Canadian Riesling: top buys from Eastern Canada
Michaela Morris tasted through 138 Canadian Rieslings for Decanter, and from more than 60 wines from Ontario – plus five each from Nova Scotia and Québec – she has selected her top 16 from Eastern Canada.
See the highest-scoring Canadian Rieslings and the top Rieslings from British Columbia
Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula is Canada’s largest wine region. Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment flank the peninsula, meaning constant airflow between the two regulates temperatures. The mild autumns encourage Riesling to ripen slowly.
Scroll down for Michaela Morris’ top Eastern Canada Rieslings
While there is range of styles, Ontario Riesling is overridingly Germanic, with varying levels of residual sugar and moderate alcohol. The wines’ arresting prettiness, underlying power and clever interplay between mineral nuances and orchard fruit impressed. I also found some of the best value for money here.
Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, Nova Scotia is truly cold climate. The Bay of Fundy’s massive tides, which extend the growing season into November, strongly influence the province’s Annapolis Valley.
Still, hybrids dominate, and Riesling occupies a mere 3% of the area under vine. The wines are lean and bracing with a piercing purity. I’d happily have a glass of all five wines I tried – particularly those from Avondale Sky, Grand Pré and Benjamin Bridge.
With wickedly cold winters falling to -30°C, Québec is the most unlikely wine region, and protecting vineyards from damage requires heroic efforts. Of the province’s 800 hectares, Riesling counts just 8ha; 90% are hybrid grape varieties.
This was my first tasting of Québec Riesling and I was pleasantly surprised by wines from Vignobles Ste-Pétronille and La Cantina. Their wines were packed with flavour – just like the province’s scrumptious apples.
Eastern Canada Riesling: Michaela Morris’ top wines to buy
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Cave Spring Cellars, CSV, Estate Grown Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2017
From the estate’s oldest blocks, between 40 and 44 years old. The quirky 2017 vintage – cool and cloudy throughout the summer then warm and...
2017
Cave Spring CellarsNiagara Peninsula
13th Street Winery, Essence Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Creek Shores, Ontario, Canada, 2018
Winemaker at 13th Street since 2009, French-born JP Colas previously worked at Domaine Laroche in Chablis. This is the second vintage of Essence, his small-batch...
2018
13th Street WineryNiagara Peninsula
Charles Baker, Picone Vineyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Vinemount Ridge, Ontario, Canada, 2017
Boasting vines more than 40 years old, the Picone vineyard in the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation reaches the highest elevations on the Niagara Peninsula. It is...
2017
Charles BakerNiagara Peninsula
Henry of Pelham, Speck Family Reserve Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Short Hills Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2019
One of the founding members of Ontario's Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA), the sixth-generation Speck family boasts more than 120ha in the Niagara Peninsula. This limpid,...
2019
Henry of PelhamNiagara Peninsula
Tawse, Carly's Block Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2018
Named after owner Moray Tawse’s second daughter, Carly’s Block is 0.5ha planted in 1976. As with all of Tawse’s vineyards, this is farmed following organic...
2018
TawseNiagara Peninsula
Trius, Showcase Riesling, Ghost Creek Vineyard, Niagara Peninsula, Four Mile Creek, Ontario, Canada, 2018
Under the umbrella of national wine producing company Andrew Peller, Trius’ Showcase series features single vineyards throughout the Niagara Peninsula. In the warm Four Mile...
2018
TriusNiagara Peninsula
Cave Spring Cellars, Estate Grown Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2018
After emigrating from Italy, the Pennachetti family bought land in Beamsville and were among the first to plant vinifera vines on the Niagara Peninsula. Included...
2018
Cave Spring CellarsNiagara Peninsula
Thirty Bench, Winemaker's Blend Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2018
Another Riesling pioneer in Ontario, Thirty Bench was originally founded by three amateur winemaking friends who learned by experimenting. The estate was acquired by Andrew...
2018
Thirty BenchNiagara Peninsula
Château des Charmes, Old Vines Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Canada, 2015
Made from Château des Charmes’ oldest vines, including the winery's original Riesling plot planted in 1978. Attractive wet river stone and fragrant white flowers make...
2015
Château des CharmesNiagara Peninsula
GreenLane Estate Winery, Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Lincoln Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada, 2014
Prior to taking the reins at GreenLane in 2010, Dianne Smith gained experience at Niagara's Tawse and Southbrook as well as Carrick Winery in Central...
2014
GreenLane Estate WineryNiagara Peninsula
Hidden Bench, Felseck Vineyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2017
From a sunny 0.4ha plot on limestone-rich clay, this single-vineyard bottling is fermented at a cool 10°C to 12°C for five months. Rather savoury and...
2017
Hidden BenchNiagara Peninsula
Peninsula Ridge, Beal Vineyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada, 2019
Located in the small sub-appellation of Beamsville Bench, which rises gently below the Niagara Escarpment, Peninsula Ridge’s 16ha home vineyard is named after owner Norm...
2019
Peninsula RidgeNiagara Peninsula
PondView Estate Winery, Bella Terra Wild Ferment Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Four Mile Creek, Ontario, Canada, 2019
Respected grape grower since 1974, Lou Puglisi started making wine in 2009 and engaged Pillitteri’s Fred DiProfio as his consultant. This is PondView's first wild-ferment...
2019
PondView Estate WineryNiagara Peninsula
Southbrook, Heather's Home Vineyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Vinemount Ridge, Ontario, Canada, 2017
Established by Bill Redelmeier in 1991, Southbrook expanded from a boutique 2,000-case winery to a 60ha estate producing 14,000 cases a year. Under the direction...
2017
SouthbrookNiagara Peninsula
Benjamin Bridge, Small Lot Riesling, Nova Scotia, Canada, 2017
Sourced from grower Darryl Brown’s Black Dogs Vineyard in the Gaspereau Valley, this small-batch Riesling was picked on 31 October with 90% of the grapes...
2017
Benjamin Bridge
Vignoble La Cantina, Riesling, Québec, Canada, 2019
Daniel Lalande owns two properties in Quebec’s lower Laurentians, just west of Montréal. Almost 20 years after establishing Vignoble Rivière du Chêne, he launched his...
2019
Vignoble La Cantina
