Sweet Wine From Canada

Inniskillin Winery produces what some of us refer to as the "nectar of the gods," icewine. They produce other types of wine as well, but they have made their name by turning out some truly magnificent icewine. Grapes are plucked from the vines in the dead of the Canadian winter, when the grapes are literally frozen solid. There isn't much juice from a frozen grape, so it takes quite a few of them to make this wine. And, the juice is highly concentrated. The Inniskillin folks call their icewine "winter's gift to wine lovers."

Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the historic Brae Burn Estate, Inniskillin is Canada's first estate winery, and they have been producing world-renowned icewines from grapes grown in the Niagara Peninsula since 1984. The Vidal grapes used in this bottle - they also make icewine from Cabernet Franc and Riesling - are a hybrid variety, a mating of Ugni Blanc and Seibel.

The 2019 Inniskillin Gold Vidal Icewine VQA Niagara Peninsula carries alcohol at a low 9.5% abv and sells for a high $80 in the 375 ml bottle.

This wine has a rich, gorgeous, golden color. The nose gives a massive whiff of apricots and hints of assorted tropical fruit. The palate is a dessert lover's delight, unctuous and creamy with sweet flavors of apricot, pineapple and apple tart. The acidity is fine, if not a match for steak. Try it with a soft cheese, or even with a hard cheese. It will also pair well with fruit pies. Delicious and dreamy. 

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Canadian Sweetness

Inniskillin bills itself as Canada's original estate winery, founded back in the 1980s. The winery stakes out the breadth of Canada, with locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.

The wine we have here is their 2017 Icewine, made from Vidal grapes. Icewine, if you are not familiar with it, is made from grapes which are harvested so late in the season that they are frozen. Nicholas Gizuk is the Winemaker at the Niagara location, and he produces several icewines, Vidal (oaked and unoaked), Riesling, Cabernet Franc and sparkling styles. Alcohol in the Vidal sits at 9.5% abv, while a 375 ml bottle sells for about $50.

This dessert wine has a lovely, rich golden tint. The nose offers candied apricot and honey, while the palate shows that yummy stone fruit and a touch of citrus, along with plenty of acidity.

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Rich, Robust Red Wine From Canada's Niagara Peninsula

The wines of California are what I am usually awash in, so the opportunity to taste wine from Canada doesn’t happen very often for me.  I have my good friend Kevin Johnson to thank for this one.  In a previous life for both of us, Kevin was the best damn music director a radio station ever had, and I don’t say that simply because he sends me wine from his travels in the northern realm.  It is nice to be thought of kindly, and I think of Kevin that way very often.

When I think of Canadian wine, I think of icewine - even though I know there is more to it than that.  This is a table wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake, a beautiful place I visited once and would love to see again.  The wine is the Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Reserve Rich and Robust Red VQA Niagara Peninsula 2012.

Even in that lengthy monicker, the term "VQA" does rather jump out.  What does “VQA” mean?  It stands for “Vintners Quality Alliance,” and is a regulatory and appellation system similar to France’s AOC or Italy’s DOC.  Further sub-appellations allow for the different terroirs of Canada to be more specifically identified.  Jackson-Triggs Winery is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, within the Niagara Peninsula - Canada’s largest wine appellation.

The Jackson-Triggs name is a blend of the winery founders’ names, Allan Jackson and Don Triggs.  They established the winery in 1993.  Winemaker Marco Piccoli has worked in Italy, Germany and Argentina, and claims to infuse a bit of himself in each of his wines.

The Jackson-Triggs Rich and Robust Red is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.  On the Jackson-Triggs website, an explanation is given that the winery makes both Syrah and Shiraz.  The distinction comes down to New World vs Old World, with Shiraz being the version with the bigger, bolder fruit-forward experience.

The fruit for this wine is from the Delaine Vineyard, in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula.  Oak aging is carried out over six months in French and American oak barrels.  Alcohol is restrained, at 13.5% abv and the wine retails for $14.

The dark wine has a medium feel in the mouth, with prickly tannins.  A nose of blackberry and cassis jumps from the glass, while on the palate the fruit is forward as well.  Notes of dark berries and black pepper are graced with a touch of vanilla oak.  The finish is rather tart, with a peppery flavor lingering.  Ultimately, this red blend does not taste like world class wine, but it does deliver enough to keep afloat the expectations of a Cab/Syrah blend for under $15.


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