Canada: The Wine

This week, I thought it would be worth while to return home to Canada. In the very first week of this blog, Canada took the spotlight with a traditional Bannock recipe and wine from the first Indigenous-owned winery in all of North America. Akin to my later posts, my thesis for Canada was that our cuisine was not only overlooked, but misunderstood. This week, I attempt to prove the same about our wine.

I challenge you to go to any restaurant and open the wine list. Similarly, if you are ever in a book store with a food and culture section, you could locate a wine encyclopedia. Open it. What do you see? First and foremost will be the vintages from established regions in Europe, with wineries that have been owned by ten generations of the same family. In the New World, Napa or Sonoma Valley overwhelm the page. However, even in the most complex and prestigious of lists or catalogues, Canada rarely (if ever) is represented.

Because I live here, I know for a fact that Canada has more than earned its spot in the expansive world of wine. The land boasts not one, but two majorly prolific regions that are capable of cultivating several types of grapes. On the East, sulfur-rich soil and lengthy summers come together to form the perfect environment for pinot noir – a varietal that is known in the community for being temperamental and resistant. And in the West, humidity from nearby rainforests lends to a climate that is suitable for several different varietals. As a result, the region is known for anything from big, bold reds to delicate and complex whites. Therefore, you might see how I find it egregious that even the most exhaustive wine encyclopedias and experts naively overlook Canada, despite that we are inarguably right in front of them.

So, this week I will be looking at two wines: one from the vast Okanagan valley of British Columbia, and the other from Ontario’s Niagara region. Each has their own respective, nuanced set of characteristics that make it more than worth while to explore them. My objective here is to prove that the wine of Canada deserves much more than it is currently receiving. Perhaps the illustrious region of California should be looking out, because they, if anyone, should understand how the underdog might steal the show.