Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Meritage 2002, Jackson-Triggs
27th April 2008
On the face of it, Canadian wine would seem as improbable as wine from Siberia or Greenland. But Ontario is just across the border from the New York’s Finger Lakes region, which boasts plenty of successful winemakers. The same goes for British Columbia, hard by Washington State. All these places enjoy hot summers, with large expanses of water to protect grapes from the worst effects of winter. So there is no objection in theory.
And in practice? Wine of some sort has been grown in Canada for a couple of hundred years, much of it disgusting. The European grape Vitis vinifera succumbed to disease, so the Canadians used the local versions, Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia. These were pretty nasty, and their unpleasantness could only be partly disguised, usually by turning them into imitation port and sherry.
The other problem has been Canada’s attitude to alcohol. Like the US, the country suffered a period of prohibition. Even after its repeal the number of wineries was strictly controlled. Only in the mid-1970s were these restrictions eased, bringing in a new generation of winemakers willing to have another stab at Vitis vinifera. This time, thanks to new growing techniques and controlled yields, the results were good.
The 1980s saw further improvement, thanks in part to the introduction of free trade with the United States, in part to the setting up of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) standard. By the 1990s Canadian winemakers were experimenting with the complete range of European varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, even Gewürztraminer.
The Jackson-Triggs winery was founded in 1993. It has estates in the Niagara peninsula and in Okanagan valley, British Columbia. Their Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Meritage combines all five of the traditional Bordeaux varietals: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Cabernet franc, 10% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. It is a dense ruby colour, with a nose of summac and mustard, flavours of plums and toasted nuts, and a good, leathery finish. The only drawback are its tannins, which remain severe even after the wine has aired. But they did not spoil the wine for me, and I would happily go back for more. $35 in the US, £20 in the UK.
