Top Ten Canadian Wines

While the modern birth of local wine came only seven years after the first official celebrations of Canada Day in 1990, our propensity for understatement, our inherent politeness and our deferential marketing style, vis a vis the rest of the wine world, has come and gone over the last quarter-century. At home, we are ready to move to a bigger stage a full 25 years since a handful of pioneers first embraced the concept of 100 percent made in B.C. wine that would become known as Vintners Quality Alliance or VQA wines. Of course, we know this only guarantees source of the grape, and has zero bearing over quality of the wines - that's why we're here to guide you. 

There are a still few final bits and pieces to the international wine puzzle yet to fall into place but the time and those moves are near at hand. As we close in on 300 wineries in B.C., we have the critical mass and the momentum to make a move to jumpstart the next generation.

To toast to our nation’s birthday, we’re doing a special Top Ten, with a selection of our best Canadian wines tasted since July 1, 2014. Availability is variable, and the best place to start is online at the winery. Keep in mind that some of these wines may now be onto the new vintage. 

Enjoy Canada Day with whatever Canadian wine you like, because they have never been better. Finally a big shout out to my good American friend and fabulous photographer George Rose who has made Canada Day his personal mission for years. George supplied the Toronto shot above but is shooting the lights out in his chosen Canadian stop this year the city of Montreal. You can follow George’s Montreal trip and his amazing wine country photography at https://www.facebook.com/george.rose.94?fref=ts.

91. Stag's Hollow Grenache 2013
Okanagan Valley, BC
$30
The 2012, a personal favourite, grabbed a solid silver at the WineAlign Nationals but in year two this rare grenache offering, with a pinch of syrah, is making a case for more vines in the south Okanagan. You will love the ripe cherry fruit aromas laced with pepper and the almost sweet spicy strawberry flavours that carry the mid-palate and the silky finish. Savoury delicious almost umami-like red with ripe red fruit all over. Go Dwight. Paella anyone? The blend is 92 percent grenache from Kiln House Vineyard, West Bench, Penticton and Hearle Vineyard, East Bench, Osoyoos with 8 percent syrah also from Hearle Vineyard, East Bench, Osoyoos. AG.

91. Haywire Chardonnay Canyonview Vineyard Raised in Concrete 2013
Okanagan Valley, BC
$23
First whiff conjures up herb and salt roasted wild chicken. My mouth waters before I even put anything in it. These savoury dried herbs and scrubby meadow bush aromas last through the lingering finish, carrying a creamy, potent palate of desert citrus, herb-laced pear, musk melon, stony, savoury lees and fine spices. Fermentation with wild yeast and in concrete tank amps up the complexity and mouthfeel exponentially, and low vintner intervention allows this terraced vineyard's terroir to shine. Alert: this doesn't taste like chardonnay. It tastes like Canyonview. Well done. Serve slightly chilled and pair with that herb trussed poultry, naturally. TR.

91. Tawse Winery Riesling Icewine 2013
Niagara Peninsula, ON
$35 for 200ml
This heady and potent icewine shows concentrated lime cordial, apricot pit, brown butter and savoury whiffs of salt, lending interest and intrigue. Acidity is easily fresh enough to carry the silken palate of richly honeyed fruit, while citrus close out the very lengthy finish. Try with foie gras. TR.

91. LaStella Fortissimo 2012
Okanagan Valley, BC
$35
Fortissimo is said to be a nod to Tuscany, not so much for the style but the fact that they challenged the traditions of earlier Italian winemaking. In 2012 it boasts its highest ever percentage of cabernet franc at 38 percent in addition to 39 percent merlot, 17 percent cabernet sauvignon and finally six percent sangiovese grosso most of which spends time in large format puncheons (35 percent new) of Hungarian/Slavonian oak. It is fragrant on the nose with a beautiful savoury south Okanagan streak that feeds into its silky textures and black cherry fruit. Love the elegance and styling. This will age effortlessly for a decade. Bravo. AG-ST.

