Why I Drink Ontario Wine

Candace, 31 May 2007, No comments
Categories: Activism, Canadiana, Culture, Environment, Food, Life, northernvoice

I live in Ontario. As much as I am able to choose, I drink Ontario wine, made from grapes grown in Ontario.

I live about an hour north of Pelee Island. I live about three hours south-west of the Niagara Escarpment. Between these two regions there are many wines to choose from. I’m lucky about this. If I lived somewhere else I might not have this many choices.

I make this choice because I don’t want to contribute to the consumption of fossil fuels by drinking wine that’s traveled great distances. I also don’t want to drink wine that contains grapes from far away places. Not only does this contribute to the environmental problem, but it also is a contributing factor in homogenizing the world’s wine. If Ontario wine contains grapes from Italy, then the difference between Ontario and Italian wine blurs. Vintners become transnational companies and diversity of flavours disappears. Grape growers in Ontario have established the VQA designation to make this easier for me: only Ontario

When I was in British Columbia for Northern Voice I had great BC wine, and when I travel other places someday I will try their regional wine.

Small choices do make a difference.

Comments

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  1. Jacqui583
    31 May 2007, 7:29 pm

    I also choose Ontario wine as much as possible. For me it’s about supporting local people; like “buy the car your neighbours help to build”.

  2. Alexandra
    31 May 2007, 11:04 pm

    I think Ontario wine is great. And Pelee Island wine is one of my vices of choice.

  3. Candace
    01 June 2007, 12:58 pm

    @ Alexandra: you’re hilarious – “vices of choice”. I guess it will do when there are no margaritas to be found…

    @ Jacqui: yes, totally supporting local independent winegrowers/makers is part of this too, just like supporting any small local independent artisan. 🙂

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