Ontario's Signature Grape?
Riesling took another step towards becoming the signature grape variety of the Ontario wine region with last week's inaugural Riesling Experience at Brock University. The one-day conference brought winemakers and marketers from Germany, France and the United States to help local vintners expand their knowledge base about the noble grape variety.
Highlights included an informative tasting with keynote speaker Olivier Humbrecht, of France's Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, and a lavish four-course luncheon that paired exemplary Niagara Rieslings with gourmet cuisine prepared by Jason Parsons, executive chef at Peller Estates Winery Restaurant, Niagara-on-the-Lake. The successful event was presented with the backing of the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.
The latter gustatory event was designed to showcase the diversity of styles of Riesling — dry to sweet styles as well as young and fresh wines to older and richer examples — and their innate ability to match with different meals.
Angelo Pavan, winemaker at Cave Spring Cellars in Jordan, told the assembled crowd the 2008 Riesling Experience's origin could be traced back to a visit from New Zealand viticultural authority David Jordan.
The grape-growing expert shared his experience with how New Zealand's grape and wine industry positioned Sauvignon Blanc as its signature grape. It's not that New Zealand's wine regions didn't grow other grape varieties. Certainly, there's beautiful Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Gewurztraminer and other varieties in the national vineyard. However, Jordan explained Sauvignon Blanc was the most successful and most distinct variety they had to offer the world.
What, he asked, grape variety grows well in Ontario that makes appealing wine — in an identifiable style — and has captured consumer interest? Riesling ticks every box.
As keynote speaker Humbrecht outlined the history of grape growing in his home, the Alsace region of France and talked about his own farming practices. The dynamic vintner is at the vanguard of biodynamic producers, an extreme form of organic farming that works according to the phase of the moon and planetary positions.
He was at his most candid when he talked about the Riesling renaissance that occurred in Alsace during the past decade. "Riesling was an endangered species 10 years ago," he explained. Sales were down. Winemakers were pulling out vines to plant the more fashionable Pinot Gris or one of the other seven varieties permitted by Alsace's appellation system. (The region specializes in growing Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Muscat and Sylvaner.)
The sales slump proved to be short lived, Humbrecht said. "Today it is good — (Riesling) is the easiest one to sell."
After the formal presentation, those in attendance were able to taste more than 30 Rieslings collected from producers around the province. Everything from bone-dry sparkling wines to lusciously sweet Icewines were featured, with a mix of recent and older vintage wines. But even with the diversity of styles and vintage variation present, there was no mistaking the fact all of the wines were enjoyable to sip and stimulated conversation among the groups of winemakers, marketers, scientists, wine media and wine lovers who were keen to discuss their
favourites.
The momentum for Ontario Riesling is building. It will be fun to see what happens next.
Wine of the Week
Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2007 Riesling
Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula $18
Winemaker Natalie Reynolds stressed the importance of picking Riesling
early in the warm, dry 2007 growing season. It was a case of picking on
acidity as much as looking for flavour ripeness. That logic led to
Thirty Bench's best-yet $18 Riesling, the core production bottling that
includes parcels from the Beamsville estate's three distinct vineyard
blocks. The ripe, floral fruit stands out in this mildly tropical and
minerally white, which is fresh, balanced and downright delicious.
Available from the winery, www.thirtybench.com, or home delivery via
www.winerytohome.com.
bookmark this article: 
