Ontario’s Wine Appellations VQA Ontario Ontario’s Wine Appellations Ontario’s Appellations of Origin

Defining Appellation of Origin Often referred to as an "expression of place”, wine has been associated with its point of origin for hundreds of years The origin and ”terroir" - the combination of location, soil, topography and climate has a direct influence on both the character and quality of wine grapes In Ontario, appellations have been defined relatively recently, recognizing distinct local conditions and the diversity and experiences of a growing local wine industry Ontario’s greatest wines are wines of origin, each having a distinctive personality and style that promise an enjoyable wine experience Ontario’s Wine Appellations Ontario’s Appellations of Origin

VQA Ontario Ontario’s Wine Authority VQA Ontario VQA Ontario is Ontario’s wine authority, a regulatory agency that is responsible for appellation control, quality standards and label integrity VQA appellations and associated standards for wine production, testing and labelling are defined in law and are independently audited to ensure compliance VQA Ontario recognizes that consumers rely on label information, in particular appellation, to help them identify authentic wines that reflect local conditions. The regulated appellation control ensures that claims of origin are meaningful and accurate. VQA Ontario also regulates certain other terms such as Icewine, Late Harvest and Meritage All VQA wines are made from 100% Ontario grapes and must be certified to carry an appellation claim

Wine Growing in Ontario Wine grapes are grown in a relatively small band across southern Ontario where the southerly latitude and Great Lakes provide a favourable climate Located between 41 and 44 degrees latitude, Ontario’s appellations are similarly situated to many of the classic cool climate wine regions in the world With warm summers and cold but tolerable winters, Ontario has an ideal combination to ripen grapes during the growing season and also produce intensely flavoured Icewines from a winter harvest Local conditions in each appellation dictate the range of grape varieties and wine styles Ontario’s Terroirs Ontario’s Appellation Vineyards

Ontario’s Appellations Ontario has so far identified three primary appellations of origin or “Viticultural Areas”: Niagara Peninsula Shaped by the natural wonders of the Niagara Escarpment and Niagara Falls, the Niagara Peninsula provides ideal cool-climate conditions for wine growing. Its diversity has resulted in the identification of 10 sub-appellations Prince Edward County Bordering Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte, this appellation is surrounded by water and features a rich terroir dominated by stoney soils Lake Erie North Shore Stretching along the warm, shallow waters of Lake Erie, vines in this southerly appellation enjoy the most sunshine in Canada, providing excellent ripening conditions and full bodied wines Ontario’s Primary Appellations Viticultural Areas The Niagara Peninsula Lake Erie North Shore Prince Edward County

Appellation Overview Located at a latitude of approximately N42° and stretching along the bow- shaped shoreline of Lake Erie, including Pelee Island, from Amherstburg to south of St Thomas, the Lake Erie North Shore appellation encompasses the vineyards in the southwestern extremity of Ontario With no major topographic barrier to the prevailing southwesterly winds this appellation enjoys the full effect of the lake breeze that moderates the entire area during the growing season This favourable southerly location, combined with the warming effect of the shallow waters of Lake Erie, allows this appellation to enjoy a long growing season and promotes ripe fruit with a perfect balance between natural sweetness and acidity STATISTICS GROWING DEGREE DAYS (AVG.): 1476 FROST FREE DAYS: 172 (-2º) JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE: 22° GROWING SEASON: April to October PRECIPITATION: 544mm (growing season) COMMON VARIETALS: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Riesling PRODUCTION (2013 REPORTING YEAR): 30,109 (9L cases) NUMBER OF APPELLATION WINES: 63 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 15 Lake Erie North Shore Cool lake breezes, abundance of sunshine, ripe fruit with good balance PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY NIAGARA PENINSULA LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE

