanagan
**Drought and freeze are regualr concerns
-lies in the rain shadow of two mountains
-north latitude means shorter growing season but longer daytime hours during summer
-gorwers are pushing up soil around the base of the vines and grafts
Canada: Vineyard Management
up to date technology - very advanced and new industry
- with each harvest, growers are more aware of the different microclimates and soils
- Canopy management is crucial around the humid lakes
-open to increasre air circulation
-VSP most common
-some Geneva Double Curtain, Scott Henry and Lyre
HOT ,DRY areas in BC -
pests and disease are less of a concern and most vineyards are organic
-drip irrigation is common
PESTS - moths, mealy bugs, leafhoppers, birds, bears and deers
Growing season is shorter than most areas - budbreak as late as May / harvest in August
Late harvest into November and February for Ice Wine
Weather is unpredictable and rain, frost etc can affect vintages
Canada: Grape Varieties
- hybrids are dominant
-40% - used in International Canadian Blends rather than VQA - BC vine pull scheme in 1980s pulled u p most hybrids
-**VIDAL is the most common for icewine - it can withstand winters and its high acid , slow ripenin and thick skins make it suitable for ice wine
Not as aromatically complex as Rielsing **
High acid, stone fruit peach and mango
Increase since the 80s in Bordeaux varieties : Merlot, Cab Franc and lesser Cab Sauv ,
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
and Pinot Gris, Gewurtz and Riesling
Aslo Syrah, Malbec and Viognier
All are realitvely high in acid
Canada: Winemaking
Since 80;s quality has risen and produceres are using ambient yeats, amphore, new oak and neutral vesels, and in cooler areas , chaptalisation is required
ICEWINE :
-worlds largest producer of icewine
-grapes are left on the vine to freeze . Must freeze to -8 degrees ( regualtions )
Most pick by hand even though it must be done in the dark ,freezing winters
-hard to find labour and now most machine harvest
-Freezing concentrates the sugars in the grapes
-High levels of sugar naturally stop athe ferment at 9-11%abv with a RS of 200-250g/L
- Natural high acid blances sugar
- The best examples have intense aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruit , peach and mango
Most icewine is made from Vidal, but the more complex wines are made from Rielsing
Also Cab Franc, Gewurtz and Chardonnay
-Fermented and stored in SS tanks to retain aromas and flavors but spme oak may be used to add clove and vanilla spice
-Ice wine is very expensive to make and yields can be as low as 10% of a still wine harvest
- Many grapes are lost to dropping, disease, or animals
-2021, 15% of volume , but 61% of value on the Canadian export marekt
Prem-Super Prem
‘Icewine’ is a trademark of the Canadian Vintners Ass. helping to promote and protect the category
Rigourous standards are in the VQA system for both Ontario and BC
-ONLY naturally frozzen grapes can be made into ice wine - grapes must be grown in Canada and from vinifera or Vidal - min sugar levels are prescribed and artificial concentrated sugars are prohibited
Canada : Wine Law and Regualtions
Ontario VQA 1988 - BC 1990
-VQA qines must be made exclusively in the province - rules for regional and sub appellations apply
-Wines must be 100% vinifera or permitted hybrids
- laws have certain standards for grape growing , min must weights and chapatalisation
- tested for eligilibity through blind tastings and panel, lab anaalysis
-Single varieties on the label must be 85% , two varieirtes eg. Cab Merlot must make up 95% of the blend
- Both Ontario and BC have approved regions, sub- appellatios that can appear on the label
- Most wine is made from imported wine or must - these wines must be labelled ‘ International blend ‘ from imported or domestic wines / domestic and imported wines
- inexpenvise box wines etc
Wines not in the VQA but made in Canada may state ‘Product of Canada’
Canada: Ontario
-largest wine area with 7,200ha under vine
-41-44 degress N=Central Italy / Bordeaux but with a very differnet climate
- vines are planted near lakes -Ontario and Erie which moderate the continental climate
Wines tend to have Medium plus to high acidity but ripe flavours from long sunshine hours
SOILS- clay and sand, gravela dn rocks
-around th lakes , high levels of limestone from an ancient seabed and glacial activity
Producers of 90% of the Ice wine made in Canada
Vidal is the most planted
Still red and white wine is pretty equal with small amount of rose made
Winter hardy grapes are dominatn and Rielsing and Chardonnay are top whites
Ontario Riesling is high in acid, citrus, peach and floral aromas - Dry to sweet
Chardonnay is Med plus acid , to high acid , apple and citrus , cooler climate flavours but some stone fruit and toppical flavours can be found in warmer areas
**-Cabernet Franc **is most planted red
-elegant frehs wines with red plum, red cberry, green pepper and herbal notes , oftne aged in oak for greater texture
-oak is also used in premium ice wines
**Merlot - in blends, on its own, produces soft , med body wines with med tannins and dark fruit
**Pinot Noir **- showing great potential with medium body, red cherry and strawberrry flavours
**Gamay **is also made in light bodies styles with fresh fruit flavours
VQA wines are good to very good with some outstanding examples
Mid priced to Premium
eg. Inniskillin and Peller Estates
Canada: Niagara Peninsula
-largest areas at 80% of vineyards
-Diverse area strectching form thsi shore of Lake Ontario tpo the Niagara Escarpment - North facing bluff that rises 100m above Lake Ontario
-river valleys cut down to the lake and make a variety of soils and microvlimates
- Most vineyards are on benches and slopes but some are on the plains next to the lake
-Lake Ontario is one of the deepest lakes and takes a long time to warm up in the spring and longer to cool down -extending the growing season and aiding in circualtion of air
