UPDATED: A giant of the Canadian wine industry has passed away: Paul-Michel Bosc

By Rick VanSickle

A legend in the Canadian wine industry has sadly passed away, the family of Paul-Michel Bosc announced in Instagram tonight.

“Regrettably we must share the news of the peaceful passing of our founder Paul Michel Bosc,” a statement from the St. David’s winery in Niagara said. “A fifth generation French-born winegrower and Egyptian Arabian horse breeder, Mr. Bosc was not only a pioneer in the Canadian wine industry but also one of the most influential farmers of his time. Our profound condolences go out to Paul-André, Pierre-Jean and Alex.”

Wines in Niagara spoke to Bosc’s son, Paul Jr. (above with dad) about the passing. He said Bosc Sr., 88, was still involved with the winery, still driving, and getting groceries on his own up until a few weeks ago when he took a turn for the worse. “He was still sharp.”

Bosc Jr. said he worked closely with winemaker Amélie Boury and would always find always to contribute until only recently. “He would find ways to help right until the end,” Bosc Jr. said.

“My dad was never one of those people who scanned the field from 40,000 feet up. He was a doer, a reactor to the challenges of farming. He just rolled up his sleeves and solved problems. His temperament was well suited to his way of life. This was what he was born to do.”

Boury (above with Bosc), who was in France when she heard the sad news, told Wines in Niagara, “I loved him so much. Paul and I had a truly special relationship since we met in 2011. What started as a mentorship grew into a grandfather-granddaughter relationship. I have always had so much respect for all his accomplishments in the wine and viticulture industry. Im forever grateful for all the knowledge and stories he passed and engraved in me. It is an honour to have gained his trust over the years and carry his legacy within his vineyard and wines.”

Wine writer Tony Aspler, who has likely written about Paul Bosc more than other journalist covering the Canadian wine industry, said: “Paul Bosc Sr. was a pioneer of the modern Ontario wine industry who pointed the way for many of today’s celebrity winemakers. He was uncompromising in his quest for quality in both viticulture and winemaking. I remember many years ago when he took me into his original vineyard and showed me a Gamay vine that stood out from the rest of the block because of its size. He said, ‘I’m going to take cuttings from that vine and propagate them.’ That’s how he created his Gamay Noir Droit which would become Canada’s first native vinifera vine. Rest in peace, Paul. You have left behind a remarkable legacy.”

Another veteran wine scribe, Evan Saviolidis, said: “The industry owes a debt of gratitude to Paul Sr. which can never be repaid! He was there before Inniskillin, icewine and VQA. Awards/accolades were never his thing. It was all about the vineyard, science and quality of the wine produced. Without him the industry would not be where it is today. RIP Paul!”

Veteran Vineland Estates winemaker Brian Schmidt  also reacted to the news. “Like so many others I am saddened to hear about the loss of one of our fathers. The life of Paul Bosc Sr. was remarkable in so many ways. He was farmer, a scientist and  an artist who did nothing in half measure. He was always seeking knowledge and was always ready to exchange thoughts and ideas. His wine he will be remembered by many, however,  those that knew him well will remember Paul Bosc Sr. for his scientific approach to grape growing . His vineyards have always been and are the envy of all grape growers. When travelling to Niagara-on-the Lake I would always go out of my way to drive past his vines. I would do so for inspiration (the Bosc Vineyards are always immaculate) but also as as guide. The warmth of St. David’s would always allow the vineyards to be about 10 days ahead of our vines in Vineland. If Mr. Bosc had completed a task and I could see it, I would know I have only a matter of days before I must complete the same task. In this respect, I followed Mr. Bosc, both literally and figuratively. Mr. Bosc was always ahead of his time and he plowed a way for so many including me. May he rest in peace knowing he has made a profound impact during his remarkable life.”

Bosc was a fifth-generation French winegrower who graduated from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France with degrees in viticulture and oenology. His wines have been awarded medals at numerous national and international wine competitions.

He has also been the recipient of many honours including a doctorate from Brock University, The Order of Ontario, The Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, the inaugural Canadian Vintners Association Award of Distinction and The Order of Canada; all for his significant contributions to the modern Canadian wine industry. In 2011 Paul was awarded the LCBO Special Recognition Award and in 2017 the Grape Growers of Ontario Award of Merit.

The showpiece Château des Charmes was founded in 1978 by Bosc. He and his young family arrived in Niagara in the 1960’s with the idea that growing his own grapes was the best way to make fine wine. “More than ever, we believe in this estate winery model and we make our wine only from grapes we’ve grown ourselves.”

Bosc believed then and always believed, that “we are custodians of the land. From the beginning we have been committed to using sustainable practices and are charter members of sustainable winegrowing Ontario.”

With more than 45 vintages “in our vineyards we think we now know which varieties grow best in which spot. But there is always more to learn. We believe our ground-breaking research with unique grape varieties will blaze a trail to the future of our industry.”

In an interview with Wines in Niagara in 2011, Bosc, 75 at the time, was the mentor, winemaker, viticulturalist and visionary of Chateau des Charmes. His family was exiled from their own country of Algeria during the 1960’s civil war just because they were part of the French minority in a Muslim country. The family was forced to flee to France, then decided to seek calmer political waters and came to Canada, to Quebec, and finally ended up in Niagara. Bosc, educated in viticulture and oenology, quickly found a job with the Chateau Gai wine company, and stayed for 15 years before deciding to go it alone with his son, Paul Jr. and family and began building Chateau des Charmes. Paul senior was the winemaker, while Paul Jr. was the businessman. Together, along with Paul-Andre Bosc’s wife, Michele, the marketer (sadly deceased), they established and grew Chateau des Charmes as one of Niagara’s most important wineries both historically and today, as Niagara as grown into a world-class wine destination.

