Vineyards from coast to coast

Where are the vines?

The vast majority of roughly 400 British Columbia wineries are concentrated in the Okanagan Valley and its neighbour to the west, the Similkameen Valley. The arid climate there is ideal for grape-growing. Vancouver Island also boasts several impressive estates. Vancouver Island is also home to a few producers, but since located on the other side of the Cascade Range, its climate is much more humid.

Worth the detour

Nestled in the shadow of steep mountainsides and overlooking beautiful lakes, the region’s wineries offer breathtaking panoramas. Some also had the neat idea of adding elegant restaurants that highlight locally sourced fresh products. Visitors are spoiled even further by the many resort towns nearby where they can enjoy beaches and water sports between strolls through the vines.

What’s to drink?

Okanagan is renowned for its expressive and tasty whites (Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, in particular). As for reds, there are fruity and vibrant Pinots, Bordeaux-style blends that can age gracefully for years in cellars, and astonishingly complex and powerful Syrahs.

Discover more wine from British Columbia

Where are the vines?

The Canadian wine industry first saw the light of day in the Niagara Peninsula. Now the region is home to some 90 of Ontario’s 150 wineries. The rest are mainly scattered through Prince Edward County (just west of Kingston) and along the north shore of Lake Erie near Windsor.

Worth the detour

Once in Niagara, you can’t not take a slight detour to visit the famous falls. Also a must is the charming Niagara-on-the-Lake with its lively downtown area teeming with shops and restaurants. In Prince Edward County, Sandbanks Provincial Park attracts scores of Quebecers every summer and the delectable farm-to-table food scene proliferates.

What’s to drink?

Ontario vintners favour four varieties that do particularly well in the province: Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. The first finds its fresh and mineral expression in Prince Edward County. The last offers an easygoing, distinct style in Niagara. Gamay grapes, too, are gaining in popularity.

Discover more wine from Ontario

Where are the vines?

While you see vines growing from Outaouais and Mauricie to Gaspésie and the Quebec City area, most wineries in Quebec are concentrated in the Eastern Townships and the Montérégie where grapes enjoy warmer days to achieve optimum ripeness. Since the first plantings, at the turn of the 1980s, local winegrowers have learned to master the particularities of a demanding climate and its regional variations.

Worth the detour

There are several Quebec wine routes, all suitable for day trips or weekend getaways. In addition to a handful of restaurants among the vines, many wineries offer picnic areas close to the vineyards – a nice way to relax as you sample estate products on the spot.

What’s to drink?

Quebec offers highly diversified wine styles. Some producers swear only by Vitis vinifera like Chardonnay, others prefer hybrids like Frontenac, Marquette, Vidal or Seyval. Hybrid red grapes make refreshing reds and excellent rosés, and you can confidently buy a number of tangy and aromatic whites.

Good to know

Contrary to what one might think, it is not the growing season that is more difficult for vines in Quebec, but the harshness of the winter climate. More sensitive grape varieties such as those of European origin find it difficult to resist our periods of intense cold regularly present in the white season. But our ingenious artisans have developed expertise and techniques that allow a greater diversity of grape varieties to adapt to them. This results in excellent quality products.

Discover more wine from Quebec