Many people don’t realize how many different styles of wine Canada produces. So today we’re toasting Canadian wines that rival the best in the world. To help us taste the best is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com.
Hi Natalie!
Great to be back with you!
Natalie what’s the twist on why you’re recommending these particular wines today?
Well, it’s time to stop being polite Canadians and time to start bragging about our own wines because they’re crushing it in the vineyard and on the world stage!
I’m recommending these Canadian wines not simply as substitutes for wines from other regions, but as stand-on-their-own rivals that often surpass them in quality and taste.
Sounds great! So where are we starting?
We’re starting on the east coast with the 1365 Church Street Winery Tidal Bay from Port Williams, Nova Scotia.
1365 Church Street Tidal Bay
Port Williams, Nova Scotia
It’s a stunning alternative to Moscato d’Asti from Italy because it delivers fresh floral aromas, a kiss of summer sweetness, and a crisp ocean spray finish.
It’s like someone bottled a perfect day at the beach, but without the sand in uncomfortable places. It’s expressive and refreshing.
Serve it with zucchini fritters, cucumber-dill salad, or herbed chèvre on rye crackers—think fresh, garden-inspired bites.
It’s the kind of wine that makes you want to host a garden party even if your garden is just a potted basil plant and one very optimistic tomato vine.
Feel free to try it ladies.
Tell us more about Tidal Bay.
Tidal Bay is Nova Scotia’s signature wine that captures the essence of province’s maritime climate. Despite being one of Nova’s Scotia’s newest wineries, 1365 Church Street produces a benchmark example of this wine with 100% estate-grown grapes that are aged in stainless steel to preserve freshness with just 10% alcohol.
I also want to mention that you can buy this wine and all of the other wines I’m recommending today directly from the wineries’ websites or by calling them. They’ll ship the wines right to your doorstep. This is a really important way that you can support these small family farms as they depend on direct sales to survive.
Every bottle of 100% Canadian wine adds $90 to our economy versus just $16 for an import. The industry itself contributes $12 billion annually to Canada directly and indirectly through tourism, manufacturing and other industries.
Who knew patriotism could taste this good! You’re just doing your civic duty here, ladies.
Where are we going for your next wine?
Poplar Grove Cascadia Series Pinot Gris
Okanagan Valley, B.C.
We’re going to the west coast this time with the Poplar Grove Cascadia Series Pinot Gris in the Okanagan Valley. It’s a terrific alternative to Italian Pinot Grigio because you still get those bright citrus notes, but with a fuller texture thanks to that Okanagan sunshine.
I’d pair this with Pacific coast salmon, either grilled or smoked would be lovely.
Feel free to try it ladies.
Tell us more about Poplar Grove.
This is the 30th anniversary for this family-owned winery. Tony & Barb Holler and their four sons run the winery which practices sustainable viticulture with hand-harvested grapes, low-intervention winemaking and solar power.
The family created Cascadia Series out of necessity following the severe frosts of 2024 that completely devastated BC vineyards. To continue bringing exceptional wines to Canadians, they sourced premium grapes from just across the border in Washington State.
Despite the origin of the fruit, every other part of the wine’s journey, from fermentation to bottling, aging, and packaging, happened in the province and kept all their staff employed. By the way, the wine industry creates 45,000 jobs in this country often in rural area where it’s hard to find work.
The wine is a true testament to Canadian resilience and optimism, and we can use every ounce of it we can get!
The winery has won Double Gold medals in prestigious competitions hosted by Decanter Magazine as well as in San Francisco and New York.
Where are we traveling next with your suggestions?
Good Earth Riesling
Niagara, Ontario
I’m taking your taste buds to Ontario! This Riesling from The Good Earth Food and Wine Company in Niagara is a stellar substitute for classic German Riesling. It’s juicy and vibrant with notes of lemon zest, green apple, and a racy acidity that wakes up your senses.
It’s a beautiful expression of Niagara, showing how well Canadian wines can hold their own next to the European classics.
Serve this wine with Thai dishes, tangy barbecue, or a fresh mango salad. It’s a food-lover’s dream.