91. Little Farm Winery Rosé 2013
Similkameen Valley, BC
$25
Best BC wine I've tasted this year? Absolutely a contender. I kept this wine in my fridge for a few days, and it kept getting better and better. It was delicious when chilled, and when the glass warmed up. A winner with food, and without. Stood out when blind tasted. Every which way, this wine shone just a rosé should: pure, bright, characterful and vibrant. This single vineyard, 100% cabernet franc beauty should be your go-to pink this year (if you can find it - only a scant 170 cases). A very pale peach hue, this opens with wild strawberry, subtle spice and tangerine aromas. The bone dry palate teems with fragrant cherries, light lees, dried sage and dusty, stony spice. Impressive depth of flavour for such a light wine. TR.

92. Laughing Stock Vineyards Syrah +9/10 2012
Okanagan Valley, BC
$36
What a difference some sunshine makes. Exquisite floral, tangerine skin, meaty, savoury, licorice nose with coffee, chocolate, vanilla, gingerbread and leather aromas. Dry, full, round, chewy palate with some grainy tannins and a bit of heat. Meaty, peppery, gamey, black licorice, smoky coffee, ginger, savoury, poultry spice and prune flavours. Very warm, full finish with lots of fruit and oak. Needs 2-4 years to integrate. An excellent bottle with a bright future the best yet from the Enns family at a very reasonable price. AG-ST

93. Quails' Gate Chardonnay Rosemary's Block 25th Anniversary 2012
Okanagan Valley, BC
$30
Rosemary's Block Chardonnay was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary at Quails Gate but the single block selection made by winemaker Nikki Callaway deserves to be made more than once every quarter century. There's eighty cases, sold only at the winery, and likely only to wine club members. This is one elegant chardonnay with a beautiful bouquet of citrus, hazelnuts, freshly stirred lees, bread dough and toasted oak all in perfect unison. The acidity shines throughout as does the minerality and cool northern apple pear chardonnay fruit. There is a smidgeon of oak showing through on the finish but that will dissipate in time as this wine ascends the maturity ladder. Delicious. Should be made in the best years going forward. AG-ST

91. Benjamin Bridge Brut Méthode Classique 2009
Gaspereau Valley, NS
$50
The 2009 Brut is a serious traditional method sparkler, made from decidedly untraditional grapes: l'acadie, chardonnay and seyval. Hints of honey, citrus and mineral on the nose lead to a crisp and vibrant citrus and mineral-driven palate. Bone dry and shimmering with concentrated lime and grapefruit zest, stony minerality and a well-earned patina of lees and biscuit before melting into a lengthy finish. This wine has spent 3 years on the lees and was disgorged last August. We're talking benchmark Canadian bubble here, an ultra-premium one, and yes - from Nova Scotia. Drinking fantastically now, but will continue to gain complexity in the years to come. TR

91. Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars Reserve Pinot Noir 2012
Okanagan Valley, BC
$40
A very consistent performer with bright floral, strawberry jam, plum, leather, vanilla, coffee, tobacco and barnyard aromas flecked with a touch of game and dried herbs. The attack is dry, fresh, elegant and round with light tannins and more carrot top, strawberry jam, orange peel, tobacco, vanilla, cedar, Worcestershire sauce and savoury raspberry flavours. Finely balanced and supple, should age well for two to seven years but delicious now. The Reserve Pinot Noir (formerly Stripe Label) is normally release at the end of April, you can also find this wine in magnums at the winery. AG-ST

91. Terravista Fandango 2013
Okanagan Valley, BC
$25
That's right. Albariño and Verdejo. From Naramata Bench. That right there is worthy of a fandango. This is the third vintage of this blend, singular in Canada, and it keeps getting better. Orange blossom, lime, greengage entice into a full and rich palate of herbal-kissed fruit: ripe white peach, peach fuzz, clementine,  pear, honeydew and spice. This is a big, expansive wine (14% alcohol) with fervent intensity, but the juicy white grapefruit pith acidity keeps it lively and balanced. Full and complex enough to take on proteins - think sablefish or scallops or poultry. TR