VQA Ontario said 2021 will be a good year for early white varieties that were harvested before the rains, notably aromatic whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, and white varieties harvested for sparking programs. It was a stop and start story in most of Ontario, with bursts of precipitation slowing the harvest and introducing disease pressures to be managed. But, with rain and humidity coming at inopportune times, it required a strategic and nimble approach to getting grapes in at their peak in all three main Ontario wine regions. Those early-ripening varieties that were picked before most of the rain fell, will benefit from a decent season. “If there’s ever a year the wine will tell the tale of the vintage this is definitely it,” said Peller winemaker Craig McDonald, “and one winemakers will either earn their stripes or chose another career!” The Chardonnays will be “racy and vibrant,” and the Cabernet Francs are “standing proud, a reflection of well-honed cellaring and aging strategies.” And other early ripening grapes, such as Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Pinot Noir are all showing “good aromatic intensity, balance and freshness at moderate alcohol levels.” And, of course, there will be plenty of really, really great rosé, a bit of an inside joke, but nonetheless, very true. Riesling that was picked early enough will be “stunning,” one winemaker said. But we did manage to bring in tasty fruit,” said Malivoire winemaker Shiraz Mottiar, below.Īfter the rain had cleared and the grapes were processed, many winemakers predicted there will be successes in 2021. Literally – no sun at all! All that rain kept diluting the sugars in the grapes (except Gamay) and all that humidity made it impossible to prevent rot from setting in. “It was so bad, that for one week in October, there was only fog. Over 580mm of rain fell in the crucial harvesting period. With only a few early-ripening varieties safely in the house, dark clouds gathered on the horizon in mid-September and barely left until November. Mother Nature, especially the one responsible for Ontario, can be fickle and she waited until September to show just how mercurial she can be. But the excitement ultimately turned out to be premature, with dreams of back-to-back great vintages quickly dashed. Then 2021 came along and teased winemakers with what looked like a repeat summer of 2020 with warm, near-perfect weather. That perfect 2020 grape-growing season unfolded to favour bigger reds, early ripening reds, whites and even the Gamays and Pinots. So many things must go right to find uniformity across all the diverse grapes grown in Ontario in a given vintage. There has never been a more perfect vintage than 2020 and it will take a lot to knock it off its lofty perch as the best ever. Harvesting grapes from the 2021 vintage at Icellars.Ī year later, after tasting many of the 2020 wines, that sentiment still stands.
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