NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – There’s a good reason why Ontario wines stand up to any in the world.
The three grape-growing regions of southern Ontario lie in the heart of the world’s northern wine-producing area, between 30 and 50 degrees north of the equator.
The Niagara Peninsula area has a climate similar to Burgundy, France. Lake Erie North Shore compares to Bordeaux, France and Pelee Island is just slightly nearer the equator than Rome.
The climatic effects of lakes Ontario and Erie and the Niagara escarpment, a 30 to 50 metre-high ridge running through the peninsula, create microclimates, each with its own temperatures and air flow.
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It’s not too hot in summer or too cold in winter, making the region ideal for viticulture, or the growing of grapes.
Quality takes time
Ontario winemakers who belong to the Vintners Quality Alliance use classic European vinifera vines and hybrids instead of native North American labrusca grapes. The vines are at least five years old before they produce a significant crop.
The soil also plays a role in which type of vines will prosper.
Soils in the wine region are a mineral-rich mix of sand, gravel, loam and clay.
