Wine Regions
Canada
There are many wine-producing regions in Canada, but the provinces that have significant wine production in Canada are Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Quebec.
Fraser Valley, BC
The Fraser Valley wine region extends from Vancouver to Abbotsford with 29 wineries and approximately 200 acres of grape plantings. The most common grape varieties planted in this region are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Foch, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Reichensteiner and Madeleine Angevine. This region produces every type of wine from sparkling wines, still red, white, and rosé wines to fortified wines.
The Fraser Valley wine region is convenient to visit because of its proximity (1 hour) to downtown Vancouver. Many of the wineries offer tastings, food, and winery tours. Many tour operators in Vancouver specialize in winery tours in this region and can transport to and from the wineries so you can enjoy your visit and wine-tasting experience without the worry of driving. Many tourists who visit Vancouver enjoy the best of both worlds…the beauty of Vancouver and the delicious wines that British Columbia has to offer.
Vancouver Island, BC
Vancouver Island is one of BC’s most exciting wine regions. Vancouver Island “the Island” is a large island located in the western part of British Columbia and is separated from the mainland. Most of the Island’s vineyards are in the sub-region of Cowichan Valley although you can find vineyards from Nanaimo to Victoria.
What’s so special about Vancouver Island? Well, besides the natural coastal beauty of the ocean, its beaches, forests, and wildlife, you can find great wines here.
Interestingly Vancouver Island’s first winery was Growers Wines Ltd., the same company that makes cider now, Growers Cider. This first winery produced loganberry wine in the 1920s (shortly after Prohibition ended). Over the years, more grape wineries began to pop up, and there are more than 30 licensed wineries on Vancouver Island.
One of Vancouver Island’s signature wines is Ortega. Ortega is a rich, medium-bodied white wine with flavours and aromas of floral, citrus, peach, melon, and tropical fruit notes and has low to medium acidity. The Ortega grape variety originated in Germany and is hardy and cold-resistant and performs well in cooler climates. Vancouver Island’s other notable wines are Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Marechal Foch.
Check out the wines of Vancouver Island on your next visit to the Island -- you will be pleasantly surprised!
Okanagan Valley, BC
The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia is well known for its wineries and has the largest grape-growing region in BC (86%).
The Okanagan Valley has four sub-regions, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile Bench, and Skaha Bench. This valley experiences very hot days and more sunlight per day during the growing season than some of our neighbours to the south.
The best wines coming out of the Okanagan Valley are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux-style blends), Pinot Noir, Syrah, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gewurztraminer and sparkling wines.
Besides producing quality wines, this region brings in significant tourism from all over Canada and the world. It’s a great destination for wine enthusiasts, but I recommend focusing on one sub-region at a time to get the true feel and taste of each unique wine region.
Gulf Islands, BC
Coming soon.
Similkameen Valley, BC
Similkameen Valley is in the southern interior of British Columbia, running along the US border. The central communities in this valley are Cawston and the village of Keremeos.
This stunningly beautiful rustic valley is comfortably nestled against the rugged mountain ranges of the Cascades (also known as “K” Mountain) and the Okanagan Mountain range and follows the Similkameen River. These mountain ranges are instrumental in the success of the vineyards, keeping the valley warm for the grapes vines to flourish.
The Similkameen Valley is one of the largest wine regions in BC and is known as the organic farming capital of Canada. There are currently 22 licenced wineries in this region, with 633 acres of wine grapes planted. The most common black/red varietals planted are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Gamay. The most common white varietals grown here are Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling.
Many of the wines produced in this region are outstanding and award-winning. You can find a good selection of wines from this region at the wineries or in government and private liquor and wine stores. Check out the wines of Clos du Soleil, Robin Ridge Winery, Hugging Tree Winery, Corcelettes Estate Winery, Liber Farm and Winery, Little Farm Winery, Orofino Winery, Rustic Roots Winery, Eau Vivre Winery, among others. They also produce great ciders in this region at Twisted Hills Craft Cidery and Untangled Craft Cidery.
