Ontario wine

Vineyards adjacent to Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County. The Great Lakes are relied upon to moderate the air's temperature in all three official wine growing regions in Ontario.

Southern Ontario is in roughly the same latitude as southern France (Provence and the Languedoc). These regions have a tradition of growing tender fruit such as apricots and peaches, and has the growing conditions to consistently ripen many varieties of vitis vinifera grapes. All three official wine growing regions in Ontario rely on either Lake Ontario or Lake Erie as a moderator for air temperature.[6][5][7]

Grapegrowing in Ontario has its challenges, particularly outside of the southern regions normally associated with tender fruits. At times, wine regions in Ontario suffer from harsh winters which can damage tender vines. In addition, its humid summers can increase the pressure from fungal diseases. However, experience and advancement in technology in recent decades have led to the development of vineyard management techniques (for example, the use of wind machines in vineyards), variety selection and winemaking techniques to meet these challenges.

The north shore of Lake Erie is Ontario's most southerly wine growing region, and receives more growing degree days per year than any other wine-growing region in Ontario. However, as opposed to Lake Ontario, Lake Erie is capable of freezing over completely in the winter, which also affects local growth patterns. The region is bounded by Lake St. Clair to the northwest, the Detroit River to the west, Lake Erie to the south, and extends eastward to St. Thomas.[5] The region is made up of small slopes, with an elevation ranging from 172 metres (564 ft) to 196 metres (643 ft), with an average elevation of 185 metres (607 ft).[5] The VQA also recognizes one sub-appellation within Prince Edward County, the South Islands, a group of islands adjacent to the north shore, most notably Pelee Island.[5]

Wine grapes at the Niagara Peninsula, Canada's largest wine growing region

The Niagara Peninsula is the largest wine-producing region in Canada. Spread across 5,500 hectares (13,600 acres) of land, the growing region is the largest viticultural area in Canada.[7] The growing region comprises most of the Niagara Peninsula, bounded by Lake Ontario to the north, the Niagara River to the east, the Welland River to the south, and the city of Hamilton to the west.[7] The Niagara Escarpment is a notable geographic feature of the region, rising 177 metres (581 ft) above sea level, and is used to provide slopes, and elevations, for the cultivation of different wines.[7] As opposed to other regions, the soil of the Niagara Peninsula varies significantly depending on the area.[7] Because of this variation, the VQA recognizes 10 sub-appellations in the Niagara Peninsula.[7]

Located along the northeastern shoreline of Lake Ontario, Prince Edward County was created as a new growing region in 2007.[6] Although the wine region is formally known as Prince Edward County, the wine growing region also encompasses Amherst Island, and a strip of land north of the county.[6] Prince Edward County is Ontario's northernmost VQA recognized wine growing region, and is surrounded by the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario, two elements that provide a moderated and cool growing season for that region.[6] The area's soil allows for heat conduction and retention, providing for deeper vine growth in the summer months.[6] Prince Edward County is the only region that has no sub-appellations.

Vineyards in Ottawa. A number of wineries are based outside the three VQA-recognized wine growing areas.

In addition to the three VQA recognized wine growing regions, there have been ongoing smaller scale attempts to grow wine in other, cooler, areas of the province using cold hardy, often hybrid grape varieties.

Hybrid grapes are primarily grown in Eastern Ontario wineries, better suited for the colder climate of the region.[8] However, the majority of wines grown in these regions are not certified by VQA, as the appellation organization does not certify wines from hybrid grapes.[8] Hybrid grape wines are also grown in Bruce County, which encompasses the northern portion of the Niagara Escarpment, and Norfolk County along the shore of Lake Erie just west of Hamilton.

The majority of wine production in Ontario is grapevine wine. Vitis vinifera is the most common grapevine grown in Ontario-based vineyards, with a focus on cultivating Chardonnay, Riesling, pinot noir, and Cabernet Franc.[10]

For red wine and rosé production:

For whites:

A Niagara-based winery's grapes freezing over. Ontario is the world's largest producer of ice wine.

Ontario is the world's largest producer of ice wine,[2] with wineries in Ontario producing approximately 800,000 litres (210,000 US gal) of ice wine in 2016;[11] As of 2019, the province accounts for approximately 90 per cent of Canada's annual ice wine production.[10] As a result, the province is also the world's largest exporter of ice wine; exporting approximately C$21.3 million of ice wine annually,[12]

Ice wines and late harvest dessert wines includes:

Ontario is also home to wineries specializing in fruit wine. These wines are outside the scope of the VQA, but Fruit Wines of Canada has developed the Quality Certified (QC) mark to identify quality Canadian fruit wine that is not made from grapes. Ontario-grown fruits used to make these wines include (but are not limited to) apple, apricot, black currant, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, elderberry, gooseberry, huckleberry, haskap, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, red currant, raspberry, saskatoon berry, and strawberry.

A Quality Certified mark may be found on fruit wines produced in Ontario

Some fruit wineries carry other products that are not made from fruit, including wines made from rhubarb, maple syrup, and honey. Occasionally fruit wines are combined with grape wine, mead, or other fruit wines to produce unique flavour combinations. In some cases, these wines can include other ingredients such as chocolate (e.g. in cherry or blueberry wines) or spices (e.g. in apple wines).

Sake began to be commercially produced on a craft scale in Ontario in 2011. While sake's production methodology and product shelf life are similar to those of beer, its typical alcohol content of 12-19% by volume more closely resembles that of wine made from grapes. Ontario has an advantageous location to produce sake due to the abundant availability of high quality spring water and the large and growing size of its local market for Japanese cuisine. Sake's popularity is also increasing due to its gluten-free and sulfite-free characteristics.