Why Ontario and Canadian Wines Deserve Your Attention and Taste Buds

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the world’s second largest purchaser of wine after Costco, published this article in its magazine.

Local Champion

Ottawa-based wine expert and author Natalie MacLean is a trusted resource for good wine and good food who was awarded the 2024 Wine Growers Canada Wine Industry Champion Award earlier this year. We recently sat down with her to discuss the changing landscape of Ontario wine.

Do you feel the Niagara wine industry has changed much in the past twenty years?

I’ve seen (and tasted) the dramatic rise in Canadian wine quality, but also in perception. In the past, Canadian wines suffered from the “Céline-Dion-Shania-Twain syndrome.” They needed validation abroad before they were accepted on their home turf.

Well, they’ve been there, done that. They have the international competition medals and scores to prove it.

Canada’s cool climate produces grapes that aren’t loaded with sugar, so they don’t ferment into high alcohol. Low-alcohol wines dance with food rather than clobbering it with flavour. They also have dazzling flavours and an edgy, nervy vibrancy. I believe we are just beginning to tap into our full potential. I raise my glass to that!

How do you see women represented in the local wine industry?

I feel a lot still needs to change in our industry, not only for women, but also for people of colour, LGBTQ2+ and more. I urge my readers and subscribers to support wines made by underrepresented groups. This isn’t charity; these wines taste great. When I see the remarkable achievements of these groups in the industry, I’m incredibly optimistic.

They’re not only shaping the industry into a kinder landscape, but they’re also improving the taste of our wines. My vision for the future is that as the barriers for these groups continue to crumble, we all benefit from the contributions of so many more people. Rather than fighting injustice, we all have so much more time and energy to learn, to create and to enjoy life, including wine itself.

You’ve earned a veritable cabinet’s worth of awards in your career. Is this one particularly special?

This award is a tremendous honour, not just for me. It’s also a recognition of the collaborative spirit that defines Canadian wine. From those who grow the grapes and make the wine to those who market and buy it, this is a shared achievement.