Harvest 2025, Expanding European Markets, Fall Ideas

We’ve had a magnificent summer weather wise, with the exception of the very cold and wet start in May. The ensuing dry summer, perfect flowering, along with a lot of hard work, has resulted in one of the most beautiful crops I’ve seen in my 20+ years in the County. We’re looking at starting our Niagara harvest on Monday with the County harvest likely to follow in about two weeks. For those interested in participating in our very popular volunteer communal harvest event in early October (date TBD), please email joey@normanhardie.com to be signed up for further details.

This year I’ve spent a lot of time expanding our markets in Europe. Last week I was fortunate to spend a week in Denmark, one of Burgundy’s biggest markets considered by some as a culinary capital of the world. I’m proud to say I quenched their thirst for Burgundy with some great mineral driven Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Their minds were blown at the quality of wine we can produce to compete with Burgundy.

I’d like to once again thank our incredible temporary foreign workers from Thailand for their unbelievable, back-breaking hard work in the vineyard. Without these amazing temporary foreign workers who leave their families for 9 months to come work here, our farm/winery would not exist.

Our pizza oven will remain open 7 days a week until the end of October. Erica and her amazing hospitality team are eager and looking forward to welcoming you. In mid-to-late October we will then transition from the pizza oven to our hearty fall/winter menu. Serving piping hot lasagnas, Luciano’s garden parmigiana, classic French onion soup, fresh East Coast oysters, cold-smoked local trout and fresh focaccia. We will have cozy indoor seating among the barrels as well as outdoors next to roaring fire pits. We look forward to welcoming you all year long.

Thank you for being part of our success.

Cheers,

Norm