Ontario pinot is 99% Burgundian

[Jenise]

This curiosity was included in a mailer from a Canadian wine agent for wines from Tawse Winery in Ontario.



2005 99/1 Pinot Noir (Retail customers Only: $58.00)

Few of you are probably aware that wine labeled as Ontario can consist of
up to 99% foreign fruit. This exciting and ground breaking cuvee blends 99% Morey St. Denis, 1er Cru Clos Des Ormes from Georges Lignier with 1% Lincoln Lakeshore Pinot Noir. The Morey was sourced by longtime Vinifera friend Pascal Marchand who is now ensconced as Tawse's Consulting Winemaker. The Burgundy (9 barrels) was air shipped in a large carboy before returning to barrel for the duration of its elevage in the cool Tawse cellar. This provocative and inspired creation is a great snapshot of the outstanding 2005 Burgundy vintage, widely heralded as one of the finest in the last century! The wine also demonstrates the new direction that Pascal is taking the reds at Tawse and believe us it is very exciting! The 99/1 is a classic young Burgundy in every sense of the word. Very Morey with bright fruit and earthy mineral elements. Spice notes and excellent acid/fruit balance provide the wine with lift and a long intense finish. A bit of an oddball for sure but a very exciting wine that will proudy stand beside the best of 2005 Burgundy fior many years to come-Bravo!

This creation, however, cannot be sold as a VQA Pinot Noir, since as per VQA rules, "Wine must be made from 100% fresh Ontario grown grapes — no concentrates are permitted - Grapes used must meet a quality standard for each variety (measured by natural sugar content in the ripe grapes)" [source: VQA Ontario: Quality Standards & Label Integrity - link here.]

With the popularity and scarcity of Burgundy, I'm sure this wine will find a market pretty fast - in fact, it probably already has. But I wouldn't consider it an "Ontario" wine; acquired and touched up by an Ontario merchant, perhaps ... but not an "Ontario Pinot" if 99% of it is Burgundian.

Unfortunately it seems that many people these days need legislation to ensure their honesty. The omission of VQA while including 'Ontario' seems like a 'rings of Saturn' sized loop-hole. It's kind of like glueing Dodge emblems on a BMW (Absolutely no disrespect of Ontario wines or VQA implied or otherwise.) Bizarre.