Canada has decided at the beginning of seventies to get involve in  wine production. The production is more based on a style of wine rather than on a grape variety.

Icewine is one of the most difficult wines to produce, and one of the rarest. It can be produced in Canada thanks to the arctic severity of its winters.  This year, Ontario and British Columbia experienced very low temperatures during several weeks, sometimes several months. The grape that is on the vinestock  to the end of the month of November is then completely frozen.
The grape is harvested, then pressed again frozen. The water that constitutes 80% of the juice remains  iced; sugars and solid matters are suspended. They make a thick syrup, incredibly sweet. If one separates this syrup from the ice, one obtains a must that is used in elaboration of one of the most original wine of the world: the Icewine, a rich and phenomenally aromatic wine.
If the extreme climate allows to elaborate the Icewine, the length of winters randomizes the production of any other style of wine.
In the beginning of nineties, the Canadian viticulture has went through a spectacular transition. The agreement of free trade with United States, that abolished customs duties on the wine, has seen the arrival of California wines onto the Canadian wine market with a better quality that the local production. Most of the wine-growers have decided to close down. Only the best wine-growers have remained and they turn more and more  to noble grape varieties. 

In British Columbia, the Designated Viticultural Area are The Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Similkameen Valley and Okanagan Valley.

In Ontario, the Designated Viticultural Area are Pelee Island, Lake Erie and Niagara Peninsula.

In the 1999 All-Canadian Wine Championships, the dessert wine  trophy went to Château des Charmes 1997 Riesling Icewine. Château des Charmes 1998 Vidal Icewine is judged "Best Icewine Worldwide" at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, England.  Winemaster Paul-Michel Bosc a French Winegrower came to Canada and started his family vineyard in 1978. The winery has 240 acres under cultivation in Niagara-on-the-Lake, claiming to be the first in Canada to plant a vineyard exclusively with vitis vinifera.

The Vintner's Quality Alliance (VQA) is an "Appellation of Origin" system by which consumers can identify the wines of British Columbia and Ontario based on the origin of the grapes from which they are produced. With the VQA system, Canada joins other leading wine-producing countries in developing a body of regulations and high standards for its finest wines.The Vintners Quality Alliance medallion is a commitment to quality and a guarantee that the wine expresses the highest aspirations of the vintner's art.

To know more about Canadian wines, visit these four web site :

• Wines of Canada offers many headings : Canadian facts, the Canadian viticultural areas, British Columbia and Ontario feature page, Learn about Wines with Tasting and Reading Labels, Food Health and You, Wine Page Links.
• The Canadian Wine Home Page  purposes CANWINE, the Canadian Wine Mailing List and a list of Canadian wineries on the Web.
• British Columbia Wine Online with an Information Center, List of Wineries and Order Wines.
• WineRoute is a single point of departure from which to explore Ontario wines ...an electronic tour through Ontario wine country.