A Provincial Review: Taste Ontario! 2024
Hello Ontario Wine!
On April 15, 2024, wine media and trade eagerly gathered at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Toronto for an afternoon of Ontario wine immersion. The annual Taste Ontario! event featured over 300 VQA wines from 65 Ontario wineries in an industry exclusive walk-around format held within the Park Hyatt Ballroom.
Upon entering, guests were offered the chance to participate in a blind-tasting challenge that included four VQA wines to which one would guess the grape variety, alcohol, sugar, sub-appellation, and producer of the wine. A prize will be awarded after the tests are tallied that would certainly be deserved by the Ontario wine champion who was brave enough, and knowledgeable enough about VQA Ontario wine to beat out their industry peers at such a feat!
“Winemakers across the board are crafting Chardonnay wines with such passion and precision that the outcome is nothing less than high-quality, terroir-driven accuracy.”
Ontario’s Golden Grape
There’s no doubt about it - Chardonnay is steamrolling its way to the forefront of Ontario wine. If there’s one grape that will elevate Ontario’s wine profile on a global stage, it will most definitely be Chardonnay! Winemakers across the board are crafting Chardonnay wines with such passion and precision that the outcome is nothing less than high-quality, terroir-driven accuracy. With healthy grape growing and keen oversight by our winemakers, Ontario’s Chardonnay, (both still and sparkling), exhibits mineral-infused, pristine charm with delicious yellow fruit, ripe citrus flavours and refreshing, cool-climate acidity.
Winemaker Thomas Bachelder, who is leading the charge on Ontario’s regional exploration is well-known for his wine releases of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gamay from separate vineyards across Niagara. At the event, he showcased his latest, more consumer-friendly discovery series under his “Les Villages” line that included three Chardonnay from different Niagara sub-appellations. Each three Chardonnay: Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Lincoln Lakeshore displayed distinct characteristics of their region. These three Chardonnay are the perfect place to start for anyone looking to find a grasp on Niagara wine.
The Colourful Palate of Ontario Wine
It’s been obvious for quite some time that the province’s wineries are crafting exceptional wine from vitis vinifera grapes such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. These core five are suited well to the province’s climate and prided limestone soils, and there were plenty on display at Taste Ontario! But, Ontario’s wine scene has proven to be abstract, and at Taste Ontario! 2024 one would find that the colourful world of Ontario wine can include everything from these five staples to Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Melon, Viognier, Baco Noir and beyond.
Sparkling Wine Shines Bright
Ontario’s sparkling wines were shining bright at the event! Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and all the bubbles in between added an extra “sparkle” to Taste Ontario! Our top producers exhibit that Ontario is one of the best regions in the world for sparkling wine. As Ontario’s coolest wine region, Prince Edward County seems to be quickly taking the reigns for exceptional sparklers to the credit of their chalky, high-acid brilliance.
Standouts tasted:
Stratus Amphora Cabernet Franc 2020
Trail Estate Revival Pinot Noir 2020
Flat Rock Hexa Pinot Noir 2020
180 Cabernet Franc Reserve 2020
Tawse Tintern Road Pinot Noir 2021
Black Bank Hill Viognier 2021
