MUSCAT WINES OF CANADA
Apart from Icewine not many outstanding wines were produced in Canada prior to 1990. This, of course, has changed and Canada is now making many acceptable and a few outstanding wines.
Only a few regions in Canada are suitable for European wine grapes and many hybrids are grown.. Ontario and British Columbia are the two main wine growing areas in Canada.
The Muscat grape is not widely grown in Canada. There are Nova Scotia and Ontario wineries that grow the hybrid New York Muscat grape. Muscat Ottonel has established itself in several wineries in Ontario and British Columbia and there are very small plantings of Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains and the black Muscat Hamburg across the country.
British Columbia
Conviction Wines (formally Calona Winery)
Conviction Sovereign Opal 2018
100% Sovereign Opal grape a green hybrid grape created from acorring of Marechal Foch and Golden Muscat
Fruit aromas of apple, plum, tangerine. Notes of spice, floral, marzipan. Flavors of juicy tropical fruit and melon. Exotic flower notes linger on the finish (Quotes from the winery)
GOLD MEDAL ~ 2015 Grand Harvest Award
2014 Conviction Sovereign Opal
British Columbia
Blue Grouse Vineyards
Black Muscat
Blue Grouse makes a wine called Black Muscat. The aromatic dry red wine is aged in American oak barrels. The final product is exotic with a powerful aroma. The winemaker suggests that it be enjoyed with dishes like foie gras.
British Columbia
Calona Vineyards
Sovereign Opal
This winery grows a Muscat hybrid grape developed exclusively for them by Agriculture Canada, called Sovereign Opal, a cross between Marechal Foch and Golden Muscat. The wine 2008 vintage is described as “exotic flowers, papaya, melon and passion-fruit aromas leap from the glass of this truly one of a kind wine”. (Quote from the winery website
British Columbia
Hillside Estate Winery
Muscat Ottonel 2009
This wine is made from 100% Muscat Ottonel grapes grown by the winery. It is the only wine of its kind produced in the Okanagan Valley. Comments on the wine include: “luscious sweet-edged”, “fresh and nicely vegetal”, “Lovely floral aromas and hint of spice”.
British Columbia
JOIE FARM
Muscat 2009
Varietal: Moscato Giallo (Yellow Muscat)
“The wine exhibits a classic Muscat nose, spsicy and grapey, like the white pepper aroma of freesia flowers. The structure of the wine is light medium bodied and slightly off dry with mouth watering acidity. The nose carries through to the palate where flavours of ripe peach, orange blossom and lemon drop candies are realized. The finish is long and satisfying, as juicy white peach suddenly delivers the Okanagan Valley hallmark|” (Quotes from the winery website)
British Columbia
La Frenz Winery
Alexandria
“This wine has so much fruit and concentration that is is just an explosion of flavor, akin to eating freshly picked Muscat grapes (only better)….The wine is a kaleidoscope of tropical fruits, lychee, and musk. The fermentation was stopped to retain natural sweetness making it the perfect pairing with spicy foods or simply chilled for that special moment.” (Quotes from winery website)
British Columbia
La Frenz Winery
NV Liqueur Muscat
A fortified Muscat, in the style made internationally famous by the Rutherglen area of Australia, “The wine is produced in a traditional solera system meaning the average age of the blend is getting progressively older. Every year’s release has a percentage of our first vintage in 1999. It has beautiful flavors of caramelized brown sugar, cinnamon, muscat fruit with that lovely sweet, power and complexity that can only come from time.” (Quote from the winery website)
British Columbia
Sandhill
Sovereign Opal 2021
Off-dry wine
The Sovereign Opal grape was developed at the Summerland Research Station in 1976 by crossing Muscat, a white grape, and Marchal Foch, a red grape.
Aroma: fresh, clean, melon, peach, yellow apple, lychee, gooseberry, minerality. Color: white with a bronze tinge.
Palate: tropical fruit, melon, gooseberry, balance of natural sweetness and acidity.
Finish: notes of tropical fruit, pink grapefruit, lychee and white currant linger on the finish.
