In June 2025, the Ontario government approved 24 new grape varieties for Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) certification — the largest single expansion of the authorized grape list in the program's history. Sixteen of the additions are cold-hardy hybrid varieties; the rest are new vitis vinifera grapes, the classic European species behind wines like Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. The decision, made ahead of Ontario's Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day on June 27, 2025, was framed around three goals: cold tolerance, lower dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and simply giving winemakers more creative and commercial flexibility.
What Actually Changed
The Ontario Wine Appellation Authority (OWAA), the independent regulator that administers VQA certification, oversaw the expansion, formalized through updated regulation under the Vintners Quality Alliance Act. Before this update, Ontario's authorized list ran to roughly 80 vinifera varieties; the addition brought the province's approved list up to 82 vinifera varieties and 27 hybrids in total.
Grape varieties outside the authorized list can still be grown and made into wine in Ontario — but they cannot use VQA-regulated terms on the label. Adding a variety to the list is what allows a winery to legally call a bottle "VQA" while naming that grape on the front label. Our guide to what VQA means on Ontario wine explains how varietal labelling rules work, including the special restrictions that apply specifically to hybrid grapes.
How the Authorized List Has Evolved
Ontario's authorized grape list has never been static. It grows through a formal process: a grower or winery submits a request to add a new variety, OWAA and independent reviewers assess evidence of quality and suitability to Ontario conditions, and any change requires approval from both the Authority and the responsible provincial minister. Most additions in the program's history have arrived in small batches, a handful of varieties at a time, as growers built a track record with promising grapes on a small scale before seeking formal recognition.
The 2025 update broke sharply from that pattern. Adding 24 varieties in a single regulatory change was described by OWAA's own board chair as historic, and it reflects a deliberate strategic shift rather than routine list maintenance — a recognition that climate volatility and the rise of winegrowing outside Niagara's traditional core both demanded a faster, broader response than the program's usual incremental pace.
Why These Grapes Were Chosen
OWAA and the provincial government pointed to three criteria driving the selections: proven ability to produce quality wine, resistance to extreme cold temperatures, and lower dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides compared to many traditional vinifera plantings. Derek Cartlidge, Chair of the OWAA Board of Directors, called the change "a historic expansion of the grape list," noting it reflects "a drive to sustainability, more flexibility to adapt to growing conditions and more consumer choice."
For an industry increasingly focused on resilience — after winter bud damage and spring frost events have trimmed harvests in several recent vintages, as our Ontario wine vintage chart details — cold-hardy varieties that shrug off deep freezes without losing fruit are a genuinely practical hedge, not just a novelty.
New Vinifera Additions Worth Knowing
Among the eight new vitis vinifera varieties, three have drawn the most attention from wine media and growers:
- Barbera — A high-acid, food-friendly red grape from Italy's Piedmont region, known for bright cherry and plum fruit with modest tannin. Its naturally high acidity could suit Ontario's cooler sites well.
- Dolcetto — Another Piedmont red, typically softer and more approachable than Barbera, with dark fruit and a slightly bitter almond finish. Historically an early-drinking wine in its home region.
- Roussanne — A textured white grape from the southern Rhône Valley, often blended with Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, and Viognier, contributing honeyed, herbal complexity and a fuller mouthfeel than many Ontario whites currently offer.
These three won't replace Ontario's core vinifera identity — Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc remain the province's calling cards — but they give winemakers new blending and single-varietal options, particularly in warmer pockets of Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore.
New Cold-Hardy Hybrids to Watch
The hybrid additions are where the expansion gets most interesting for Ontario's future, since these grapes were specifically bred for winter survival and lower spray requirements. Notable named additions include:
- Marquette — A red hybrid developed at the University of Minnesota, descended in part from Pinot Noir, known for dark berry fruit, peppery spice, and enough structure to support serious winemaking rather than just novelty bottlings.
- Frontenac Noir, Frontenac Blanc, and Frontenac Gris — A family of related cold-hardy varieties producing everything from deeply coloured reds to aromatic whites and rosé-leaning styles, all sharing exceptional winter hardiness.
- L'Acadie Blanc — A white hybrid with a long track record in Nova Scotia winemaking, valued for crisp acidity and versatility in both still and sparkling wine.
- Petite Pearl — A newer cold-climate red hybrid gaining traction across northern U.S. wine regions for its deep colour and balanced tannin structure.
- Traminette — A Gewürztraminer-descended hybrid offering similar floral, lychee-driven aromatics with improved cold hardiness over its vinifera parent.
- Cabernet Foch — A red hybrid bred for structure and cold tolerance, positioned as a more winter-resilient alternative to traditional Cabernet-family reds.
- Lucie Kuhlmann — A lesser-known red hybrid added for its combination of quality potential and hardiness in marginal sites.
Speaking to CBC News, Michael Maish, co-owner of The Roost Wine Company, said the expansion "opens up new business models and supports innovation," pointing specifically to experiments like sparkling reds and a spiced wine made from Frontenac Gris — styles most Ontario consumers have simply never had the chance to try.
