Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

“From Concord to Cabernet, The Ontario Wine Industry Celebrates 200 Years” From the Ontario Viniculture Association. Background Johann Schiller is acknowledged as the “father” of the Ontario Wine in…


“From Concord to Cabernet, The Ontario Wine Industry Celebrates 200 Years”

From the Ontario Viniculture Association.

Background

Johann Schiller is acknowledged as the “father” of the Ontario Wine industry. Schiller opened Ontario’s first wine

venture in 1811 in the area of Mississauga now known as Cooksville, where he offered to the public wines made

from wild labrusca grapes. From this humble beginning, the Ontario wine industry took root.

The subsequent story is convoluted, with periods of excitement, prosperity, political pressures, and virtual

abandonment. After prohibition ended in 1927, it took until 1975 for the first new winery to open in Ontario. The

success of Inniskillin and other 20th-century wine pioneers has fostered a lively industry in Ontario, and this no

doubt played a role in the evolution of fine wineries elsewhere in Canada. There are currently more than 160

wineries licensed in Ontario, including traditional wineries, fruit wineries, and meaderies.

The industry has also survived upgrades to its vineyards. Until the 1980s, Ontario vineyards were dominated by

labrusca grape species, including Concord, Niagara, Delaware, and Isabella. Vine pull-out began in the 1960s and

the majority of vineyards were replanted with cold-hardy hybrid grapes such as Vidal, Seyval Blanc, Baco Noir,

and Marechal Foch. Another replanting drive began in 1978, when growers replaced many of the hybrids with

European vinifera varieties: Chardonnay, Riesling, the Cabernets, Pinot Noir, and many others.

Ontario has always been proud of its best wines. A report from the Paris Exposition of 1867 heaped praise on the

wine entries from Ontario. This tradition of creating award-winning wines is firmly ingrained in the industry, and

Ontario wines bring home international awards year after year, and not just for its icewines.

Proposal

OVA requests that the Government of Ontario officially recognize this exciting milestone by declaring 2011 to be

the Bi-centennial of the Ontario Wine Industry.

OVA also invites Ontario wineries and wine organizations to join the celebration by helping to spread the

message “Ontario wine: 200 years and growing”. OVA also hopes to see wineries planning special events in

recognition of this achievement.

Ontario Wine Industry Milestones

1811: Johann Schiller, the father of Canadian winemakers, makes wine from local and imported North

American grapes and offers them for sale to the public.

1857: Porter Adams begins cultivating grapes in Southern Ontario.

1864: Canadian Vinegrowers Association is formed in Ontario.

1864: The Dunkin Act of Upper Canada allows counties to be "dry".

1866: Vin Villa is built on Pelee Island.

1867: Canada becomes a nation.

1873: George Barnes Winery opens in Niagara.

1874: T.G. Brights Winery opens in Niagara.

1894: John Sotheridge plants vineyards in Stoney Creek.

Page 2 of 2

1916: Prohibition begins. Ontario has 67 wineries producing medicinal and sacramental wines, and wines for

export.

1927: Prohibition ends. Alcohol jurisdiction is handed over to the provinces. Ontario implements a moratorium

on new winery licences.

1960s: Growers begin to rip out North American species and plant French-American Hybrids. Baby Duck is the

best-selling wine in Ontario.

1933 to 1974: After much consolidation in the industry, there remain only six wineries in Ontario.

1974: Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser apply for a winery license -- the first since prohibition -- and open

Inniskillin winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

1978: Ontario implements a pull-out program to remove native and labrusca grapes species, to be replaced by

hybrids. Wineries are allowed to import grapes/juice/wine to fill the gap until Ontario’s vineyards reach

production age.

1988: Ontario vintners create the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA).

1988: Canada signs Free Trade pact with the US. A massive grape pullout is initiated to wean wineries off

hybrid grapes, replacing them with vinifera varieties.

1990: VQA is adopted as BC’s wine standard.

1997: Cool Climate Vinicultural Institute opens at Brock University in St. Catherines.

