As tariffs shift consumer focus, it’s time to celebrate Canadian wine for what it is—unique, high-quality, and reflective of its own terroir. Leah Spooner writes this letter to Canadian consumers
In light of the tariff war, wine buyers are turning their heads towards local wines. There’s one thing I’d like to contribute to the narrative of all that’s happening in the wine industry as a result: I don’t think we should be trying to compare Canadian wines to California wines. Nobody wants to see Canadian wine flourish more than myself but simply offering consumers Canadian wine in replace of their go-to California bottle can end up hurting local wine sales more than we think. Here’s why:
Apples and oranges
We can’t tell our Canadian consumers “If you drink this California wine then you might like this Canadian wine.” If this is all we offer potential buyers, then they’re going to be shocked (and not in a good way) when our wines don’t taste like the California wine they’ve been picking up on the way home from work every Friday.
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This tactic is basically sending them in blind. Especially if their tried-and-true bottles are one of the top-selling bottles at the LCBO. Most top-selling, California wines at the LCBO (and other provincial wine shops) are a) mass produced in a warm climate, b) filled with added sugars, and c) contain flavouring agents. These major factors and qualities won’t be found in Canadian VQA wines on store shelves.
Of course, this is not a blanket statement for California wine as there are plenty of high-quality California wines that I absolutely love and enjoy often, but these just aren’t the same bottles that are purchased most frequently by Canadian buyers.
It’s time for Canadians to recognize what world-class wine tastes like.
So, how should we communicate the greatness of Canadian wine?
We need to explain to consumers how we have high-quality wine here in Canada and why the wines are made in the styles that they are.
Acidity is a good thing
First and foremost, Ontario is a cool-climate geographical area. Even our warmer and more southern sub-appellations are still considered cool-climate. Frankly speaking, this translates to wines that contain more acidity, as the cooler temps help the grapes retain their freshness. While the gen pop doesn’t prefer higher acid wines, it is a style becoming more revered, especially among millennials and gen z for the fresh and vibrant wine profile it creates.
Further east, in Nova Scotia for example, wines typically express an even higher acidity, making energetic white and sparkling wines.
British Columbia, however, does have a desert climate in the Okanagan where they can produce excellent quality full-bodied reds with a bolder tannin structure. Explaining this to Canadian wine newbies is key to their understanding of the structural balance in our high-quality wines.
Good things come in small packages
As a country, Canada only has 23,000 hectares under vine, compared to California’s 400,000 hectares. Our VQA wineries craft wines in small batches, giving meticulous care to their grapes to ensure the best representation of their regional terroir. Without added sugars or flavouring agents, the wines produced here are meant to express the land on which they’re grown, not conform to something more palatable for the masses.
Again, California also makes wine this way, they just aren’t the ones we see at the top-selling general list section of the LCBO and other provincial wine shops.
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Ontario VQA wines are mineral driven, thanks to our unique, predominately limestone soils. Ontario, for example, specializes in high-quality, Burgundian style wines. Look for: pinot noir, cabernet franc, riesling and chardonnay to excel.
British Columbia vineyards are typically planted in loam soils, and the grapes receive significant daytime warmth that create wines with richness and structure. Look for: merlot, cabernet franc, and Bordeaux blends.
Nova Scotia is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean breezes that moderate temperatures – slowing grape ripening that results in complex, bright wines. Look for: riesling, chardonnay and sparkling wine.
One thing Canadian provinces have in common when it comes to wine is that they all convey bright acidity and are representative of a sense of place. Many of our best producers are also grape growers, or at the least, work side by side with the farmers that cultivate their grapes, ensuring homegrown, authentic wines.
A comparative I like to use refers to coffee production. Canadians love a Tim Hortons ‘double-double’. It’s palatable, easy, but the cream and sugar hide the essence of the coffee, and it certainly doesn’t reach the quality of an espresso from a café in Campania.
Our Canadian wines are as honest as the Italian espresso. The truth is, we have been making world-class wine for years now, and it’s time for Canadians to recognize what world-class wine tastes like.
This period of time could be the pivotal moment this country needs to engage wine enthusiasts into supporting local wineries and rooting deep in the bounty of our own nation. Let’s make it count!
– Leah Spooner has been a contributing editor with VineRoutes since 2021
