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My guess is most wine enthusiasts don’t give the baco noir grape much thought. It is a red hybrid grape (created in 1902 by François Baco) typically seen as being second rate to the noble classes of vinifera varieties, such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir.
First introduced to vineyards in the northeastern U.S. and Canada in the 1950s, baco was promoted as a winter hearty grape variety that would perform well in cool climates. It has become one of the most widely planted grapes in Ontario, where it is used effectively by wineries as everything from a blending components for large volume blends to premium priced single vineyard wines. (Although, true to its second class status, the winemaking rules in Ontario don’t allow baco labels to broadcast vineyard designations.)
But Baco continues to thrive outside of the limelight thanks to the dedicated winemaking teams, especially the ones at Andrew Peller Limited, owners of Trius, Thirty Bench Wine Makers and others, Arterra Wines, whose brands include Jackson-Triggs and Inniskillin, and Henry of Pelham Family Estate, who have done the most work elevating and promoting the unique charms of this unsung grape variety.
Henry of Pelham’s president Paul Speck explains baco is one of the winery’s most popular wines at home and abroad. It’s sold in every country where Henry of Pelham exports its wines and is embraced by wine lovers and sommeliers alike, including ones at establishments recognized with prestigious Michelin stars. “It’s our biggest seller,” says Speck.
In a vintage like 2022, where cold temperatures have drastically reduced the crop of vinifera varieties, notably merlot and pinot noir, baco’s value shines even brighter. The variety is celebrated by growers and winemakers relatively inexpensive to farm while consistently producing quality table wines at an affordable price.
In the 1980s, the variety was easy to dismiss as a mean and tart red, with a foxy aroma (a peculiar combination of fruity and musky notes). Since then, however, growers and winemakers have learned to work with the variety to coax out its best character and produce wines that range from $10 to $30 per bottle.
The keys to producing an appealing deeply coloured, rich and round red wine is managing the vine’s vigorous growth by pruning, removing leaves to expose grape clusters to more sunlight and reducing yield to prompt even ripening.
In the winery, it’s working with the naturally high acidity and low tannins to produce a balanced and tasty wine. Winemakers usually leave a few grams of residual sugar to counter the tart acidity, which explains why newcomers to red wine often appreciate its juicy berry character.
That easy going appeal isn’t for everyone. Although seasoned wine drinkers may find more enjoyment in examples are aged in oak barrels, usually fashioned from heavily toasted American oak staves, to increase complexity and length.
Producers to watch for include Henry of Pelham Family Estate, Inniskillin, Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate, Lakeview Estate, Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, Trius and Wayne Gretzky.
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Christopher Waters