Wonderful Ontario White Wine
If you're looking to get started in exploring Ontario wines, there is no better place to begin than with white wine — especially in the summer. Even avid wine fans seek out the great white wine offerings found throughout Ontario's wine regions. We chose to start off with white wine because Ontario produces exceptional whites throughout our province's wineries. Red might statistically be the favoured wine choice, however we'd be remiss to not point you in the direction of some of Ontario's finest whites.
Chardonnay
Most well-known and grown in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario Chardonnay is even host to a whole celebration weekend every July. Looking at the world of Cool Climate Chardonnay, i4C is a great time to take in all that Ontario Chardonnay has to offer the wine world. Though the event just passed, it occurs every year and is a great way to learn and drink all things Chardonnay. Being the most planted varietal in the province, it's no surprise that Ontario Chardonnay is an important inclusion when discovering Ontario whites. Chardonnay thrives in limestone and clay soil, so the Ontario terroir is a great match for growing. Its hardiness is also key in allowing Chardonnay grapes to thrive in the cooler conditions found throughout our province, and is why the chillier conditions in Prince Edward County allow for more Chardonnay vines to be growing. Some excellent Chardonnay we have enjoyed recently has included the Stratus 2017 Weather Report Chardonnay and Rosewood 2015 Renaceau Chardonnay.
Riesling
As one of Europe's most hardy grapes, it is no surprise that this is one of the earliest grown varietals in Ontario. Since we lay at similar latitude as central Europe where Riesling thrives, our vineyard lands have readily taken on growing Riesling grapes. Much of the vines grown here started with an imported clone from Germany's Mosel Valley. One thing setting Ontario's thriving Riesling business apart is that you can commonly find Riesling throughout Ontario being turned into Ice Wine, due to its high acidity, level of sweetness, citrus notes, and minerality. However, Ice Wine isn't the only way to enjoy Ontario Riesling. Plenty of Ontario wineries have Riesling in their repertoire, making it easy for anyone to enjoy! An Ice Wine recently featured that many Kwaf members enjoyed was from Pondview and was an excellent example of Ontario Ice Wine.
Pinot Gris
Similar to Chardonnay, Pinot Gris thrives when it is grown in cooler climates. This lends itself well to the terroir of Ontario and is why many growers choose to include Pinot Gris in their Ontario vineyards. Generally a well-loved white wine, Pinot Gris is typically medium-to-full bodied with balanced acidity and mild sweetness when grown here. Combined with the ideal growing conditions found throughout Ontario, it's no wonder winemakers love sharing bottles of Pinot Gris. We are loving Fielding Estate Winery's 2018 Estate Bottled Pinot Gris, which you can find in our Fielding Dock Pack!
Ontario White Wine For the Win!
Enjoy the rest of your summer that much more by tasting and sharing some amazing white wine from Ontario. We know you'll be happy to broaden your wine horizons by exploring something new. Or if you're a longtime Ontario white wine fan, we're sure you've already enjoyed a few bottles to welcome in the warmer months!