British Columbia, Canada, Canadian wines, Creekside Estate Winery, Diamond Estate, Lakeview, Niagara, Okanagan Valley, Pillitteri, Queenston, Wines from Canada
Canada? That’s not a wine-producing country!
Jun
That’s what almost everyone says when the topic comes up. And almost everyone is wrong.
I’ll admit it: I’ve thought that myself. Canada—that’s maple syrup, hockey, and endless forests. Wine? At most, as a souvenir from Niagara Falls, while you’re freezing on the observation deck.
But then, for the first time, I found myself standing in front of a bottle from the Niagara Peninsula. And then one from the Okanagan Valley. And suddenly, nothing was the way I had imagined it would be.
How many wineries are there in Canada, anyway?
Quick guessing question: How many wineries are there in Canada?
Fifty? A hundred? Maybe two hundred, if you’re being generous?
There are over 900 of them, spread across regions that could hardly be more different—from the semi-arid landscape of British Columbia to the foggy lakeside climate of Lake Ontario. Winegrowing has existed in Canada since the 19th century, and the modern wine industry became professionalized in the 1980s and 1990s—at the same time that New Zealand and Argentina were celebrating their first international successes.
But hardly anyone in Europe noticed that.
Niagara: More Than Just the Falls
The Niagara Peninsula in southern Ontario is Canada’s largest and most productive wine region—and at the same time one of the most underrated in the world.
This is due to a remarkable microclimate: Lake Ontario stores heat in the summer and slowly releases it in the fall. This extends the growing season and protects the vines from early frosts. At the same time, the Niagara Escarpment—a striking rock formation that runs through the region like a natural wall—ensures air circulation and well-drained soils.
The result: Canada’s winemakers can produce both fully ripe white wines and full-bodied red wines here. Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir are among the region’s strengths. And then there’s Baco Noir—a hybrid grape variety grown almost exclusively in Ontario that produces wines with dark fruit, a full body, and a slightly smoky, spicy character. Hardly anyone in Europe is familiar with this grape variety. But once you’ve tasted it, you’ll never forget it.
Ice Wine: Canada’s Sweetest Surprise
If there’s one category in which Canada leads the world, it’s this one: 90 percent of the world’s ice wine comes from Canada—mainly from the Niagara region.
Ice wine is produced when grapes freeze on the vine and are then harvested by hand at a temperature of at least -8 degrees. The water in the berries is frozen, but the sugar is not—when pressed, this yields a highly concentrated must with intense sweetness, vibrant acidity, and a depth of flavor that few other wines can match.
In Germany and Austria, ice wine is a rare stroke of luck—depending on weather conditions and timing. In Canada, it is the result of artisanal precision. What is left to chance here in Europe, Canada has turned into a science.
Okanagan Valley: Wine in the Desert
And then there’s British Columbia.
Anyone seeing the Okanagan Valley for the first time can hardly believe their eyes: barren hills, no rain for weeks on end, summer temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. A desert landscape—right in the middle of Canada. And right in the middle of it all: vineyards.
The Okanagan stretches over more than 250 kilometers, from cool northern regions that produce elegant Pinot Noirs and Rieslings to the southern basins around Osoyoos—Canada’s only true desert terroir, where Bordeaux varieties and Syrah ripen like nowhere else in the country.
The soils? Glacial sediment, sand, volcanic rock. Low in nutrients but rich in minerals. If you’re thinking of France: the best vineyards in Pomerol have similar soils. The Okanagan has them, too—only hardly anyone knows it.
Why doesn’t anyone in Europe know this?
Canada exports very little. This is not due to quality, but to quantity: Canadian wineries are small on average, production is limited, and the domestic market is large. What appears on wine lists in Germany is usually what is actively marketed. And unlike Australia, New Zealand, or Chile, Canada has not done so in Europe for a long time.
That’s changing. Slowly. And for everyone who gets in early, this is an opportunity.
What Surprised Me About Canadian Wine
I’ve tasted wines from Niagara and the Okanagan, and time and again I’ve found the same thing: they have a distinct character. They don’t taste like copies of European models. They don’t taste like an attempt to imitate Bordeaux or Burgundy. They have their own character—shaped by climate, soil, and a generation of winemakers who aren’t afraid to create something unique.
That’s exactly what makes Canadian wine so interesting.
Conclusion
Canada isn’t a wine-producing country? That’s not true. It’s just a wine-producing country that Europe hasn’t really discovered yet.
And that’s the best time to discover it.
Here at CD24, we carry a small, carefully curated selection of Canadian wines from Niagara and the Okanagan Valley—including a limited-edition BC Selection. If you’re interested, you can find our current selection in our shop.
