Growers welcome potential of ‘hardy grape’ variety
While adding a new cold-hardy red wine variety to the list of VQA wines is a step in the right direction, Grape Growers of Ontario chief executive officer Debbie Zimmerman says there’s still red tape to be cut to bolster the industry.
The provincial government has now amended the Vintners Quality Alliance Act to allow Marquette hybrid grapes to be eligible for Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario approval.
The changes, announced Monday, follow a recommendation from the VQAO’s standards development committee, saying Marquette grapes meet the criteria for inclusion on the organization’s permitted list of hybrid wine varieties.
Zimmerman said there are some local growers producing Marquette hybrid grapes in Niagara. Its inclusion in the VQAO will also benefit growers in other parts of the province where cold weather poses a greater challenge.
“What it does is it gives potential for regions that are coldsensitive,” she said.
Zimmerman said about 450 to 500 tonnes of Marquette grapes are being produced annually in the province, out of 64,773 tonnes of total grape production.
The hybrid grape variety was introduced in 2006 and developed at University of Minnesota.
Although Marquette still lags behind other better-known grape varieties, Zimmerman said its inclusion in the VQAO list “gives it much more potential” for increased production.
She said she has been contacted by several vintners “who are excited about this opportunity to grow more Marquette in their areas.”
However, she said more can be done to benefit the industry.
“While they are focusing on Ontario grapes, we need to see that expansion in any new retail channel they develop. We need to the see the province focusing on growing Ontario wines,” she said.
“Through grape growing, tourism and wine producing, we create $4 billion of direct economic revenue for the province of Ontario. We’re a significant industry and we need the government to understand that.
“Look at Niagara, how affected we are by the grape and wine industry, from the wineries to the restaurants to the tourism it creates.”