Wines in Niagara: How did you get your start in the industry?

Paul Bosc: It was something I was born into. I watched my grandparents work in the vineyards with the grapes. It was something that stayed with me until this day. So, I decided to follow in that direction because it was my intent to buy into that property that I loved. So, I went to agricultural school where I learned agriculture and viticulture. After that I became the manager of a large co-op in the village where I was born so that was my occupation until we got kicked out of Algeria and we went back to France and then to Canada. I was hired by Chateau Gai wines and worked for them for 15 years as winemaker and then director of research and development. Then I decided to go on my own. So, it wasn’t that I decided to go into the agricultural business. It was something I was born with.

WIN: What was your big break?

Bosc: My big break was that I quit a very good job to go on my own, let’s put it that way. That would be my big break. At the time people thought the guy was out of his mind, the guy is quitting his job to go out on his own and grow the kind of grapes he wants to grow … (he’ll) be out of business in two years. That was 32 years ago. It takes a country like Canada to allow somebody like me to do what I’ve done. I don’t think going back to France I could have had the impact in one region that I had here.

WIN: Tell me about the moment you knew you’d made it – that you were going to be successful – as a winemaker?

BOSC: You are never 100% sure. You know that the potential is there. There is always something that could not work out. But I knew we were going to be successful when … I started winning a lot of medals internationally. I knew when we started, we could make better wines in this country, compared to what we had, using different grapes. With different grapes we could make better wines, but I didn’t know we could make such good wines. And today I’m convinced that we are as good as anyone else in the world. People in France at one time had the exclusivity. I would say, today, not anymore. They might have this wonderful reputation but sometimes when you compare product with product you see that they are not alone anymore. There are other people in the world who are producing (wines just) as good.

WIN: When it comes to winemaking, what is your passion?

Bosc: My passion is to be on the scientific side part of it. It’s all know-how and putting it all together to produce either icewine or sparkling wine or red table wine. It’s to know that you’re using the very best methods and know-how to produce that particular wine. It’s not ‘oh, the guy’s an artist’ … no, that’s not good enough. You have to have more than being an artist. That’s the way I look at winemaking. It’s something that every year you get more passionate about because you acquire more knowledge and you never stop learning and studying, even at my age, you keep reading all the time and trying different things. It’s something that grabs you and doesn’t let you go.

WIN: What do you want people to remember about your wines?

Bosc: I want people to remember that it’s genuine wine. It’s classic in every category. If it’s chardonnay, it’s distinctive chardonnay but typical chardonnay. Not chardonnay that doesn’t taste like chardonnay. I want to stay within the profile of the varietal. And if it’s a Bordeaux blend well, you know, what is a Bordeaux blend? It’s something that tastes like one of the best Bordeaux. It’s simple. I remember way back then, we were arguing at the (Vineland) research station about the style of wines and I remember one of the scientists there saying, ‘well, we were calling our wines Burgundy and Claret … what should a Burgundy wine taste like, afterall?’ I said, ‘afterall, if you call it Burgundy at least it should taste like a Burgundy.’ I wanted to make our wines in the classic style, what those wines should be. If you make a Bordeaux, it should taste like a Bordeaux. If you tell me my chardonnay tastes better than a chardonnay from one of the countries where chardonnay is produced, well, you’re not going to flatter me much. But if you tell me that it tastes like one of the best Burgundy chardonnays then I’m happy about it because that’s the way chardonnay should be.

WIN: What are your hopes for the future of your winery, say 30 or 50 years down the road?

Bosc: My hope would be that we acquired international recognition like some of the great French estates. Already internationally we are known but my hope would be that when you talk about Chateau des Charmes 50 years from now you talk about it the same way you would talk about Chateau Palmer or any of those chateaux in France which have an international reputation. And I think it could be done here with our icewines, which are unique, so it could be done. But it took the French a lot more time than it took us to be where we are today. They are ahead of us by 200 or 300 years.

WIN: Is there anyone in the wine industry — dead or alive — that you wish you could work with? Why?

Bosc: People like (Professor Jean) Ribereau-Gayon, the father of the new oenology, and his colleague, a great, great oenologist, Emile Peynaud. They have been, for me, an inspiration. As a matter of fact they have written beautiful books. That is where I acquired my scientific side. I work with their ideas because I always bought their books. Ribereau-Gayon was president of the university of Bordeaux, which was in his family for three generations.

WIN: What do you do when you’re not making wine?

Bosc: Until very recently (a year ago at age 74) I was riding horses. And that’s pretty well it. When I was a kid what attracted me was grapes, trees and animals. At one time I wanted to become a veterinarian but I thought that was going to take me too long. I have five Egyptian Arabian horses.

WIN: What are your thoughts on organic/biodynamic farming?

Bosc: We are partially organic and have always been the past 30 years. But, if my vineyards have some red mites, you’ve got to spray a miticide. There’s nothing else you can do to stop them from propagating. So, at that point I disagree. If you want to be 100% organic you’ve got to let it go. Taking care of a vineyard is just like taking care of an animal. You’ve got to make sure it’s in good health, make sure that it grows and does not suffer. So that’s why we are not trying to declare ourselves organic. I can’t have and mildew in my vineyards, I can’t have any red mites, I can’t have any berry moths. This affects the quality of the fruit so much that it is not something that I could accept. If somebody wants to do it that way, that’s fine. But, you know what, their vineyards aren’t going to last 30 years. Although we are 75% organic, I don’t want to try to be 100% because I don’t want my vineyards to suffer.