The spring sun has finally arrived after a very mild winter followed by unusually cool temperatures and record rainfall. Not since 2008 have we had such a cool and wet spring (late bud break)… Hopefully a great omen as 2008 was a miraculous and ground breaking vintage for us.
Just in time for spring and summer,  we have released our 2015 Cabernet Franc as well as our 2016 Riesling and Calcaire. Given the frost of 2015 , the richness and concentration of flavours in the Cabernet Franc is optimal due to low yields and warm fall: delicious with meats off the barbecue. The 2016 Riesling is what I call “just” dry with beautiful fresh acidity (perceptively drier than the 2015’s). The 2016 Calcaire is as always crisp, fresh, mineral driven with lots of citrus notes… both are ideal summer sippers.
We have also just released our first unsulphured Chardonnay. After taking 18 months to finish secondary fermentation the wine is miraculously vibrant, alive and almost green in the glass… This is one of Canada’s first ever wines that has never ever had any sulphur added to it. All natural wine/vin nature.
Some fun events/trips to look forward to:
> Pizza Oven: as always looking forward to a great season on the patio, oven firing 11am till 6pm Friday through Monday in May, Thursday through Monday 11 till 6 in June through till Thanksgiving.
>Terroir Symposium: A day to play hookie from the office for the food and wine lovers in Toronto, a highlight of May for us every year. Click here for details
>Two Winemaker Dinners: a wonderful casual low key at one of my favourite local Toronto bistro’s Boland’s Open Kitchen on May 23 and a very small intimate gathering downtown at Momofuku Shoto on May 30.
>Epicurian and Safari Trip to South Africa Feb 2018: Join me on the trip of a lifetime where the top chefs and winemakers open their doors to us for private tastings and some of the most exquisite meals followed by four days of breath taking safari in the Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Click here for more details
We hope you will visit us here in beautiful Prince Edward County this summer. As always, if you can’t make it out to the County, we are happy to bring the County to you. Don’t hesitate to order wine from us on our online store, we deliver throughout Canada. In Ontario, shipping is free on orders of $200 or more.
Stay informed on happenings at the winery and in the County by following us on Instagram, Twitter or on Facebook.
Cheers from stunning Prince Edward County,
Norm
PS: I failed to mention two great highlights this spring. The first being a private two hour visit to the winery, tasting and pizza lunch with Justin Trudeau and his lovely wife Sophie. The second being receiving the Gold Award for Artisan of the Year from the Ontario Hostelry Institute. A great start to the spring.