Quebec wine facts for kids

Quebec wine is a special type of Canadian wine made in the province of Quebec. The grapes grown here, both white and red, have unique qualities. They need to be strong enough to survive the cold Quebec winters and ripen early. About 40 different kinds of grapes are grown in Quebec. Some of the most common ones are Maréchal Foch, Frontenac, De Chaunac, Vidal, and Seyval blanc.

Winemakers in Quebec create many different products. These include dry, semi-dry, and fortified wines. They also make ice wine, late harvest wine, sparkling wine, and fruit wine.

You can find vineyards in six main regions of Quebec. These areas are the Eastern Townships, Montérégie, Québec, Basses Laurentides, Lanaudière, and Centre-du-Québec.

History of Quebec Wine

When the French explorer Jacques Cartier sailed along the St. Lawrence River, he saw many wild grapes. He found them on Île d'Orléans and named the island "Île de Bacchus." Bacchus was the Roman god of wine and celebrations.

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain started the settlement that would become Quebec City. He tried planting French grapevines, but they didn't do well in the cold winters. Even so, people continued to make small amounts of wine. By the 1700s, people in the French colony often made wine from wild grapes and other fruits.

While local production was small, a lot of wine was imported from France. For example, in 1739, over 775,000 bottles were brought in for a population of only about 24,000 people over 15 years old.

Changes After 1760

After the British army took over French Canada in 1760, French wine imports dropped quickly. This was because Britain wanted its colonies to trade mostly within the British Empire. Because of this, other strong drinks like whisky and rum became very popular in Quebec. This continued until the late 1800s. At that time, trade between Canada and France started to grow again.

In 1864, the Quebec government tried to help wine production by offering money. They tried growing wild grapes again, as well as new types of grapes from the United States. However, the industry faced many challenges. One big challenge was the temperance movement. This movement wanted people to drink less alcohol, or even stop completely.

By the 1920s, this movement succeeded in making alcohol illegal in the United States and most Canadian provinces. Quebecers, however, had voted against this ban in 1898. Even so, a law banning alcohol became active in Quebec on May 1, 1919. But soon after, Quebecers voted to allow beer, wine, and cider again. Quebec became the only place in North America to avoid a total ban on alcohol.

Wine in the 20th Century

In 1921, a new law called the Alcoholic Beverages Act was passed. This law created the Commission des liqueurs du Québec. This government group was in charge of selling beer, wine, and cider, and later, other strong drinks too. This group, now called the Société des alcools du Québec, still manages all alcohol distribution in Quebec today. They have a special right to be the only ones to sell these products.

As people in Quebec started trying different kinds of drinks, there was a demand for local products. In the 1970s, some farmers began trying out new types of grapes that could handle the cold. When they had success making good quality wines, many others followed. The 1980s and 1990s saw many new vineyards start up across southern Quebec.

In 1987, the first Quebec wine growers formed an association. Their success caught the attention of French winemakers. In 1995, the Association des Vignerons du Québec partnered with a wine group from the Bordeaux region in France.

Climate and Geography for Grapes

The St. Lawrence River valley, in the southern part of Quebec, is a very fertile area. Wild grapes and other fruits grow there naturally. However, Quebec has a humid continental climate. This means it has long, cold winters that last about four months. The ground freezes very deeply, which makes it hard for most types of European grapevines to survive.

In the 1980s, Quebec wine growers started planting grape varieties known for being strong against freezing temperatures. They also began using modern methods to warm the soil during the coldest winter days. Winemakers in Quebec have only about six months to grow their grapes. In warmer wine regions, this process can take 11 to 12 months.

Types of Grapes Grown

The best grape varieties for Quebec's climate are those from Northern France, Germany, and the Northeastern United States. About 40 different types of grapes are grown in Quebec.

For red wine, the most common grapes are Sainte-Croix, Maréchal Foch, Frontenac, Sabrevois, and De Chaunac. For white wine, popular grapes include Vidal, Seyval blanc, L'Acadie blanc, Vandal-Cliche, and Geisenheim. In 2008, grapes used for red wine made up 60% of all the planted grapevines.