CANADIAN WINE SCENE HAS MATURED SINCE BABY DUCK HIT THE SHELVES
The Canadian wine industry has come a long way since Thomas Bright founded Niagara Falls Wine Co. in Toronto circa 1874. With only decades under our belt, wines produced here are considered New World in style versus the Old World style from countries that have been making wine for generations.
In the 1970s, Joseph Peller with the Andres brand entered the Canadian market. After unsuccessfully launching a sparkling wine called Cold Duck into the United States, he created the infamous and highly-profitable label of Baby Duck. This revolutionary product was geared to the palate of cola lovers and hit the shelves in Canada with great success — a sweet concoction from the Labrusca grape (not to be confused with the oh-so-delicious Italian Lambrusco grape) with added acidity and water.
This is about the same time Andrew Wolf Cellars set up in Alberta. I believe the “winery” was in Cochrane, and the tasting room was in Stony Plain, an impressive building that resembled a French Chateau that was a block north of Highway 16A, on Boulder Boulevard. Here you could pick up a bottle of “wine” (I use the term loosely here) labelled Gramma Mary’s Honey Wine made with imported or a concentrate of Grenache from California, then it was blended with a fortified honey wine … oof.
The tides really turned in the 1980s with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement where the tariffs that protected Canadian producers were removed to level the playing field. This was the turning point that changed the direction of the industry, forcing wineries to increase quality to become competitive with the international wines that became affordable.
Today, the Canadian wine industry competes internationally with remarkable success. The inexpensive and almost indestructible labrusca vineyards that made sweet, funky, unassuming wines with low acidity have been replaced with worldclass vinifera vines to make dry, high-quality table wines.
Jumping ahead to modern day and one of the relative newcomers in the Canadian wine world is Paul Pender, director of winemaking at Tawse Winery in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula. He tells the story of trading in his carpenter’s belt in 2004 to head back to school and live his Canadian dream. It was only two years later when he took over the reins of Tawse Winery to produce highly acclaimed, low-intervention wines. Tawse products and organic/biodynamic methods are a wonderful representation of how exciting and dynamic Canadian wine production is today. Check out Pender’s story in a short video that can be viewed online at edmontonjournal.com.
Moray Tawse, the owner, has a passion for organic and biodynamic winemaking with a deep respect for the land. His new collaborative project in Burgundy, France, is also available in our market under the label of Marchand-Tawse — his life and work is featured in the 2017 film, Grand Cru.
We have come a long way indeed.
Here are my recommendations for some favourite Canadian wines that are not only delicious — they are rich with history.
Happy Canada Day!
TAWSE SPARK NON-VINTAGE BRUT 375 ML (HALF BOTTLE) $18
The cool climate of the Niagara Peninsula guarantees acidity, which in turn creates a bright, dry and fresh bubbly. Spark is a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes that is crisp and dry, with only five grams of sugar per litre — mouthwateringly delicious with floral notes, Granny Smith apples, pastry, grapefruit and crunchy cherry notes. What’s a celebration without bubbles! Perfect for a toast or with the recommended pairings — shrimp ceviche, deep-fried vegetable tempura or gougeres.
EVOLVE PINOT GRIS $25
This is a grape right at home in the Okanagan Valley. This winemaker, Harry McWatters, is a legend — a pioneer who has spent more than a half-century producing and promoting the Canadian wine industry. He founded well-known successful wineries including Sumac Estate Winery in 1980, then See Ya Later Ranch in 1995 — both have since sold. Today, you will find McWatters and his daughter producing wines under three labels; TIME Winery, Evolve and McWatters Collection.
This is a crisp white wine loaded with ripe, juicy white peaches mingled with apple blossoms (the trees are flowering now if you’d like to check) — with a squeeze of citrus. Perfect patio wine or pair with salads and shellfish.
CULMINA R & D ROSE BLEND $28
If you’ve had the opportunity to meet the proprietor, Don Triggs, you know he is a nice fellow. You may not know he is a Manitoba native and a pioneer of the Canadian wine industry (whose name is on the label of the commercially produced Jackson-Triggs). Instead of retirement, he and his lovely wife, Elaine, have reinvested into his passion. Lucky us.
Using estate grapes from the Golden Mile Bench, Don and his twin brother, Ron Triggs (hence the R&D on the label — not to mention the research and development involved) have created this rose to represent the “good life spent with friends and loved ones.”
A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it has aromas and flavours of freshly picked wild strawberries, together with citrus and fresh herbal notes on a medium-weighted, elegantlyvibrant palate. Pair with a summer day and a fresh garden salad or watermelon and feta salad or grilled seafood.
TAWSE LAUNDRY CABERNET FRANC $42
Cabernet Franc is one of my favourite grapes. The vines for this wine are grown in some of the oldest vineyards in Beamsville, on the Niagara Peninsula right on Lake Ontario where the growing seasons are long — ideal conditions for this varietal to fully ripen even in cooler harvests (if Cabernet Franc doesn’t fully ripen, it can have stemmy/ vegetal notes). Drink now or hold for 10 years.
BLACK SAGE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON $28
Okanagan Valley’s Black Sage Winery is renowned for the bold red wines it produces, including this Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are looking for a bold red, try this dark, rich and full-bodied wine full of black berries and mingled with Earl Grey tea, coffee, smoke, cocoa and tobacco notes. Pair with charcoal grilled red meats and aged cheese.
Wine selections are available at select Alberta shops. Log onto liquorconnect.com to check availability and give them a call to verify.
Juanita Roos opened Color de Vino, a fine wine and spirits store, with her family in 2014. She has travelled to wine regions around the world and completed the prestigious WSET Diploma from London, England, the prerequisite for the Master of Wine program. Send your questions about wine to info@colordevino.ca.