Canadian rosé: Patriotically pink for Canada Day

In recent years, Canada has emerged as a dynamic player in the wine world. First, establishing a global reputation for icewine in the 1980s, progressing to stellar white and red still wines, and most recently traditional-method sparkling wines that sit comfortably alongside international greats.

The country’s wine production is many things: a square-peg-round-hole market, with producers continuously experimenting. Canadian rosé is no exception.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 31 Canadian rosé wines

With an ever-expanding focus on terroir-driven winemaking, Canadian wineries are crafting delightful still rosés to rival international counterparts. ‘Increasing the level of commitment to farming specifically for rosé is where the rise in quality is starting,’ explains Amy Paynter, winemaker for the Okanagan Valley’s Liquidity Wines.

While the burgeoning quality and quaffable ease of Canadian rosé is not in doubt, that doesn’t mean there’s a flagship style – far from it. Across 7,300ha in Ontario, 4,500ha in British Columbia, Quebec’s nearly 810ha and Nova Scotia’s 255ha, no single grape variety, hue of pink, or winemaking process stands out as a national representation of rosé.

And nor should it, considering the nation’s vast size and climatic differences. At its widest point east to west, Canada spans 5,514km (3,426 miles). That’s the same distance as from London (in England, not Ontario!) to eastern Kazakhstan, or between New York City and Dublin. Similarities between wines from opposite sides of the world’s second largest country are few and far between.

See notes and scores for all 53 wines from the Canadian rosé tasting

From the sun-drenched vineyards of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley to the prestigious wineries of Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula and the maritime magic of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, each region brings a distinct charm to the world of rosé.

Variety of varieties

More than 20 grape varieties featured in a tasting of almost 100 Canadian rosé wines across Canada over three weeks in April and May – from the familiar Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Merlot to Ortega, Dornfelder and Marquette.

‘The best rosés are the ones that are an authentic reflection of the producer’s style and ethos – perhaps as an extension of what’s already offered [in the portfolio],’ says Debbie Shing, founder of Quvé Group in Toronto, Ontario.

The Annapolis Valley, a region known for its cool coastal influences, is the most likely to feature hybrid varieties in its rosé. ‘Leon Millot and Marquette feature a lot because they can give a lot of colour with minimal pressing,’ explains Lesley Quinn, owner and operator of Stellar Somm Wine Experts in Eastern Canada’s Maritime provinces.

Although, she says, that’s starting to change, as consumers are seeking out more dry, paler-hued rosés with a crisp red fruit profile. ‘I am seeing more and more Pinot Noir being the grape of choice,’ adds Quinn.

In Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula and across British Columbia (BC), Pinot Noir is the grape of choice for rosé. ‘Pinot’s crisp acidity and bright fruit profile make compelling wines in BC,’ says the province’s top sommelier of 2023, Kelcie Jones.

Many BC producers, particularly those in the south Okanagan, utilise the climate’s desert-like heat to ripen grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec. At the same time, cooler areas in the province have had success with Pinot Meunier and Zweigelt.

Ontario and BC: the different styles

Of the almost 100 wines sent in for this tasting, most were from BC and Ontario – unsurprising considering the two provinces make up 90% of Canada’s wine production.

The BC entries covered four GIs (Geographical Indications), including Lillooet, Similkameen Valley and Vancouver Island and, within the Okanagan Valley, eight of its 11 sub-GIs. The rosés from Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula spanned eight sub-appellations.

The extensive sampling from each province allowed for a couple of generalisations.

First, BC expressions lean towards pale colouring – ‘lots of direct-press styles’, says Jones, with minimal residual sugar and modest alcohol, averaging 12.75%abv. A few were above 14% though still showing decent balance. Stainless steel was the dominant fermentation and maturation vessel, ‘which makes sense for accentuating the fresh, floral, delicate aromas’, adds Paynter.

Second, Ontario producers like to play with oak. Nearly a dozen bottles saw anywhere from four to eight months of oak ageing, prompting older vintage submissions that were still mostly dry, with an average alcohol level of 12%.

Overall, the standard of entries was generally high. There was one faulty wine but the other few dozen scoring 88 points and below that did not make this list delivered a relatively enjoyable drinking experience.

There were three main criticisms. First, many producers seeking a popular light and dry Provence-style rosé went too far, resulting in wines with a one-dimensional character. Second, those going the opposite direction and striving for a bold showstopper, ended up with disjointed aromas and flavours. Finally, while producers mostly managed residual sugar levels and acidity well, many wines were overly cloying, flabby or sharp, and lacking in finesse.

Patriotically pink

Despite its sprawling identity, one thing is clear, Canadian winemakers are taking rosé seriously. ‘We put as much hard work and passion into our still rosés as any of our other wines,’ explains Paynter.

‘Growing the fruit with the intention of picking it specifically for rosé is the best way to honour that seriousness. Creating a rosé from grapes grown with the intent of making a red wine means you’re going to miss out on so many of the delicate nuances and prettiness that make rosé wines shine.’

Canada’s vast size and climatic differences contribute to an exciting variety of rosés, each with regional style and individual charm. Canada Day and the summer months ahead are obvious times to raise a glass of patriotic pink, but they are deserving of a toast at any time of year.

Smoke taint and the rosé solution

Despite Canada’s cool-climate reputation, there’s growing uncertainty with climate change, specifically, the impact of forest fires and resulting smoke-tainted grapes.

‘Rosé production is a valuable tool in the kit for British Columbia’s winemakers,’ says top sommelier Kelcie Jones. ‘It offers them a wine from otherwise challenging vintages – making lemonade out of lemons.’

Rajen Toor, owner and winemaker at Ursa Major Wines in south Okanagan, made his first rosé from smoke-tainted grapes in 2021 after a devastating summer season. Almost 500 wildfires were burning across the province on 1 July that year, prompting the provincial government to declare a state of emergency by 20 July, which did not end until mid-September.

‘It comes down to dollars and cents,’ explains Toor. ‘If there are grapes on the vine affected by smoke or anything else for that matter, you bet we’re getting creative and turning them into something.’

Ways to make rosé

While some rosés are made by the saignée method – making a red wine but bleeding some of the juice from the tank to ferment separately as rosé – for lighter-hued, less rich wines, winemakers usually choose to skin macerate or direct press.

For the former method, grapes are crushed and the juice is left on the skins for several hours up to a few days to achieve the desired colour. In direct pressing, the grapes are pressed right away – as most white wines are – to avoid the juice having any time to absorb colour from the skins.

Direct pressing smoke-affected red grapes is the only way to mitigate smoke-tainted aromas and flavours such as ashtray, campfire or matchstick, says Toor. Smoke-taint can override the rest of the grape’s natural varietal characters ‘and, in rosé, the idea is always freshness and subtlety’.

‘It’s a risky choice,’ says Jones, ‘and not necessarily a financially easy decision to make.’ As rosés are usually consumed young and not kept, as red wines may be, they often don’t show the effects of any residual smoke taint which may be accentuated with bottle age.

Canadian rosé: 31 wines to try

The following wines all scored 90 points or above. For others scoring 89 points, click here

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