Ontario is swiftly becoming a global player in the wine industry, and there’s a growing appreciation for the provincial product among local wine connoisseurs.
Jeff Hupka, senior operations manager at Caribou Restaurant and Wine bar, has a passion for wine. That passion has helped make the Caribou one of the most notable local eateries in Thunder Bay among serious wine drinkers.
But its reputation has travelled beyond local borders. The restaurant has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2002. , the Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar carries a wide-range of wines collected by wine expert Jeff Hupka, Senior Operations Manager at Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar.
The restaurant’s love for wine goes beyond its menu. An example of that appears March 2, when the eatery welcomes winemaker Norm Hardie of Norman Hardie Wines, based in Wellington, Ont.
The Niagara-area winemaker will pair award winning wines with a five course tasting menu. His visit is another example of a growing local appreciation for wine that appears based on Ontario’s continued success in the wine industry.
“I think with the wine scene in general, Ontario has invested a lot of money with what they are doing in their vineyards,” Hupka says.
“The local wine scene is very diverse in the sense that Ontario is willing to try new things, and explore new wine regions.
"There are some really nice wines coming out of the Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County region right now.”
Helping put the province on the world wine map, ice wine quickly became one of Ontario's prized possessions for wine.The ideal climate conditions, warm summers and cold winters, made Ontario the leading producer of icewine globally for over 20 years.
There’s really no other ideal place to find ice wine, says Vince Riccio, former LCBO employee and a certified Wine and Spirits Education Trust.
"It is an Ontario product, icewine has done so much and it is probably one of my favourite wines."
And the growing conditions are improving each year.
"Some of the greatest years for Ontario wine has been in the last decade, with each passing year it just gets better and better." he adds.
The province of Ontario has been producing some truly great wines, specifically in areas such as the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario's largest growing wine region, the north shore of Lake Erie and Prince Edward County, a recent addition.
More than half of Ontario's VQA wineries are located within the Niagara Peninsula. Ten different areas in the Niagara region have unique growing conditions for the different variety of grapes.
The selection of cool-climate wines such as Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Riesling thrive within these regions.
It isn’t easy for any region to be noticed internationally as the current state of wine production globally is extremely competitive.
In the short time we've had to acquire international attention, it has taken hundreds of years for the traditional world, Riccio says.
Ontario has clearly made a permanent home onto the world map of wine more than ever before.
The Caribou Restaurant and Wine bar encourages residents of Thunder Bay to celebrate the wines of Ontario.
Wine lovers take note:
On March 2, Norm Hardie, winemaker of Norman Hadie wines, is hosting an event and pairing his award winning wines with a five course tasting menu created by Caribou's executive chef Craig Vieira. Call the caribou restaurant @ 628.8588 for reservations and tickets.