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
The Niagara peninsula is the largest and oldest wine region in Canada with approximately 5,500 hectares of vineyards and over 50 wineries. This cool climate region produces some of the best sparkling wines in Canada. They also produce outstanding Chardonnays and Rieslings as well as Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Francs, however, this region’s most prestigious world-renowned wine is the lusciously sweet Icewine made from the Vidal grape.
If you are wanting to visit the Niagara peninsula wine region it’s a quick 1 ½ hour drive from Toronto. Most of the wineries are open all year long for tastings, tours, and dining and there are plenty of accommodations in the area so you can enjoy your wine experience without having to hurry back to the city.
It’s not easy to find Ontario wines in BC because of the strict regulations governing the provincial distribution systems, but you will be able to find this region’s prestigious Vidal Icewine.
If you get the opportunity, I recommend you visit this region and experience the terrific wines being produced in the Niagara peninsula region of Ontario.
Prince Edward County, Ontario
Coming soon.
Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario
Coming soon.
Quebec
Coming soon.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has a significant wine industry with more than 20 wineries and about 1,000 acres of wine grapes planted. Nova Scotia is a cool region but has a unique microclimate which allows for growing wine grapes, however, to survive the grapes must be hearty and tolerant to cold.
Nova Scotia grows many different grape varieties, but its signature varietal is L’Acadie Blanc. L’Acadie Blanc is a white grape which is truly Canadian. It was created in Niagara, Ontario in 1953 by a grape breeder by the name of Ollie A. Bradt.
L'Acadie Blanc is a highly acidic white wine with flavours and aromas of white grapefruit, lime, green apple, pear, and white peach, with some herbaceousness and minerality.
Italy
There are 20 wine regions in Italy and each one has its own special wines which are exceptional and unique to its region.
Abruzzo
Coming soon.
Basilicata
Coming soon.
Calabria
Coming soon.
Campania
Coming soon.
Emilia-Romagna
Coming soon.
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Coming soon.
Lazio
Coming soon.
Liquria
Coming soon.
Lombardy
Coming soon.
Marche
Coming soon.
Molise
Coming soon.
Umbria
Coming soon.
Piedmont
Coming soon.
Apulia
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Sardinia
Coming soon.
Sicily
Coming soon.
Tuscany
Coming soon.
Trentino-Alto-Adige
Coming soon.
Aosta Valley
Coming soon.
Veneto
Prosecco is the most popular sparkling wine coming from the Veneto region. It's made from the Glera grape, which is local to the region and has flavours and aromas of green apple, pear, and stone fruit with floral notes.
Soave is a popular and delicious still white wine made primarily from the Garganega grape (minimum 70%). It's a light-bodied wine with medium acidity, flavours and aromas of peach, melon, tangerine, herbs, and brine.
Amarone della Valpolicella is the bold and powerful red wine coming from the Veneto region of Italy. It is made primarily from Corvina grapes (60% - 80%) and blended with other local red grape varieties. The grapes are picked at their ripest, then partially dried for up to three months before they are pressed. This process creates a rich and concentrated wine with flavours and aromas of dark berries, cherries, figs, cassis, and chocolate.
Australia
Australia has 65 wine regions and over 2,400 wineries to date. I will be covering only the dominant regions here.
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is one of the top wine-producing regions in Australia as it's terroir is perfect for growing diverse grape varieties. It is in South Australia and is close to Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia.
The Barossa Valley’s top three white grape plantings are Sémillon, Chardonnay, and Riesling, however, there are many other white grape varieties planted, including Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat.
The top three red grape varieties grown are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache. Syrah is known as Shiraz in Australia. They are the same grape variety, but why do Australians call their Syrah Shiraz? No reason other than for fun and habit, but it certainly helps the wine world to differentiate between different styles of Syrah.
