Just finished a crazy tasting of top Canadian microbrews. Top ones, http://t.co/WNT2JZjO, http://t.co/mgSu7ADf, http://t.co/yiK7BC2H
| 29 June 2011
Posted in
News
| Article Index |
|---|
| New In Tidings: What Defines Us? |
| features |
| à la carte |
| All Pages |
Page 1 of 3
It dawned on me after about the 50th time someone asked the inevitable question when visiting Niagara for the first time. It was during TasteCamp, an independent international wine bloggers conference that converged on Niagara for three days in May to explore a region most of the participants had never visited. They had come from as far away as New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Massachusetts, Indiana, Colorado, Nova Scotia and Quebec to share in the bounty of what Niagara has to offer. These bloggers, seasoned wine writers one and all, had that one question they asked at every winery they visited. “What defines Niagara’s style?”
They wanted to know our identity. After all, Bordeaux has their signature red and white blends, Burgundy is all about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, New Zealand is Sauvignon Blanc and Australia is Shiraz. It seems like every wine region has that one important defining grape or blend. So, what is ours? Ask Vineland Estates Winery, it’s Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Ask Flat Rock Cellars, it’s Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Ravine Vineyard? Merlot and Chardonnay. Southbrook Vineyards? Chardonnay. Inniskillin Winery? Icewine. Colaneri Estate Winery? It’s all about kiln-dried wines. Ask the question, you get a different answer at every winery. And is that so bad? Canada’s wine industry, much like the country itself, is all about the diversity of styles that are rooted in the soil from which they grow. To thrive in the Canadian wine industry means diversifying your portfolio. One of the TasteCamp participants made this observation about Canadian wine: “Stop trying to evoke Bordeaux and Burgundy. In Canada, terroir is alive and well. Soil geeks (are) making wine here.” And that was reflected in the trunks of the cars of TasteCamp participants as they left Niagara: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Gris, red blends, Gewürztraminer etc. This issue of Tidings is dedicated to Canadian wine, a winemaking nation that celebrates its diversity. Open a bottle and enjoy.