People often tell me they don’t like Ontario wines.
I understand where they’re coming from. Many Ontario vines are babies in the grand scheme of things. They haven’t had time to settle into the terroir and establish themselves, so the wines they produce may not be at the same level as Old World wines that have been around forever.
That said, there are many wineries in Ontario whose vines have been around long enough to make absolutely stellar wines. Today I am sharing four stunning Niagara wines, one from each wine group (sparkling, red, white, and rosé!). Let this be a reminder to all the skeptics that it’s time to try Ontario again.
Nyarai Cellars 2019 Folklore Sparkling*
I am obsessed with this sparkling white wine. We opened it for our recent socially distanced family gathering and it was hugely popular. No one could believe this was an Ontario sparkling.
This gorgeous wine by winemaker Steve Byfield is a nod to the struggles, hardships and sacrifices made by our ancestors. It’s the perfect gratitude wine (for this Thanksgiving weekend).
It’s an extremely pale yellow with fine bubbles, and has enticing aromas of yellow apple, pear, delicate apricot, white flower and a hint of brioche. The blend is made up of l’acadie blanc (a Canadian hybrid grape that does well in colder climates), chardonnay, muscat ottonel, sauvignon blanc, and the incredibly aromatic gewürztraminer, resulting in a dry sparkling with just a soupçon of sweet that comes across with notes of apricot and orange. Drink this on its own as an apéritif, or test its food friendliness with appetizers (prosciutto please!) and/or to celebrate any special occasion big or small.
Where to buy: Only 136 cases of this fabulous sparkler are available, so act fast. Stock up now for the holiday season (sorry to mention it). This virtual winery ships all across Ontario, so order directly online and be sure to mention Wining with Mel!
Price: $22.95
13th Street Gamay Vin Gris 2019*
As you know, I favour dry rosé styles, which can be hard to find in Ontario offerings. But this vin gris is a keeper!
What is vin gris, you ask? This is a type of rosé that uses white winemaking techniques, but with red grapes. In this case, the red grape is gamay, and it is pressed ever so gently on its skins, giving it a pale rosey hue. The aroma transports me right to Provence. On the palate it is completely dry, light and refreshing with notes of wild strawberry, herbs, apricot and minerality. This is exactly what I’m looking for in a rosé.
Where to buy: While many 13th Street wines are available at the LCBO, this one is only available directly from the winery. Hardcore rosé drinkers can even get it in a 1.5L magnum!
Price: $24.95 for the regular 750mL bottle, or $55 for the magnum.
Malivoire Gamay
Malivoire is a Niagara winery that is doing everything right. Winemaker Shiraz Mottiar is one of Ontario’s shining wine stars and his talent is evident in every bottle. The Malivoire Gamay is one of my favourite go-with-everything wines. It is light-bodied yet packs big flavour punch. At first it’s all strawberry, blackberry and soft cherry, but then there’s a hint of black pepper and racy acidity that keeps you coming back for another sip. Very seductive.
Pair this versatile wine with everything: pizza, smoked pork chops, salmon, even hard-to-pair asparagus! Keep this one in mind if we are ever allowed to do dinner parties again. Makes an excellent hostess gift.
Where to buy: While this bottle is currently $2 off at the LCBO right now, why don’t you buy straight from the winery and get a mixer pack to try something new. I recommend the Old Vines Foch!
Price: $19.95
Marynissen Unoaked Chardonnay 2016*
Looking for a super food-friendly, highly drinkable chardonnay? Look no further than this unoaked chard from Marynissen Estates. It’s light, crisp and elegant and tastes of green apple, lemon, minerality and a hint of pineapple. Like the Niagara version of Chablis. Except without the pricetag and snobbery. Perfect for fish and seafood, but dangerously crushable on its own.
Where to buy: Directly from the winery. Check out their online store here.
Price: $17.95
Bonus tip: If you’re buying a case, throw in a couple of bottles of Marynissen’s Bottoms Up Red. It’s an easy-to-love red blend that goes with any food you can think of, from Asian-style salmon to rare steak.
Buy Local – a reminder
Everyone is struggling in 2020, and Ontario wineries are no exception. I have read a ton of articles recently highlighting the challenges our local wineries are facing, and there are lots of petitions going around calling on the government to reduce taxes and fees for our local farmers (see below for examples).
At the beginning, I said that this was a reminder to try Ontario wines if it’s been a while. But let’s also try to buy them directly from the winery whenever possible. This is the best way to ensure they survive this god-awful year.
Some light reading
- http://www.grapegrowersofontario.com/1776
- https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/business/2020/09/03/pandemic-impact-on-wineries-weeks-away-vineland-estates-winery-president.html
- https://winesinniagara.com/2020/08/the-canadian-wine-industry-is-under-assault/
*Some of the wines above were generously provided as samples. No other compensation was provided and, as always, opinions are my own.
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Happy wining and hope you had a happy Thanksgiving weekend!