Where to Find the Complete List
This article highlights the additions generating the most conversation, not an exhaustive inventory. The full, legally authoritative list of all 24 new varieties — alongside Ontario's complete authorized grape roster — is published in the amended VQA regulation and maintained on the OWAA's official website. Winemakers and serious enthusiasts should consult those primary sources directly rather than relying on secondhand summaries, including this one, for regulatory precision.
Who Benefits Most: Ontario's Emerging Regions
While Niagara Peninsula still produces the overwhelming majority of Ontario VQA wine, the new grape list was explicitly designed with emerging growing areas in mind — regions where traditional vinifera struggles with winter survival but interest in local wine production is rising. The Ontario Wine Appellation Authority recognizes several such areas: Norfolk and Haldimand Counties along Lake Erie's north shore between Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore; Central Ontario and Georgian Bay, where rolling terrain north of Toronto meets Canadian Shield geography; the eastern shore of Lake Huron, benefiting from lake-moderated winters; and Eastern Ontario, where limestone-rich soils between the Ottawa River Valley and the St. Lawrence corridor are drawing new cool-climate plantings.
Wines grown in these areas, outside the named appellations, currently carry the broad "VQA Ontario" designation rather than a specific regional name. Cold-hardy hybrids like Marquette and the Frontenac family give growers in these zones a realistic path to VQA-certified wine where vinifera plantings would otherwise face repeated winterkill. Our forthcoming guide to emerging wine regions in Ontario covers these areas and their growing potential in more depth.
How to Try These Wines Yourself
Because many of these varieties are being bottled in small experimental lots, mainstream retail listings will lag behind what's actually happening in the cellar. The most reliable way to taste the new grape list in action is to visit smaller, growth-oriented wineries directly — particularly those in or near the emerging regions mentioned above — and simply ask what's new. Tasting room staff at forward-looking producers are often eager to pour something unusual for curious visitors, since these bottlings tend to be conversation pieces rather than volume sellers.
Farmers' markets and seasonal pop-up tastings, discussed in our guide to where to buy Ontario wine, are another likely early access point, since small-lot producers often use these venues to introduce new wines before committing to broader distribution. Wine club members at wineries actively experimenting with hybrids may also see early access to these bottlings before they reach general release.
When Will These Wines Reach Shelves?
Some already have. According to OWAA, dozens of wines made from the newly approved varieties had been certified within weeks of the regulation change, with more expected to reach winery tasting rooms and store shelves through 2026 and beyond. Given typical vine-to-bottle timelines, expect the pace of new releases featuring these grapes — particularly the hybrids, since they were often already planted in small experimental blocks before formal VQA approval — to accelerate over the next several vintages.
The Bigger Picture: Climate Adaptation Meets Consumer Choice
Ontario's VQA wine sold more than $433.6 million worldwide in 2024, and the province's wine industry has increasingly framed climate resilience as a business necessity rather than a marketing angle, following vintages shaped by winter bud damage, spring frost, and summer drought. Expanding the authorized grape list toward lower-input, cold-hardy varieties fits into that broader shift — one that also includes growing interest in sustainable and organic viticulture across the province, covered in our guide to sustainable winemaking in Ontario.
It's also worth noting the list isn't finished growing. Albariño, the aromatic Iberian white variety, was reported to be under consideration for future approval — a reminder that Ontario's grape palette will likely keep evolving as the province adapts to a changing climate and a maturing wine industry.
The Bottom Line
The 24 new VQA-approved varieties won't replace Ontario's signature grapes anytime soon, but they mark a meaningful shift toward resilience and experimentation — particularly for growers in emerging regions where cold-hardy hybrids like Marquette, the Frontenac family, and L'Acadie Blanc offer a realistic path into VQA certification. Watch for small-lot bottlings from adventurous producers over the next few vintages; they're likely to be some of the most genuinely new tasting experiences Ontario wine has offered in years.
Frequently Asked Questions
When were the 24 new VQA grape varieties approved in Ontario?
The Ontario government approved the 24 new grape varieties in June 2025, ahead of Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day on June 27, 2025. The change was implemented through an amendment to the VQA regulation administered by the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority.
How many of the new grapes are hybrids versus traditional vinifera?
Sixteen of the 24 newly approved varieties are cold-hardy hybrid grapes, while the remaining eight are new vitis vinifera varieties, including Barbera, Dolcetto, and Roussanne.
What are some of the notable new hybrid grapes approved for VQA wine?
Notable hybrid additions include Marquette, the Frontenac family (Frontenac Noir, Frontenac Blanc, and Frontenac Gris), L'Acadie Blanc, Petite Pearl, Traminette, Cabernet Foch, and Lucie Kuhlmann — all selected in part for cold tolerance.
Why does cold tolerance matter for Ontario grape growers?
Ontario's recent vintages have shown how winter bud damage and spring frost events can significantly cut yields, even in established regions like Niagara. Cold-hardy hybrid varieties are far less vulnerable to these losses, making them attractive for growers, especially in emerging, cooler growing regions.
Can I buy wine made from these new grape varieties yet?
Yes, in limited quantities. Dozens of wines made from the newly approved varieties were certified within weeks of the 2025 regulation change, with more expected to reach winery tasting rooms and retail shelves through 2026 and beyond.