1999: 100th winery licensed in Ontario.

1999: VQA is entrenched as Ontario law.

2000: Fruit Wines of Ontario is founded, and establishes the Quality Certified (QC) program for non-grape

wines.

2001: Ontario Wine Content Act becomes law.

2007: Prince Edward County is recognized as a vinicultural region.

2008: Niagara Region establishes a system of microclimates.

2009: There are 164 licensed wineries in Ontario, ranging from small family operations to factory wineries, fruit

wineries, and meaderies, with facilities in virtually every segment of the province.

2010: Prince Edward County emerges as Ontario’s second largest viticultural region.

2011: Ontario celebrates the Bi-centennial of its wine industry.

Views: 75

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Agriculture and agri-food events build momentum around Agriculture Enlightened conference

EMILI’s annual Agriculture Enlightened conference is taking place on October 23, 2025, at the Delta Hotel in Winnipeg. This year’s theme is Driving Agriculture Innovation. Together we’ll explore how farmers and others in the Canadian agriculture industry are adopting agtech, discuss ways to navigate the shifting global trade landscape, and connect with leaders advancing innovation across Canada. A number of EMILI’s partners are hosting amazing agriculture and agri-food events the same week as Agriculture Enlightened 2025. Whether you’re looking for something to do ahead of Agriculture Enlightened or continue networking afterwards, check out these upcoming events.   Young Entrepreneurs Awards Hosted by MEIA, League of Innovators, and Manitoba Innovates Wednesday, October 22, 4:30pm – 9:00pm Location: The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre 400+ nominations, 6 awards, and 1 big night to celebrate Canada’s greatest young entrepreneurs and the future of sustainability! Purchase tickets

St. Benedict educator and farmer receives Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan’s Champion Award

For the past decade, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan recognizes a person who strives to engage consumers about agriculture and helps farmers build public trust in our province and beyond. The Champion Award was presented Tuesday morning in Saskatoon to Sandra Hessdorfer from St. Benedict. Sandra, her husband and two teenage sons have a grain farm and black angus cattle. Her off-farm job is the Ag Education Officer with the Horizon School Division. Her duties include delivering presentations, supporting school programs, and organizing an annual Student Ag Day for all Grade 10 students. The event is held in Humboldt and attracted 570 students and their teachers from across the Horizon School Division, which is the largest by area in the province. Hessdorfer is also a past-chair of Women in Ag and has been active with Ag in the Classroom and Saskatchewan 4-H. CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger spoke to Sandra shortly after she received her award.

Indefinite pause placed on Crown land sales

A two-year moratorium on Crown land sales expired in August, and plans were made for an October auction which had already been advertised online. Nearly 4,500 acres of cultivated and grazing farmland was split into 18 lots. That sale is being paused at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture. There has been opposition voiced by the NDP and Indigenous people. Late last week, Premier Scott Moe told reporters “it was a case of where we just got a little bit ahead of ourselves in that process starting again.” In a statement, the Government of Saskatchewan explained the parcels of land that were going up for auction had previously been leased agricultural land where the leases had been surrendered or cancelled.

Mustard millers relish investment tax credit

G.S. Dunn Limited (G.S. Dunn) is investing approximately $30 million to grow its mustard milling facility in Bow Island supported by a $3.1 million Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit (APITC) from Alberta’s government. The project has created 34 new jobs and allowed G.S. Dunn to access two new markets in Japan and South Korea. The expansion will also increase its purchase of raw mustard seed from $13 million to $44 million with all seed coming from western Canada. “Investors continue to choose Alberta as a place to establish roots, grow and expand because it makes good business sense. The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is just one of the ways our government commits to creating ideal conditions for businesses while attracting investment, diversifying the economy and creating more jobs for Albertans.” RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation The Bow Island expansion is the second phase of G.S. Dunn’s value-added mustard milling project. Since its initial expansion

Canada Post strike affecting Harvest Sample Program

Farmers can drop off harvest samples in person at multiple locations

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service