Exploring Canada Wine Regions With a Wine Club Subscription

Exploring Canada Wine Regions With a Wine Club Subscription

 Canadian wine is as varied and diverse as the land it hails from. 

From Nova Scotia's rugged shores to British Columbia's lush valleys, Canada's serene natural charms can be enjoyed in each glass of wine produced from its enchanting landscapes.

Canada is home to more than 616 wineries. Most are concentrated within the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, each with several wine regions producing unique flavours and characteristics.

Luckily, you don't need to journey across the country to sample its range of world-class wines. With a Wine Club Canada subscription, you can have some of Canada's best delivered to your front door. 

Sign up for a membership today and begin exploring Canada's wine regions from the comforts of your home.

British Columbia

British Columbia has a varied topography, ranging from high-altitude mountains to oceanside valleys. The result is one of the most diverse wine provinces in Canada. In total, the province has more than 326 wineries spread across nine distinct Designated Viticultural Areas (DVAs).

Each DVA promises its own unique tastes. But British Columbia's three main wine regions are Okanagan Valley, Vancouver Island, and Fraser Valley.

Regions in Canada okanagan valley mission hill arch winery

Okanagan Valley

With over 220 wineries, Okanagan Valley makes up about two-thirds of British Columbia's wine industry. It features 11 officially recognized sub-regions, each boasting unique soils and climate conditions. As such, the wines here vary greatly. Some of the region’s best producers include Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Syrah for reds and Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio for whites.

As one of the top Canadian wine regions, we often feature Okanagan Valley wineries in our monthly subscription boxes. These are just some of the local wineries we have included so far.

Vancouver Island

Smaller than other British Columbia wine regions, Vancouver Island boasts a varied topography along its southwestern edges that is perfect for grape growing. Hybrid varieties flourish best here, including Ortega, Aucerrois, and Maréchal Foch.

The renowned Jackson Family Wineries has recently opened two vineyards in the area. But, the Vancouver Island DVA is still mostly family-owned, boutique vineyards. This has led to a great selection of hidden gems coming out of the region.

Fraser Valley

Stretching from Vancouver to Chilliwack, Fraser Valley is home to 43 wineries producing a variety of handcrafted wines.

The palate here ranges from sweet fruit wines to elegant sparkling wines. It focuses on cool-climate varieties, like Pinot Noir, Bacchus, and Siegerrebe.

Like the Vancouver Island DVA, Fraser Valley vineyards are local. This has led to some great, lesser-known wineries, like Backyard Vineyards, Wine Club Canada’s monthly feature in July 2022.

Ontario

Southern Ontario lies between latitudes 41° and 44° North. It is also surrounded by the Great Lakes, which moderate the climate. The result is one of Canada's best regions for cool-climate grape varieties.

Enriched by the limestone-heavy soils left here by glaciers thousands of years ago, the province’s fertile appellations are famed for their core varieties of Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay.

Behind BC, Ontario is Canada's second-largest wine-producing province. It has more than 185 wineries spread across three DVAs – the Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County, and Lake Erie North Shore.

Close up of grapes in canada wine region

Niagara Peninsula

The Niagara Peninsula has 100 wineries spread over 13,600 acres of vineyards, making it Canada's largest and most productive wine region.

Like much of Ontario, cool climate wines are the primary export here. While the region is responsible for 90% of Canada's ice wine production, local wineries produce a range of styles, including rosé and sparkling wines.

With its stunning beauty, the Niagara DVA is a popular wine country getaway. It includes Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Lake Ontario's southern shore. But you don't have to travel across the country to sample the region's diverse flavours.

As one of the best wine regions in Canada, Niagara's wineries are featured often within Wine Club Canada's monthly wine subscription boxes. Here is a quick look at some of the wineries that have been featured so far:

Prince Edward County

Receiving official DVA status in 2007, Prince Edward County (PEC) is the newest Ontario wine region. It has quickly become one of Canada's top up-and-coming wine destinations, with more than 40 acclaimed wineries operating in the area today.

Here, idyllic countryside landscapes are dotted with rolling vineyards conveniently placed to benefit from the cooling breezes of Lake Ontario. Combined with stony soils and broken limestone bedrock, this region specializes in small-yield cool-climate varieties.

Subscribers love discovering wines like the Unfiltered Chardonnay from Trail Estate Winery or the crisp Pinot Grigio from Closson Chase Vineyards, both of which were featured in our previous boxes.

Lake Erie North Shore & Pelee Island

The Lake Erie North Shore wine region is located within Canada's most southern point. It is also nestled along the northern shores of Lake Erie, whose shallow waters produce a warming effect on the surrounding region. The result is the warmest and longest growing season of any of the country's DVAs.

As such, the region yields ripe and balanced wines, most notably Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Meanwhile, the appellation's Riesling and Pinot Grigio offerings tend to showcase floral and tropical flavours.

Like PEC, the Lake Erie North Shore DVA is an up-and-coming wine region in Canada, with a little more than a dozen wineries operating in the area.

Quebec

With its first commercial vineyard opening in 1980, Quebec’s wine industry is still relatively young. The Quebec wine region is not officially recognized by the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). But, the province’s wine industry has grown to feature more than 160 wineries spread across nine wine sub-regions. These sub-regions include:

  • Vallées des Outaouais
  • Deux-Montagnes
  • Richelieu River Valley
  • South Appalachian Foothills
  • Northern Appalachian Piedmont
  • Monteregian Hills
  • Appalachian Plateau
  • Lake Saint-Pierre
  • Quebec and the Banks of the St. Lawrence River

Each subregion has distinct traits. But, the Quebec wine region as a whole focuses on hardy hybrid grapes designed to withstand the province's cool climate. This often results in dry, fortified, sparkling and sweet wines, with common varieties including Vidal, Frontenac Noir, Blanc and Gris, and Marquette.

Nova Scotia

With its first vineyard planted in 1611, Nova Scotia is Canada's oldest wine region. But it is also the slowest to develop. Today, the area consists of just over 20 different wineries spread throughout the province.

Varieties here tend to focus on table and dessert wines, specializing in ice, sparkling, and aromatic white Tidal Bay wines. Primarily made with hybrid grapes, common varieties produced in the area include L'Acadie, Lucy Kuhlman, Leon Millot, and Seyval Blanc.

You can begin uncovering these and other niche wines from across Canada wine regions with a Wine Club Canada membership. With a Wine Club subscription, you're not just getting wines—you're embarking on a journey through Canada's diverse and exciting wine regions.


Join our wine club to enjoy hand-picked selections from exclusive wineries across the country and begin exploring Canada's rich landscapes one glass at a time.

Back to blog