| LCBO

The wine pantheon




Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal. When it comes to wine, the influence of these six countries is impossible to ignore. Viticulture is as much a part of their heritage as their architecture, landscapes, art and cuisine. Join us as we take you on a trip around some of the most beautiful regions in the world and discover the wines they’ve been perfecting for centuries.

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GREECE / The author

Once upon a time…

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Greece has been planting grapes and making wine from time immemorial. Wine was currency to the ancient Greeks both domestically and internationally. Anywhere the ancient Greeks spread their influence, they also spread seeds to feed their people and made wine to drink and sell, and wine has been a major part of the country’s economic output ever since. The importance of wine in many ancient cultures is largely attributed to the love the ancient Greeks had for it. The country is home to a host of vinous varieties, such as the briny Assyrtiko; the soft, floral Malagousia; and the hearty, spicy Agiorgitiko, that are ideal for enjoying on one of Greece’s many gorgeous beaches.

 


FRANCE / The noble

Terroir and technology

Most people instinctively refer to France when they think of wine, and for good reason. France has been the epicentre of the fine-wine market for a long time and has made significant technological advancements in the practice of winemaking. Common viticultural techniques and the concept of regional identity exist today thanks to French ingenuity. Many regions in France produce wines of a unique personality: Bordeaux crafts bold reds based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Burgundy is the birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Loire is known for lithe Sauvignon Blanc, Rhône has mastered blending with 13 grapes at their disposal, and Champagne revolutionized how we enjoy sparkling wine.

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ITALY / The farmer

Sowing the seeds of love

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Eons ago, the Greeks called Italy Oenotria, or “the land of wine.” No country in the world produces more wine than Italy, with roughly 50 million hectolitres made every year. This gargantuan amount can be attributed primarily to the fact that Italy has an enormous farmable land mass and relaxed laws on permissible grape-growing regions. Every corner of Italy produces wine, from the mountainous Alto Adige region and its fresh, Pinot Grigio-based whites; to the rolling hills of Tuscany and its food-friendly Chianti made with the Sangiovese grape; to the southern island of Sicily with its mineral-tinged wines grown in the volcanic soils of Mount Etna.


GERMANY / The alpinist

Steeped in history

Whereas most regions rely on their warm average temperatures and proximity to large bodies of water to ripen grapes, Germany takes a different approach, making up for the factors they lack with pragmatism: vines are planted on steep, slate-rich hills that flank the country’s wide rivers. The position allows sunlight to reflect off the water and onto the grapes, maximizing sun exposure, while the deep slate soils retain heat long into the night and impart a stony minerality to the finished wine. Much like our home in Ontario, Germany shows that you can use your terroir to your advantage by crafting wines that benefit from higher acidity, such as Riesling from the Mosel, Pinot Noir from Pfalz, and even lush dessert wines like Icewine (Eiswein) and the botrytized Trockenbeerenauslese.

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SPAIN / The cooper

Variety is the spice of life

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Spain’s winemaking regions craft a distinct style of approachable, spicy wines aged in American oak. Barrel ageing plays a significant role in the country’s oenological identity; red wines are labelled based on the time spent in barrel and in bottle before release. Sourced from vines grown along the shores of the Ebro River since the Roman Empire, the Tempranillo-based reds of Rioja adapt well to extensive time in barrel and develop savoury aromas of sweet tobacco and sun-dried tomato. Ageing wine in the solera system (fractional mixing from multiple vintages in stacked barrels) is essential to Spain’s famous commodity that has been grown in Jerez’s chalky white soils for millennia: Sherry. Strong, food-friendly, and with a distinctly nutty flavour, the Palomino-based fortified wine is a staple in Spanish viticulture and pairs well with their traditional cuisine.


PORTUGAL / The alchemist

Unique traditions

Though the smallest nation on this list, Portugal boasts some of the most diverse subregions for growing a vast array of wine styles and grapes. Where many of the other countries specialize in single-varietal wines as the key focus of a stated region, Portugal is unique in blending their many native grape varieties, such as Touriga Nacional, Castelão, Tinta Roriz, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet, to craft delicious wines. The sun-baked, rolling hills of Alentejo might remind you of California if not for the ancient marble castles that flank the vineyards. This incredibly hot region specializes in firm reds that are ideal for cellaring. The coastal Lisboa is vastly different. Cooled by the brisk winds off the Atlantic, this region specializes in herbaceous whites and tender reds that are easy on the palate.

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