WINTER - cold air away fro mthe lake get s cold and flows down the escarpment under the influence of gravity - wairm air over the lake rises and travels inland - together with the lake and the escarpment , they provide warm air in winter and cool air in summer - less frost and disease
The Escarpemt also protects the area from the south west winds
On the top of the ridge away from the lake effects the climate is more continental
TWO regional appellations :
Niagara Escarpemnt and Niagara on the Lake - they must contain 85% grapes from here - the remainder must still be grown in the Niagara Peninusla - there are also some smaller sub appellations and wines with the label of the sub must be entirely from the sub eg. Jordan Station
Canada: Niagara Escarpment and Niagara on the Lake
NE - covers the bench and the gentle north slopes of the escarpment ( but no tthe land near the lake or the plateau on top )
Coolest part of the Peninsula and wines are high in acid
Early ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are very good
Some Riesling and Cab Franc
NontheL - all the flat land along the shores of L.Ontario west of the Naiagara River
Slightly warmer and lake reduces the drop in the temps at night - longer growing season
Better suited to bordeaux styles -
still plant the same grapes as the Escarpment except they are riper and and fruitier
Canada: Lake Erie North Shore
- streches along the gentle slopes of L.Erie and some islands incl. Pelee Island
-almost completely surrounded by water
-shallowest of the lakes so it warms up quick and cools quickly
-winter freeze is more of a concern
-warmest of Ontarios vineyards in the SW area of the province
-Bordeaux blends ripen well here but have less structure than the Peninsula
Canada: Prince Edward County
-east end of lake Ontario - no wind protection
-coldest , more northernly vineyards
-winter freez is a problem - vines must be buried or covered
-Limestone plateau with stony topsoil that radiates heat at night
-Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with high acid
Canada: BC
-over 4,500 ha of vines
-Two distinct areas :
Cool, maritime areas near the Pacific and 400km inland, and sheltered by mountains , the Oakanagan
48-51 degrees N =gorwing season is shorter but days are longer
Inland has a wide diuranal ranger with hot days and cold nights =ripe fruit flavours with high acidity
-1980s a vine pull scheme ripped up 2/3 of the vineyards with hybrids in BC
Some Vidal remains for Ice wine
but now mostly international varieites
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Pinot Gris
Chardonnay
Cab Sauv
Cab Franc
Red to White are equal amount
Merlot tend to be riper with higher tnannin and alcohol
Pinot Noir is on the rise and has high tannins and elegance
Cab Sauv is more intense with higher acid and tannins and some ageing potential
Pinot Gris - dry of offdry , med body with high acid and melon and pear
Chardonnay - best are med body with riper stone fruit flavours
VQA wines are good to very good with some outstanding examples Mid to Prem priced
eg. Mission Hill and Le Vieux Pin
VQA Appellations must have 95% of the grapes from the app, 5% must be from BC
Canada: The Oakanagan Valley
-85% of the BC vineyards
-extreme continental climate - cold winter and hot summer (40 dgrees )
-spring frost are concerns so vines are planted mid slope
-250km in length cover cooler areas ( most north in the world) to the North and Hot , desert areas to the south
-300-600m so wide diuranl range
-Sub-appellations
SOILS- glacial deposits of loams and sandy in the south
-irrigation is essential
-Chain of lakes moderate the continental temperatures shifts
-Lake Oakanagan is deep but small and occupies half of the vineyards area
-they also provide water for irrigation as annual rainfall is 300mm in the S and 400mm in N
-disease ans pests are not a big thing and organics is on the rise
North end of the valley is E facing lsopes that are shaded from afternoon sun and suited to Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chard, Rielsing and Gewurtz
Hotter, south is better for Merlot, Ca Sauv, Cab Franc, and Syrah =full bodied with riper fruits and good balance of acid
Canada: Similkameen Valley
Extreme south end - rugged and rocky area with a barrow strip of land along the Similkameen River
high mountains on either side, funnel wind constantly through the valley
-similar cliamte to Oakanagan but wihtout the moderating lake
-days are hot and the mountains trap heat
-400-500m , cold nights creating a very wide diauranl range
-Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cab Sauv and Chard
Canada: Vancouver Island, Fraser Valley and Gulf Islands
- small coastal , cool,maritime moderated by the Pacific
-winters are mild with no concerns over winter freeze
-summer are cooler and wetter and fungal disease can be a problem
-only early ripening varieites are successful most notably Pinot Noir esp. on the island
Canada: Wine Business
Almost all Canadian wine is consumed domestic
-icewine is exported
-beer sales down and wine up
-due to low production and inability to produce certain styles of wines , demand exceeds supply and importing is huge
2021- exported 23.5 million bottles of winw to China, USA and Hong Kong
Vineyard holdings are small and owned by growers and estates
most producers grow their own grapes - and supplement with other growers
Large increase in wineries recently , esp.in BC
Provinical liquor boards have significant control - in review
LCBO and SAQ in Quebec are amonst the largest buyers of alcohol in the world
Wines made in Ontario are consumed in the Ontario due to highly complex tax laws between provinces
only some provinces allow direct to consumer wine shipments - why wine tourism / cellar doors has quickly become so important in the Canadian wine business
