History of Quebec wines
Since the earlier years of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain noticed wild grapes and assumed the possibility to grow vines in this new settlement. He planted French grapes which did not survive the harsh Winters. The British occupation of the French Canada, led to the rapid depletion of French wine imports. Spirits became the common drink of choice for Quebecers.
By 1864, Quebec subsidized agriculture for winemakers to encourage the production, hybrid grapes were being introduced in the United States. The temperance movement in the US, reflected in all Canadian provinces as well, however Quebecers then, voted and 81.1% voted against Prohibition which led to a Province wide referendum, defining the dangerous spirits and the crimeless beer wine and cider which were voted off of the prohibition list.
By the 1980s, vineyards began popping up in the Southern region of Quebec, which most of them are still open and making strides in Quebec’s wine industry. The achievements of a portion of its individuals eventually grabbed the eye of the French and in 1995, the Association des Vignerons du Québec and the Syndicat viticole des Graves et Graves supérieures of the Bordeaux district joined in an expert organization.
Quebec climate
Quebec’s climate is not known to being the most forgiving. Its a four-month-long winter of this humid mainland atmosphere zone that freezes the land profound enough that most varietals of European vines do not survive. Our summers are humid, making our varieties sensitive to potential disease. With these challenges, come innovative solutions. These are main reasons why hybrid grapes are used to make wine in this region, as they can withstand the climate.
Quebec IGP
It’s been declared that a new IGP Vin du Québec was affirmed. The acknowledgment of the IGP Vin du Québec is a continuation of a quality methodology embraced in the most recent decade. In a setting of development in the Quebec wine showcase, the IGP is a device of acknowledgment and correspondence of the particularity of Quebec wines. It might be the subsequent stage towards consistency, quality control and an utter respect for the land and its terroir.
Quebec varieties
Some of the commonly used varieties in Quebec include:
VIDAL A cross of the Trebbiano Toscano and Rayon d’Or assortments, Vidal was created during the 1930s for use in cognac creation by Jean-Louis Vidal. This variety normally delivers dry white wines and astounding icewines with notes of pear and citrus.
SEYVAL BLANC Starting in France, this assortment is the most well known grape in Quebec and has delighted in significant development. It was broadly planted in Champagne during the phylloxera plague in order to guarantee the creation of value shining wines. Regularly utilized for making icewine, it by and large creates dry, light wines with a solid portion of acridity. 
FRONTENAC GRIS This flexible grape is appropriate for making dry white wines, shining wines and icewines. Presented in Quebec in 2008, it contains significant levels of sugar and sharpness. Frontenac Gris wines ordinarily present peach fragrances.
FRONTENAC BLANC Like its cousin Frontenac Gris, Frontenac Blanc is additionally flexible. It flourishes in all kinds of soils and fits a wide scope of wine styles, incorporating one with a lemon-yellow shading and smells of peach, pear and tropical organic products.
To sum this up, in a few small words: Quebec has a love for their land and terroir. There are many more varieties that are planted in the Province than above mentioned, and with some room to humbly grow, these wines are very good and can become outstanding!
To find your next Quebec Bottle or want to introduce this region to your cellar, you can refer to the SAQ’s informative guide or by looking at the Quebec tourism website for a full list of the wineries and wine route in the links below.
SAQ Wines of Quebec: https://www.saq.com/en/products/origine-quebec-products
Route des vins/ Wine route: https://www.quebecoriginal.com/en/savour/quebec-wines
Written by Christine – Only with wine