Niagara Peninsula is the largest and most productive viticultural area in Canada, located on the Southern shores of Lake Ontario. It stretches roughly 55km (35 miles) between the eastern limits of Hamilton city in the west and the left bank of the Niagara River as it flows into Lake Ontario. The VQA covers over 13,000 acres (5,200 hectares) oand produces mainly cool Climate varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. It also produces a large Volume of ice wine.
Indeed, 90 percent of Canada's ice wine is made here, which makes the region the biggest producer of the style on earth. Needless to say, most other styles of wine are covered in Niagara Peninsula, from rosé and Sparkling wines, to Central-ranges/orange">Orange wines and Pét-nats (Pétillant naturels).
The region boasts nearly 100 wineries, producing over 10 million litres of wine annually.
The geographical Niagara Peninsula appears within the strip of land that runs west-to-east between Lake Ontario in the North and Lake Erie in the south.
The "peninsula" is formed by the Niagara River that flows northwards, between the two lakes. The river also marks the international boundary between Ontario, Canada and the US state of New York.
The viticultural zone is confined to the northern half of the Peninsula, however, between the southern shore of Lake Ontario and the land just south of the Niagara Escarpment. The Escarpment, a 650-mile-long (1050km) limestone ridge that runs from upstate New York through the Great Lakes region, has a profound effect on the Terroir here.
It is the only vinifera-riparia that has been commercialized. It is the result of crossing the folle blanche with the riparia grand glabre created in 1902 by François Baco. Depending on the region, we can still find some small plots of black Baco vines often mixed with other varieties. You will also find trellises or arbors installed a long time ago in front of old houses and still maintained in a more than remarkable way thanks to the great vigour of this variety. It should be noted that there is also a white baco resulting from the crossing of the folle blanche by the noah and resembling much the latter.
red wines from the region of Niagara Peninsula go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or veal such as recipes of chinese noodles with beef, blanquette of lamb or veal breast with new vegetables.
On the nose in the region of Niagara Peninsula often reveals types of flavors of vanilla, non oak or earth and sometimes also flavors of oak, spices or red fruit. In the mouth in the region of Niagara Peninsula is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