You can also pair this with any of the dishes that the restaurant makes including a salad of Japanese lime cucumber, burrata, beer nuts, confit chili and shallot and mint; tempura asparagus with blackened lemon and tonnato; roasted Giannone chicken with baby leeks, shitake, fingerlings and cauliflower puree; or pan-roasted salmon horseradish with honey glazed beets, green garlic, labneh and salmon roe.
Feel free to try it ladies.
Tell us more about The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.
The Good Earth Food and Wine Company was one of the first farm-to-table wineries in Niagara, starting as a small cooking school and working farm. Over the years, it’s earned a place on OpenTable’s list of Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants.
When you visit, you can take cooking classes, enjoy wine on the patio with live music, get married or all three though maybe not in that order!
Also consider visiting all of these wineries for your next vacation or weekend getaway as they all have beautiful tasting rooms in spectacular settings. It’s like Instagram but with better lighting and you can touch and taste the things.
Drinking a wine where it was made will change your relationship with that wine for the rest of your life and give you lots of great stories you can share with friends and family.
Recently, it became part of the Carmens Group family, who kept the beloved team in place and introduced thoughtful upgrades to the venue and the capability to offer all-inclusive weddings and events. In the summer, the patio comes to life with live music, wood oven pizza, and a welcoming vibe for both guests and their four-legged companions.
Ilya Senchuk is one of Canada’s top winemakers and has worked in some of Niagara’s top wineries. In 2013, Ilya and wife Nadia followed their dream and opened Leaning Post Wines.
Ilya along with Assistant Winemaker Anais Ferris craft the Good Earth Wines and have built an impressive selection of wines which are approachable, delicious and most importantly, fun to drink.
The Good Earth Food and Wine Company Orange Skin Fermented Chardonnay Musque took home double gold at the 2025 All Canadian Wine Championships and a Silver Medal for 2020 Cabernet Franc at 2024 Ontario Wine Awards.
We’re staying in Ontario for your next wine. Tell us about it.
Adamo Estate Winery Pinot Noir
Mono, Ontario
If you love the elegance of Burgundy, this Ontario Pinot will charm you. The Adamo Estate Pinot Noir is made from 100% estate grapes sustainably grown in the exciting, new region of Mono, Ontario, nestled in the Hockley Valley just 45 minutes north of Toronto.
The Adamo Pinot offers the same silky texture as Burgundy but with richer notes of fresh cherries and berries.
Try this with wild mushroom risotto, roast duck glazed with cherry sauce
Feel free to try it ladies.
The bonus is that this wine, like the others here today, is a fraction of the cost of wines from the comparison regions. Those wines charge premiums because they’ve been in the market a few centuries ahead of us. But the quality of these Canadian wines is equal to, and I as I mentioned previously, better than, the traditional wines in many cases.
Tell us more about the winery.
Adamo Estate is one of Ontario’s prettiest wineries, set beside the Hockley Valley Spa Resort. Get a massage, take a beekeeping class, practice yoga, watch a movie in the vineyard and indulge in a culinary feast in their restaurants.
It’s like a luxury retreat disguised as a winery… or maybe the other way around. Either way, I’m not leaving.
It’s comfort, culture and countryside all in one sip.
Where are we finishing our cross-country tour?
Clos du Soleil Signature
Similkameen Valley, BC
I have the Clos du Soleil Signature Red from the Similkameen Valley in British Columbia. It’s a fantastic alternative to Bordeaux and California red wines. Their Signature Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
It’s bold and majestic; essentially the Canadian Rockies in liquid form.
Try this one with grilled steak, portobello mushrooms, or a wedge of aged cheddar.
Feel free to try it ladies.
Tell us more about this winery.
They farm organically and biodynamically, letting the rocky soils and mountain sunshine shine through every glass. Thus, the name Clos du Soleil; vineyard of the sun which sounds way more poetic than “vineyard with really good weather.”
This wine has garnered many high scores from critics and won the Silver Medal at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition in London.
Natalie, thank you for sharing these world-class Canadian wines!
Where can we find you online?
On Instagram , you can find me posting wine and spirit reviews and tips at:
Posted with permission of The Social.