Some of the most famous Shiraz come out of the Barossa Valley and are big, bold, and rich with the flavours and aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, plums, and cherries. In keeping with the Barossa Valley’s hot, dry climate, the Cabernet Sauvignon also grows well and gets juicy and ripe with flavours and aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, dark cherries, black olives, and mint. The Grenache grape grown in the Barossa Valley is medium-bodied with fragrant floral aromas and flavours of red berries and sweet spices. It is often used as a blend and can be found in many different styles from dry to sweet.
Clare Valley
Coming soon.
Hunter Valley
Coming soon.
Margaret River
Coming soon.
McLaren Vale
Coming soon.
Mornington Peninsula
Coming soon.
Yarra Valley
Coming soon.
Tasmania
Coming soon.
Chile
Wines of Chile: Variety is the Spice of Life
Chile is a long narrow country which runs mid-way down to the tip of South America and has a very geography because it is a country shielded from every direction; the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Antarctic to the south and the Atacama Desert to the north.
Chile has a long history of winemaking starting in the 1500s when vines were brought over and planted by the early Spanish settlers to the country. Later, in the 1800s and 1900s, more grape varieties were introduced and planted.
Chile has a warm Mediterranean climate which is conducive to growing many grape varieties, both red/black and white. The most widely planted red grape variety in Chile is Cabernet Sauvignon as well Carménère, Carignan, Merlot, Syrah, Cinsault, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc to name a few. Currently, Chile’s most celebrated wine is Carménère (an almost extinct French grape variety) which was originally mistaken for Merlot until the 1990s.
If you haven’t experienced a Chilean Carménère yet, let me tempt you: Carménère is a medium-bodied red wine with strong soft tannins and rich flavours and aromas of red berries and black plums, and a spiciness reminiscent of paprika, peppercorns and a herbaceousness of bell peppers. Expect some oak flavours and aromas from barrel-aging such as vanilla, cloves, smoke, or chocolate.
Carménère pairs well with spice-rubbed or barbequed meats such as steaks, lamb or pork or seared heavy fish such as a crusted tuna. The spiciness of this wine complements roasted vegetables and spiced sauces or rubs like chimichurri, green curries, and chilli sauces. Traditional Chilean cuisines like Pastel de Choclo (corn casserole and meat stuffing), empanadas (pastry filled with meat or cheese) or cazuela (beef stew) also pair well with Carménère.
Chile has been known to produce inexpensive but quaffable wines but continues to up its game by producing many high-quality and elegant wines at a reasonable price.
Greece
Greece has many wine regions but I'm going to focus on the four primary wine-producing areas which are Northern Greece, Central Greece, Southern Greece and the Aegean Islands.
Greece has over 200 unique native wine grape varieties that grow well in its hot Mediterranean climate. While many wines are produced from these unique grape varieties, only a small number of these wines are available to the international market. However, some of the Greek red wines you should be able to find are made with Xinomavro, Mandilaria, or Agiorgitiko. Some white grape varieties available are Assyrtiko, Retsina (native grapes used with an infusion of sap from local pine trees), Moschofilero and Malagousia. There are also many Greek wines available made with international grape varieties. Check out the Greek sweet dessert wines called Vinsanto, Mavrodaphne or Vin Doux (Muscat).
Plano Malagousia (“mala-goo-zya”) is a white wine, medium to full-bodied, zesty, and refreshing and has aromas and flavours of blossoms, lemons, peaches, orange zest and minerality. This wine pairs well with Greek salad, green salads, chicken or shrimp souvlaki, seafood, roast potatoes, tzatziki, and light pasta.
Boutari Naoussa is made with Xinomavro and is a bold, full-bodied wine with flavours and aromas of red and dark berries, plums, red currant, liquorice, spice, wood, and tobacco. This wine has a great balance of high tannins and acidity, making it a great pairing with Greek food.