True Grape: proud of Canadian wine success
I am a huge advocate of the Canadian wine industry. Some people believe that being an advocate entails recommending wines grown in Canada regardless of the quality. In fact, a true advocate looks long-term and pushes the industry to get better, even if that means some tough love in the short-term.
Admittedly, I gave Canadian wine producers a lot of tough love in the ’90s and early 2000s. But over the past decade, a great sense of pride has filled my heart as the quality of our country’s wines has improved dramatically.
This was clearly evident while I was judging at the National Wine Awards of Canada, held recently in Niagara-on-theLake. More than 1,100 Canadian wines from B.C. to the Maritimes were tasted blind by 17 of Canada’s most experienced wine professionals at the competition organized by the Ontario-based (but slowly expanding) website WineAlign.
Two things in particular stood out to me during the competition: the overall quality of the wines submitted (much higher than when I first judged at the Canadian Wine Awards many years ago), and the tremendous diversity in the grape varietals and styles of wines being produced.
The overall quality has improved due to a better job of identifying and matching grape varietals with particular vineyard sites and improved viticulture.
Diversity in the wines exists because of the diversity in the soil conditions and microclimates throughout the country’s many wine growing regions. And while the focus will and should remain on varietals such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Franc we are also seeing great examples of Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines when they are grown in the right conditions.
And herein lies the big difference over the past 20 years. Diversity existed before, but it was often based on growing what wineries thought consumers wanted to drink, regardless of whether the vineyard sites were appropriate for those grapes.
But now, diversity is largely based on an actual understanding of what grows best where, resulting in much better quality wines.
The full results of the competition will be on WineAlign in September with a special feature running in the National Post’s Financial Post magazine. Here are a few wines from the competition that I thought showed well. Tawse Echos Riesling 2010, Niagara, Ontario; $21.99; CSPC: 735871
Beautifully focused with crunchy green apple, lime, citrus peel and a touch of petrol with bright, mouth-watering acidity, great backbone and texture and a long finish. A bargain. Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut Sparkling, Niagara, Ontario; $45; CSPC: 217505
Nice complexity on the nose showing aromas and flavours of baked bread, apple pie, raspberry, strawberry, and rhubarb with a pleasant edginess, lively full bubbles, and a long length. Laughing Stock Syrah 2011, Okanagan, B.C.; $52; CSPC: 751845
Elegant and fresh with plum, raspberry, blackberry, pepper, spice and fresh herbs with firm, but approachable tannins and a lingering lifted finish. A very versatile food wine.