Canada Lebanon New Zealand Sweden
Canada has been producing quality wines for over two hundred years, and has hundreds of established wineries producing characterful and easily recognizable wines from the many imported grape varietals which flourish in the cool climate and excellent soils which typify the region. The primary wine producing regions of Canada are all located in the south of the country, and benefit from the consistent climate found there. The two largest wine producing regions is Canada are the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, and Niagara Peninsula, in Ontario. Both of these regions produce large quantities of the ice wine Canada is famous for, where the grapes are allowed to freeze on the vine during the early frosts, and thus have their sugars and flavors concentrated, resulting in highly aromatic and often very sweet wines.
There are few countries in the world with a wine history as long or as impressive as that of Lebanon. Indeed, the Phoenicians who once lived on the coastal areas of the country were amongst the first people to spread viticulture around their empire, and wine was being imported from Lebanon into ancient Egypt almost five thousand years ago. Today, wine production in Lebanon remains strong, with over half a million cases of wine being produced annually. In fact, the last decade or so has seen wine production in Lebanon increase enormously, with new wineries opening each year in the eastern part of the country, near the Syrian border where the climatic conditions are more favorable for viticulture. Whilst modern wineries in Lebanon prefer to use classic French grape varietals, there is an increasing interest in using native grapes, which are producing some highly characterful results.
As with nearby Australia, New Zealand has over the past century proven itself to be a superb location for producing high quality wines in vast amounts, with much of the cooler regions of both islands being used primarily for vine cultivation. New Zealand wineries are notable for their enthusiasm in regards to experimentation, and for utilizing modern technologies and methods to make the most of the imported grape varietals which flourish in the rich, fertile soils and oceanic climate. In recent years, it has been the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines which have gained the most attention, as a result of their smoky character and ability to carry the mineral rich nature of the terroir they grow in. Changing consumer interests have brought about a considerable rise in the production of organic and sustainable wines in New Zealand, of which again, the Sauvignon Blanc varietals are leading the way in regards to excellence, flavor and overall character.