Ontario's Wine Regions
- Lake Erie North Shore (LENS)
Location: LENS spans Lake Erie’s shoreline between Amherstburg and Leamington, at Ontario’s southwestern tip.
Climate: A southerly location and warming breezes that blow off the lake’s shallow waters create ripe fruit with a good balance between sweetness and acidity.
Soil: Well-drained sandy loam and gravel, over a limestone bedrock base.
Common grapes: Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
Did you know? LENS has the longest growing season of any Ontario viticultural area; the harvest often begins in August. - Pelee Island
Location: Canada’s most southerly point, this small island sits in Lake Erie, 20 km offshore near the Canada-US border.
Climate: Lake breezes mean cool winters with warm springs, summers and falls, allowing for a long growing season.
Soil: Sandy loam and clay over a limestone bedrock base.
Common grapes: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo (the latter is unusual in Ontario)
Did you know? Canada’s first commercial winery was established on Pelee Island in 1866. - Niagara Peninsula
Location: The Niagara Peninsula stretches from Grimsby in the west to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the east, with Lake Ontario defining its northern border.
Climate: Often sun-soaked, Niagara is home to a variety of microclimates that are alternately warmed and cooled (depending on the season) by breezes blowing off the lake.
Soil: Generally clay, silt and sand, although the soil here varies greatly among appellations, resulting in distinct variations in wines made with the same varietal.
Common grapes: Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc
Did you know? The Niagara Peninsula is Canada’s largest viticultural area, with 14,000 acres planted in 10 sub-appellations. - Prince Edward County
Location: Ontario’s most northerly appellation sits near Belleville, at the eastern end of Lake Ontario in the Bay of Quinte.
Climate: Most of the vineyards in “The County” (as its known by locals) are on a blustery peninsula surrounded by water, which translates into cooling summer breezes.
Soil: Stony, well-drained soil means vines grow deeper, resulting in small yields of grapes with concentrated flavours.
Common grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Did you know? In winter, many Prince Edward County winemakers bury their vines in the soil to shield them from the extreme cold.
In our bi-weekly Release Catalogue, we highlight premium wines from local producers in alternating features:
