By Rick VanSickle
When the Vintners Quality Alliance of Ontario was first envisioned in 1988 (and later proclaimed into law on June 29, 2000), it rendered hybrid grapes Public Enemy No. 1.
In that pivotal year, it was more lucrative for growers to accept the government’s offer for an extensive grapevine pull-out (hybrid grapes) and replacement program (vinifera) than to continue fuelling the wine industry that at the time was producing some pretty awful Canadian wine by a scant few large mega-wineries.
Up until that point, Ontario (mainly Niagara) was planted to a sea of labrusca grapes blended in industrial factories by a handful of giant-sized wine companies. They manufactured wines that made their companies — Andres, Barnes, Brights, Chateau-Gai, Jordan and Ste. Michelle Cellars, London Winery and Turner Wines — millions of dollars but did little to convince consumers that quality wines could be made in Canada.
Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser at Inniskillin and a few other wineries, including Chateau des Charmes and Cave Spring Vineyard — wanted to flip the script and make classic European styled wines from noble, vinifera grapes, a daunting task that needed many moving parts to pull it off. They were up for the fight, buoyed by three significant events, each occurring in 1988 — free trade with the U.S., the grapevine pull-out and replacement program, and the groundwork that led to the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) standard in Ontario.
The signing of the Free Trade Agreement in 1988, together with a ruling under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), meant Canada had to abandon the protection it offered its wine industry. While many of the big producers of the day felt threatened, a few new players responded by reaffirming their belief in their capacity to produce premium wines and redoubled their efforts to make it come to fruition.
To adjust to new trade rules and to better ensure competitive wines in the marketplace, Ontario and British Columbia growers, with the support of the federal and provincial governments, undertook a significant program to replace native grape varieties with vinifera. New vineyards were planted with Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and others.
The rest, as they say, is history. It has sputtered along like that for decades, not only because it was the right thing to do at the time, but also because of labelling and financial benefits for the wineries that used only VQA approved grapes. It also put Canada on the world wine map as it expanded its reach into the Europe, the U.S. and beyond with quality wines made from noble grapes.
But in recent years, hybrids have been creeping back onto the scene in what were once thought of as “marginal” grape growing regions now planting mostly hybrid grapes due to their winter hardiness. And more than a few of the young, innovative winemakers out there are making hybrid grapes cool again.
The wines made today from hybrid grapes are not the wines that pre-date VQA. These are well-crafted single variety and blended wines made by skilled winemakers, not for a bulk market, but for a dedicated clientele who would rather drink site specific wines than wines made with grapes imported from Niagara or elsewhere. And often, especially in marginal wine growing regions, that means hybrids.
All this sea change in attitudes and, quite frankly, quality, has made VQA ponder its vinifera-dominant list of approved grapes and begin inviting hybrids to the party beyond Baco Noir (which has found an eager audience thanks, mostly, to Henry of Pelham) and Vidal (you can thank icewine for its early inclusion). The list of approved grapes is long and can viewed here, but there is plenty of room to make way for even more hybrids as demand increases.
The government is set to give formal approval to four hybrid grapes that include Frontenac Noir, Frontenac Gris and Frontenac Blanc. The grape variety Hibernal would be moved to the list of hybrid varieties permitted to be used in varietally labelled hybrid wines. It’s a rubber stamp that should be granted by this fall.
Following on the heels of those approvals, Ontario’s Wine Appellation Authority, after consultation with VQA members, has proposed an expansion to the list of authorized grape varieties by adding 24 additional vinifera and hybrid varieties. This recommendation has been submitted to the government for review. The changes do not take effect until approved by the minister and won’t likely be finalized until early 2025.
The grape varieties recommended for addition, include:
Vitis Vinifera: Alicante Bouschet, Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato Giallo (Gold Muscat), Muscat D’Alsace, Petite Arvine, Rousanne, and Saperavi.
Hybrid varieties used to produce varietal wines (grape name appears on label): Cabernet Foch, Cabernet Jura. Cabernet Volos, Merlot Kanthus, Sauvignon Rytos, Soreli, Bianca, Crimson Pearl, Itasca, L’Acadie Blanc, Lucie Kuhlman, Muscat Osceolo, Petite Pearl, Regent, Rondo, and Traminette.
I’ve written lately about some lovely wines coming out of Quebec, where hybrids are embraced by local wine lovers and where it’s necessary to supplement the wine production there even if climate change is allowing for some vinifera to survive the winters. Notably, Vignoble Du PicBois, located in the heart of Brigham in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, is relatively new on the scene but already turning heads with its mix of Seyval Blanc, Marquette, and Vidal and also incorporating noble varieties such as Quebec’s first Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris.
More recently, I tasted three hybrid wines from Norfolk County’s Front Road Cellars at Blueberry Hill Estates. Winemaker Nick Vranckx’s vision for his small portfolio is to let each wine express its true character with minimal intervention in the cellar, whether it’s a noble variety, hybrid or blend of both. It’s a recipe for success that without the hybrids would just be a portfolio consisting mostly of wines from grapes grown somewhere else.
Here’s what I liked from Front Road Cellars:
Front Road Cellars House Party Phat Red 2022 ($22, 88 points) — First of all, the bottle art looks like a K-tel record cover with bright flashy colours and a “let’s party” vibe that sets the tone for the wine inside in the bottle. The back label is a further enticement: “It channels whipping around on rollerblades and late nights that turn into early mornings. It’s kinda like sneaking sips of mom’s wine cooler meets Dr. Pepper meets your favourite pair of acid wash jeans.” The blend is Cabernet Franc and Marquette (a hybrid that long ago was elevated to VQA status) that has a juicy nose of cassis, anise, savoury herbs, macerated cherries and cracked black peppercorns. It’s fairly robust on the palate with rich and savoury cassis, dark cherries, black licorice, jammy raspberries, herbs, a touch of smoke, pepper and spice all leading to a tangy, vibrant finish. Fun and delicious. The winemaker suggests serving it chilled; I tasted my sample room temperature.
Front Road Cellars Marquette 2022 ($24, 90 points) — This 100% Marquette spent 12 months in Canadian oak. I can’t admit to tasting a lot of Marquette, but of the ones I have, this is near the top of the list. It has a pleasant nose of plums, boysenberries, jammy blackberries, cassis and licorice with perfumy oak spice notes. It’s rich and pure on the palate and loaded with purple plums and dark berries, fennel seed, Cuban cigar tobacco, firm tannic structure and rich oak spice notes on a lifted finish.
Front Road Cellars Petite Pearl 2022 ($24, 89 points) — If all goes according to plan, Petite Pearl will be welcomed into the VQA club by this time next year. It’s grapes like this, developed to withstand our harsh Canadian winters, that allows emerging regions to flourish. This has a perfumed nose of black currants, black raspberries, plums, blueberry pie and mocha. It has some weight and tannic structure on the palate with a melange of red and dark berries, a touch of cedar smoke, plums, anise and a zippy, bright finish.
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