Appellation Overview Prince Edward County is located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just south of Belleville, and encompasses the County, Amherst Island and a narrow strip of land to the north On the northern and eastern shorelines high rocky bluffs rise to an elevation of a hundred feet or more while the western shore has many inlets with sandy shores and large sand bars which define bodies of water such as West Lake and East Lake Prevailing southwesterly breezes travel steadily across the Bay of Quinte moderating temperatures throughout the year, which is especially beneficial during the warm summer months, with pleasant cooling during the hotter days and keeping cool nights at bay Prince Edward County terroir features loose gravely soil types that lay atop the broad Trenton limestone plateau providing good structure, ample drainage, shale and minerals for healthy development of vines and fruit with character STATISTICS GROWING DEGREE DAYS (AVG.): N/A FROST FREE DAYS: 143 (-2º) JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE: 19°C GROWING SEASON: April to October PRECIPITATION: 757mm (year) COMMON VARIETALS: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris PRODUCTION (2013 REPORTING YEAR): 25,343 (9L cases) NUMBER OF APPELLATION WINES: 85 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 23 Prince Edward County Limestone bedrock, stony soils, low yields, excellent fruit concentration PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY NIAGARA PENINSULA LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY PRINCE EDWARD LAKE ONTARIO

Regional Appellation Overview Representing the bench lands along the Niagara Escarpment, west of St. Catharines to Grimsby, this complex region encompasses three sub-appellations: Short Hills Bench, Twenty Mile Bench, and Beamsville Bench The topography ranges from a distinct bench in the west Beamsville Bench, backed by steep cliff faces, through a double bench in the Twenty Mile Bench, to undulating hills in the east Short Hills Bench Features highly variable soils consisting of water-stratified clay and silt to rich calcareous clay loam, most of this area’s soils are deep and moderately drained with good water-holding capacities Unique conditions for grape berry maturation across this region contribute to the distinctive and refreshing style of Niagara Escarpment wines STATISTICS GROWING DEGREE DAYS (AVG.): 1415 FROST FREE DAYS: 205 (-2º) JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE: 22.5° GROWING SEASON: April to October PRECIPITATION: 543mm (growing season) COMMON VARIETALS: Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc PRODUCTION (2013 REPORTING YEAR): 105,522 (9L cases) NUMBER OF APPROVED WINES: 180 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 22 Niagara Escarpment Inspiring elevations, classic minerality, refreshing wines PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY NIAGARA PENINSULA LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE

Appellation Overview Bordered by Lake Ontario to the north, the Niagara River to the east and the Welland River and Hamilton to the south and west, the Niagara Peninsula is the largest and most diverse Viticultural Area in Canada Variation in soil composition and drainage across the appellation allows for many different varietals to thrive and produces distinctive sub-appellation terroirs that contribute their own character to root development and, in turn, to vine and grape development and to the nature and personality of the wine The Niagara Peninsula is a cool-climate appellation ideally situated near N43° latitude, with relatively high shifts in day- night temperature and substantial sunshine during the growing season This combination provides for the development of more complex and intense grape flavours during ripening than warmer climates can provide STATISTICS GROWING DEGREE DAYS (AVG.): 1413 FROST FREE DAYS: 198 (-2º) JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE: 22.3° GROWING SEASON: April to October PRECIPITATION: 546mm (growing season) COMMON VARIETALS: Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc PRODUCTION (2013 REPORTING YEAR): 1,727,901 (9L cases) NUMBER OF APPELATION WINES: 1187 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 84 Niagara Peninsula Diverse terroir, sheltered slopes, lakeside vineyards, great breadth in its wines PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY NIAGARA PENINSULA LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE

Regional Appellation Overview Situated below the crest of the Niagara Escarpment and stretching to the Niagara River and the shores of Lake Ontario, this region encompasses four sub-appellations: Niagara River, Niagara Lakeshore, Four Mile Creek and St. David's Bench Most of this region is lakeshore plains land, characterized by long, gentle slopes, which become slightly more prominent in proximity to the north-facing Lake Iroquois Bluff Although there is a great diversity in geology, soil composition, elevation and climate, the wineries of this appellation share the collective benefits of proximity to the Lake, River and Escarpment, which their wines reflect The region is becoming well known for its annual celebrations of terroir-focused foods and wines STATISTICS GROWING DEGREE DAYS (AVG.): 1434 FROST FREE DAYS: 207 (-2º) JULY MEAN TEMPERATURE: 22.6° GROWING SEASON: April to October PRECIPITATION: 544mm (growing season) COMMON VARIETALS: Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay PRODUCTION (2013 REPORTING YEAR) : 200,692 (9L cases) NUMBER OF APPROVED WINES: 294 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 35 Niagara-on-the-lake Elegant vistas, spirited styles, inviting wines of origin PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY NIAGARA PENINSULA LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE