Canada

Though Canada has produced wine commercially for many years, the industry really began to flourish in 1988 with the introduction of the Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA) appellation system which guarantees quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines.

Ontario (primarily Niagara Peninsula) and British Columbia (primarily Okanagan Valley) are responsible for 98 percent of quality wine production, though there is also a growing industry in Nova Scotia and Quebec. Currently there are more than 800 licensed wineries in the country producing an enormous range of grape varieties, wine styles and blends. Icewine is a specialty, since it can be produced virtually every year. In terms of dry wines, aromatic whites such as Riesling tend to be the specialty in Ontario but some excellent Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays have begun to be produced as well. Bordeaux varietals are the main focus in British Columbia.