Ontario’s leading producers

As the rest of the world catches on to Baco Noir, they are looking more and more to Ontario’s winemakers to find out the secrets to the grape’s success. We spoke to some of the province’s leading producers to find out what’s behind Baco’s meteoric rise.

Daniel Speck SVP Sales, Henry of Pelham

“Baco Noir is so well suited to our climate that it produces a juicy red with great consistency. And because it makes a wine that is accessible yet unique and complex, we have truly discovered a wine that mirrors Canada and Canadians. When we sell our wines abroad it is this wine that always gets the most attention. Baco is our international flag-bearer.”

Henry of Pelham Baco Noir Old Vines VQA

LCBO 459966, $19.95

Bruce Nicholson Winemaker, Inniskillin Niagara

“Baco Noir produces a consumer- and food-friendly wine that shows good structure and an abundance of fruit on the nose and palate. I believe Baco Noir has changed to a drier style wine with more oak influence. Barrel-ageing adds subtle aromatics of toasted oak and vanilla, as well as increasing complexity and structure.”

Inniskillin Baco Noir VQA

LCBO 508721, $14.95

Catherine Langlois Owner, Sandbanks Winery

“Baco is our flagship and it’s a grape that’s easier to grow in the sense that we don’t have to bury the vines over the winter, but it’s a little harder to make in the cellar. It’s very intense and thick and has a lot of pigments, so it’s got a lot of fruit flavour but very low tannin, but that means that the wine is ready to drink when we put it in the bottle.”

Sandbanks Baco Noir VQA

LCBO 110049, $15.95