Origins of Wine in Canada

• Origins: Native grape varieties were already growing in Canada when European settlers arrived. From the seventeenth century onwards, they attempted to plant European vines, including for use by the Church, but harsh winters and a humid climate made the long-term cultivation of Vitis vinifera difficult.
• Early development: In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, small-scale vineyards were established, particularly in Ontario and Quebec. Winegrowers made extensive use of native grapes and later of hybrids, as these were more resistant to cold and disease than traditional European varieties.
• Setbacks: The climate remained the greatest constraint, while Prohibition in the early twentieth century further hindered the commercial wine industry. As a result, the emphasis for many years was on basic and fortified wines rather than high-quality wine.
• Revival: From the 1970s, and particularly during the 1980s, the modern Canadian wine industry began to take shape. Better site selection, modern winemaking techniques and the planting of suitable European grape varieties made high-quality production possible. Ontario, with the Niagara Peninsula, and British Columbia, with the Okanagan Valley, became the leading regions. Canada also gained international recognition for icewine, made from grapes that freeze naturally on the vine.