Key Takeaways:
- Canadian wine has experienced a significant increase in consumer interest and good-quality harvests in recent years.
- British Columbia’s grape harvest has recovered strongly from the 2024 frost, with above-average yields and high-quality red wine varieties.
- Sales of homegrown wines have increased by 56% over the past year, with local wineries hoping to leverage this surge into long-term growth.
- Top-quality Canadian wines are available from various regions, including Niagara, Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, and British Columbia.
- Recommended wines include sparkling wines, red wines, and rich and rewarding whites, showcasing the quality and diversity of Canadian wine production.
Introduction to Canadian Wine
Canadian wine has enjoyed a banner year, with increased consumer interest and good-quality harvests recorded in grape-growing regions across the country. The real excitement, however, came with the abundance and quality of the grape harvest in British Columbia, which signalled a strong recovery from the January 2024 frost that resulted in 95-per-cent crop loss. Resilient vines in the Okanagan and Similkameen produced a bumper crop in 2025 from above-average yields, particularly red wine varieties, inspiring a welcome wave of optimism for an industry that’s struggled with challenges from severe cold weather and wildfires in recent vintages.
Sales and Growth
Winemakers are also experiencing a significant boost in sales of homegrown wines, led by sales increases of 56 per cent over the past year provincewide, reported by the LCBO. Nine months after provinces removed American-made wines from store shelves, local wineries hope to leverage the sales surge into sustained long-term growth. This increase in sales is a testament to the growing popularity of Canadian wine and the industry’s ability to adapt to changing market conditions. With the removal of American-made wines from store shelves, Canadian wineries have an opportunity to fill the gap and establish themselves as a major player in the market.
Wine Recommendations
This week’s recommendations include a range of wines produced in Niagara, Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, and various wine regions in British Columbia. There are top-quality sparkling wines and satisfying red wines on offer rounded out by two rich and rewarding whites. Each is a credit to the quality of wines produced in Canada and a winning way to celebrate what’s to come. For example, the Cave Spring Riesling Icewine 2023 is a beautiful, sweet expression of the riesling grape from one of Niagara’s top specialist producers. The balanced and penetrating flavour suggests a mix of pear and apricot with passion fruit, pineapple, and honey notes that finish with a clean sweep of acidity.
Regional Wines
The Fort Berens Reserve Cabernet Franc 2022 from British Columbia’s Dry Creek Vineyard in Lillooet is a full-bodied cabernet franc that delivers a generous mix of savoury and fruity flavours as part of its complex and compelling character. The core of dark fruit is accented by spicy, earthy, and cedary notes. In contrast, the Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Estate Blanc de Blancs 2017 from Ontario is a top-of-the-line 100-per-cent chardonnay sparkling wine with a toasty, fresh, and focused character popularized by notable champagne houses. The style conveys a creamy texture to an expressive bubbly with lemon and green apple flavours that carry to a long, refreshing finish.
Sparkling Wines
Sparkling wines are also well-represented in the recommendations, with the Lightfoot & Wolfville Brut Rosé Sparkling 2021 from Nova Scotia being a standout. Made from a base wine that blends pinot noir and pinot meunier, with 11 months aging on its lees, this vibrant, fizzy wine offers a pleasing mix of cranberry, cherry, strawberry, and citrus zest flavours. The fresh and direct character of this Nova Scotia bubbly makes it best enjoyed with a meal. Another notable sparkling wine is the Township 7 Seven Stars Sirius Late Disgorged 2017, a leading producer of sparkling wine in Canada, which continues to expand on the potential of its flagship label, Sirius.
Red and White Wines
In addition to sparkling wines, there are also several excellent red and white wines recommended. The Domaine Le Clos Jordanne Clos de Kew Pinot Noir 2023 from Ontario is a new add-on to Le Clos Jordanne’s established single-vineyard lineup, made with wild fermentation and 18 months aging in French oak barrels, resulting in a ripe and bright expression of pinot noir. The Moon Curser Vineyards Malbec 2022 from British Columbia is a full-bodied and complex red wine with bold fruit and chocolate-y oak aromas and flavours. The Upper Bench Estate Winery & Creamery Estate Chardonnay 2022 from British Columbia is a rich and rewarding white wine with a buttery, creamy, and tropical style, featuring bold yellow apple, peach, pineapple, nutty, and honeyed flavours.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Canadian wine has experienced a significant increase in consumer interest and good-quality harvests in recent years. The sales of homegrown wines have increased by 56% over the past year, and local wineries are hoping to leverage this surge into long-term growth. With a range of top-quality wines available from various regions, including Niagara, Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, and British Columbia, there has never been a better time to explore the world of Canadian wine. Whether you prefer sparkling wines, red wines, or rich and rewarding whites, there is something for everyone in the world of Canadian wine.