Among the Best
With more than 125 wineries dotting the Ontario landscape, it's hard to fathom where the industry would be if not for the risks taken by a handful of wine pioneers.
Despite the doubts of many, these wine visionaries pressed on and can today be credited with putting the province on the map as one of the world's best wine growing regions.
Described as the founding fathers of Canadian wine - Karl Kaiser and Donald Ziraldo created Inniskillin in 1975, making it the first to receive a winery license since prohibition in 1929. Not only did both help pave the way for the industry but also stunned many in wine circles by winning the prestigious Grand Prix d-Honneur at Vinexpo in Bordeaux in 1991 for their 1989 VIdal Icewine. Today, Ontario Icewine is sought after by people around the globe.
Other early notables include Paul Bosc, founder of Chateau des Charmes; Joseph Pohorly of Newark Winery (later to become Hillebrand); Herbert Konzelmann of Konzelmann Estates; John Marynissen of Marynissen Estates and Klaus Reif of Reif Estate Winery. Each possess their own approach to winemaking, but all shared the hope of one day making Ontario a word synonymous with award-winning, high quality wine.
Many years later, that hope has become reality. Ontario's wines are recognized globally and have quickly earned their place among the world's best.
IT'S IN THE EARTH
To produce great wines, you must start with great grapes and Ontario is blessed to be located in the middle of the northern grape growing belt - one of two geographical growing regions in the world. It is in these areas where the right combination of sun, rain and temperature help to produce wines with a perfect mixture of sweetness, complexity and acidity.
Considered a "cool climate region," means that Ontario-grown grapes offer more concentrated flavours and balanced acidity. And because soil plays such an integral role in the quality of the grapes, Ontario also boasts outstanding viticultural areas which offer four different basic soils including:
- Glacial Till (mix of clay, silt, sand and gravel or large stone)
- Clay Loam
- Sandy Loam
- Silty Clay
Given Ontario's perfect locale, it's easy to see why those early visionaries stay true to their beliefs that it could be done. Certainly, they are the ones laughing now, all the while holding up a glass of Ontario award-winning wine.