2022 information
British Columbia
Stag’s Hollow
Muscat Frizzante
Estate grown Orange Muscat and Muscat Ottonel grapes
Sparkling wine
250 oz can
Aroma: outsized floral and citrus. Finish: off dry, crisp. Palate: peach, fruity.
2022 information
British Columbia
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Demeter Certified Biodynamic 2020 Estate Grown Muscat
Off dry white wine
Aroma: floral, jasmine, orange blossoms. Palate: juicy bright fruit, citrus acidity, fresh, sweetish. Finish: well balanced, ginger-like spice finish.
Award
2021 Muscat du Monde International Wine Competition Gold Medal
2022 information
Nova Scotia
Annapolis Highland Vineyards
New York Muscat
Medium dry wine.
Aroma: aromatic and vibrant. Palate: citrus, exotic fruit, floral.
(2022 information)
Domaine de Grande Pre
Vintner’s Reserve Muscat 2008
This intensely aromatic wine displays spicy notes of cloves and apricots together the fruitiness of orange blossom and strawberries. Long, balanced and elegant, enjoyed on its own as an aperitif or with spicy Asian cuisine.
Domaine de Grande Pre
New York Muscat Ice Wine
This Ice wine has been left to ferment in cask, producing a complex and layered wine. It displays rich notes of papaya, preserved peach, dried apricot and Bartlett pear, in perfect balance with a crisp lively acidity that lingers on the palette. Enjoy these great flavours on their own or to compliment dessert and cheese
Domaine de Grande Pre
Fortified White Wine
This wine displays interesting notes of dried fruit, apple, candied apricot, honey and oak and offers a pleasing balance of sweetness, acidity and tannins with a long lingering finish. Enjoy this rare treat on its own, to cheeses or a variety of desserts (Information obtained from winery website)
Domaine de Grand Pre
41
100%New York Muscat grapes
Fortified white wine.
Made in small batches of grapes from 2015 and 2016. Grapes were dried for several weeks, pressed, partially fermented, then the winery’s Foch grappa was added. The wine was aged for several years in American oak barrels.
Palate: notes of fresh fruit, apple, candied apricot, honey and oak and a balance of sweetness, acidity, and tannins. Finish: long, lingering. (2022 information from the winery)
Domaine de Grand Pre
Moscato 2020
250ml can
100% New York Muscat grapes
Slightly effervescent wine.
Aroma: fruity, pink grapefruit, notes of honeysuckle, peach blossom. Low alcohol. (2022 information from the winery)
JOST Vineyards
Eagle Tree Muscat
Silver Medal winner at 2009 All-Canadian Wine Championships
The Eagle Tree Muscat is made from the “New York Muscat” grape variety, grown extensively in Nova Scotia. The full flavour and pronounced bouquet of the Eagle Tree Muscat make it an ideal wine with many spicy oriental dishes, lobster, and heavy stews. It is also the best wine for steaming mussels, giving them a wonderful flavour.
JOST Vineyards
Muscat Ice Wine
Jost Vineyard’s 2005 Muscat Ice Wine was made from Nova Scotia Grown New York Muscat grapes that had frozen on the vine. Harvested and pressed in December 2005 while temperatures hovered between -8C to -14C, only a few sweet drops of juice from each berry (high in sugar, flavour and balance giving acidity) were extracted and then carefully vinted under cool conditions. The unique dessert wine that emerged has complex flavours and fragrances full of apricot and citrus just waiting to be enjoyed. (Information obtained from winery website)
Mercator Vineyards
NV Passito Muscat
“In 2018, we began our endeavour into creating a Muscat dessert wine in the appassimento method (drying the grapes prior to fermentation). With great success in the outcome, we continued the process in 2019. This luscious, not-too-sweet dessert wine is a blend of those two remarkable vintages.
The wine completed its aging process in French oak barrels where hints of vanilla were extracted, adding a depth to the already floral and tropical aromatics expressed by the Muscat.”
(2022 information from the winery).
ONTARIO
Ontario
Prince Edward County
Chadsey’s Cairns
Muscat 2010
Aroma: tropical fruits, spice, white blossoms, limestone. Palate: slightly tart, green tropical fruit notes. Finish: light, fresh, great length. (2022 information)