Ontario
Located in the east centre of Canada, Ontario is sometimes conceptually divided into two regions, Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario. Ontario's premiere wine region and Canada's oldest, is the Niagara Wine Region to the south which boasts more than 50 wineries and vineyards accounting for 75% of Canada's grape production. Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island are other smaller winegrowing areas in the south. Southern Ontario is in roughly the same latitude as Southern France however, winegrowing here has its challenges. At times, wine regions in Ontario suffer from harsh winters which can damage tender vines. In addition, its humid summers can provide conditions for fungal disease. The soil in the Ontario region is made up primarily of sand, silt and clay mixture. The most successful grape varieties produced in the region are Riesling and Chardonnay for the white wines, and Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay Noir for reds and rose wines.