gary’ s corner

Great wine regions have a sense of place, a unique regional character, like Burgundy’ s gout de terroir, Bordeaux’ s gravelly grandeur, or the Mosel’ s razor-edge balance. Historically, Old World wines were known for their origin— producer names, even labels, are modern developments. New World wineries are born with names and their reputations rise with their identities. Yet, today, many New World producers strive to define their regions, to develop a sense of place.

At 38 years old, Niagara Peninsula is a new wine region by any measure. The modern era started in the early 1970s with the first plantings of European grape vine varieties( Vitis vinifera) and the establishment of the first“ boutique” estate wineries. This brief time can be split in two: the era of risk-taking pioneers who explored the unknown( Inniskillin [ 1975 ], Hillebrand [ 1979 ], Vineland Estates [ 1983 ], Cave Spring Cellars [ 1986 ] and Henry of Pelham [ 1988 ], among others), and a newer era of producers who confidently built on the foundation laid by the pioneers. Newcomers knowledgably plant appropriate vine varieties in appropriate locations. Many newcomers have been lured from other activities by their love of wine( Malivoire, John Howard Wines of Distinction, Tawse, and Peninsula Ridge, among others).

The region is young, so I pose the question, does the Niagara Peninsula have a sense of place?

The region has a continental climate( cold winters and a short, hot growing season) combined with a strong“ lake effect” that moderates temperatures and creates breezes( important to reducing disease pressure in the vineyard). Along the Niagara Escarpment( the Bench) the air circulates off the lake and up the slopes of north-facing vineyards. The north-facing aspect is certainly unusual for a northern hemisphere cool-climate region where vineyards usually face south to benefit from late season low-angle light. Niagara’ s soils are less specific, being extremely varied as a result of the formative effects of sedimentation, glacial action, and erosion, resulting in significant regional diversity. However, overall, the combination of climate and soil is unlike any other wine region— there is potential for a unique Niagara terroir.

I say“ potential,” for the human element is critically important. The pioneer wineries were European-influenced; more recent wineries have a global perspective or are influenced by New World wines. Regardless, the view has been to the outside. A wine region’ s coming-of-age occurs when the producers embrace the eccentricities of their region, when imitation is replaced by honest regional expression. Niagara is cool climate( think Loire Valley, France); big beefy wines are an anomaly( think Barossa Valley Shiraz). Today’ s top Niagara producers make exquisite cool climate, concentrated but fresh wines with great balance and superb food compatibility; wines that express terroir.

Niagara is a viticultural gem. Don’ t be shy; be proud. Pick up a bottle of one of the producers that we highlight in this issue and enjoy it for being Canadian. Better yet, plan a trip to Niagara to spend a few days visiting wineries, meet the people, and make a personal connection to the region.

Are we there yet? I don’ t think so, but I for one plan on enjoying the ride. �

Wine laws regulate production practices and promote truth in labelling. Canada’ s wine laws, Vintners Quality Alliance( VQA), ensure good wine-making from quality grapes and, most importantly, ensure that the wine contains grapes grown in Canada.

The majority of so-called“ Canadian” wines are blends of Canadian wine with bulk wine sourced from other countries such as Chile or California. In extreme cases, up to 90 per cent of the wine in a bottle may be imported. Such wines are often indicated as“ Cellared in Canada” or, believe it or not,“ Product of Canada.” If buying Canadian is important to you, look for the VQA label!

A VQA label means:

• Wines must be made from Vitis vinifera grape varieties( Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir, among others) or from a very limited list of approved hybrids( Vidal, Baco Noir, Marachel Foch, Seyval Blanc).

• Wine must be made from 100 % fresh Ontario-grown grapes— no concentrates are permitted.

• If a single grape variety name is used on the label, the wine must be made of at least 85 % from that grape variety.

•“ Estate bottled” wines must contain 100 % grapes from the named estate.

• All finished wines must pass an expert tasting panel.

For more information on VQA Ontario, visit www. vqaontario. ca.

The Cellar Door Issue 03. Niagara\'s Wine Country | Page 39

gary’ s corner