Canadian wine explained. A cool-climate country on the rise.

From Vinland to the VQA

Sarah Heller MW and Fredrik Lindfors, Best Sommelier of the Nordics, begin with the Vikings: Leif Erikson called the land he found Vinland. Commercial winemaking came later. In 1811 a retired German corporal, Johann Schiller, planted a small vineyard near Toronto with wild vines, but the 'foxy' taste found few fans, and European vines struggled with humid summers and harsh winters.

Prohibition, better technology from the 1960s and, above all, the 1980s changed the picture. A free trade agreement with the USA and the founding of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA), Canada's appellation system, pushed the industry toward quality. VQA wines must be made from Vitis vinifera or approved hybrid varieties. Most vineyards lie close to the US border, and with climate change this cool country may become even more important.

Nova Scotia and Quebec: the hybrid heartland

In Nova Scotia, vineyards are never more than about 20 kilometers from the sea. The signature grape is L'Acadie Blanc, a cold-hardy hybrid that can survive about minus 25°C, with honey, floral, apple and citrus notes. Seyval Blanc is another successful hybrid. The hosts taste Benjamin Bridge Tidal Bay, a light, fresh blend led by L'Acadie Blanc at only 10% alcohol, with a rich Nova Scotia seafood chowder.

Quebec is even harder: growers often bury their vines to survive winter, and ice wine and ice cider are common. Here the red hybrids Maréchal Foch and Baco Noir perform well. A Maréchal Foch from Quails' Gate surprises the hosts with dark fruit and smooth tannins, with none of the old 'foxy' character.

Ontario: Niagara and the Great Lakes

Ontario makes about half of Canada's wine. Its three appellations are the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County. On the Niagara Peninsula, breezes from Lake Ontario bounce off the escarpment and keep air moving, which limits frost and lengthens the season. Riesling and Chardonnay lead the whites, and Cabernet Franc stands out among reds; the hosts taste a Charles Baker Riesling and a Stratus Cabernet Franc, both from Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Lake Erie North Shore is warm enough for Merlot and the Cabernets, while cooler Prince Edward County, on limestone, suits Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

British Columbia and the Okanagan Valley

In British Columbia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s at a mission near Kelowna. The Okanagan Valley is the largest area, with vines around a deep lake about 140 kilometers long, running from cooler Kelowna in the north to the desert around Osoyoos in the south. A rain shadow makes irrigation essential, soils are remarkably varied, and hot days with cold nights give ripe fruit with fresh acidity. Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer are the main whites; Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon the main reds.

Vines grow on high benches on both sides of the valley, where extra sunlight and cold air draining away from the slopes extend the season. Glacial soils of sand, clay and rock limit vigor, giving small, concentrated berries, and a single small vineyard can contain half a dozen soil types.

The experiment: lakes and snow

Lakes moderate temperatures, but they can also bring sudden snowstorms. In a playful and messy experiment, the hosts make their own 'snow' to show how a winter blanket insulates vine roots and how dormancy helps vines rest. See whose snow looks more convincing.

Two blind tastings follow, one featuring a hybrid that is notoriously tricky to identify, plus fillet of deer with chanterelles and red wine sauce. The episode helps you prepare for WSET Level 3, with grapes, climate and regions explained.