1 MADE IN CANADA Many tourists from outside Canada are surprised to learn that Canada makes wine, notes James Banford, sommelier at the Authentically Local Wines of Canada store at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. There are 110 Canadian labels in the store, about 70 per cent of the stock, and Banford enjoys introducing tourists to Canada’s own. The Niagara Peninsula in Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia are the two main wine regions in Canada. Look for the VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) label on the bottle—Canada’s symbol to guarantee the quality and source of a wine (BC VQA wine is produced from 100% BC grapes, Ontario VQA from 100% Ontario grapes). Morton finds tourists less knickknack-oriented these days when it comes to souvenirs, and often it’s a bottle or two of Canadian wine that they want to bring back to share with friends, because it’s something they can’t get at home.

2 FROZEN GRAPES In a country known for icy temperatures, perhaps it’s no surprise that of the many wines produced in Canada, we’re best known for our ice wine. Ice wine is a dessert-style wine that bursts with flavour. Doug Morton, manager of the Banff Wine Store, calls it the “piece de resistance at the end of dinner.” To make ice wine, grapes are harvested at night when temperatures have been -9°C or lower for a minimum of three days. The grapes are pressed while frozen to reduce moisture, leaving an intense, nectar-like liquid that’s very sweet.

3 HOLD THE OAK Wine drinkers are trending away from heavily oaked whites like rich, buttery Chardonnays, to fresher, crisper wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, muses Morton. He notes that some wine producers now advertise ‘unwooded Chardonnay’ on their labels. Morton says the fresher wines are often better companions to food, but he also believes the move is simply part of a cyclical trend.

4 PUT A CORK IN IT (OR NOT) Screw caps were once associated with cheaper wine, but more and more they appear on higher end wines. “The percentage of wines using screw caps is still small, but it’s growing,” says Banford. Wine producers are switching from the traditional cork stopper because the Stelvin closure, the industry’s preferred screw cap, eliminates the threat of cork taint. Cork taint is the result of a chemical contaminant in bad corks that can spoil the wine, giving it a moldy, musty aroma. Capped bottles are also easier to store, as they can be kept upright.

5 WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN Old World wine producers (France, Spain, Italy) have been introducing new brands to compete with New World wines (Canada, Australia, United States) at their lower prices, says DJ Bowen, proprietor of Jasper Liquor Store & Wine Cellar. Bowen notes that intriguing new labels sell well, like France’s Fat Bastard and Spain’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen. New World wines usually identify the grape variety on their label (Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay), while Old World wines are more likely to identify the region. But more and more Old World wines from non-traditional regions (such as Pays d’Oc in France) now identify the grape to appeal to the North American market.

6 THE ALBERTA PRICE ADVANTAGE High-end wines and premium liquor often costs less in Alberta compared to other provinces. This is due to the Alberta government’s unusual system of flat wholesale mark-up of $3.45 per litre on most wines regardless if the vintner charges $10 or $100 (other provinces calculate mark-up based on value). So, a nice bottle of Canadian wine from an Alberta liquor store is not only a unique souvenir—it’s good value, too.