All posts tagged Prince Edward County

Corks Flying at Hinterland

by Billy on February 9, 2012 in Travel Notes, Wine Picks with No comments

“I’m interested in exploring all the different types of sparkling wines, from all over.”

I recalled these words of Jonas Newman as I wandered into his Hinterland Winery (here in the County) today – I was greeted by flying corks and the loud noises of disgorging. The process of ‘exploding’ the dead yeast out of bottles of sparkling wine. Stand back!

Jonas’ newest contribution to sparkling is his version of Bugey-Cerdon, a favourite with the locals in the Jura mountains in eastern France. Which is produced by methode ancestrale, a short-form of Champagne that produces a slightly sweet, low alcohol wine. Ideal for lunches, summer patios or ‘whenever’. Jonas used Gamay so his Ancestral so it’s pink – the perfect colour for this fun drink. Closer to off-dry than sweet. Get some while you can and put County fun in your life.

HINTERLAND ‘ANCESTRAL’ Sparkling, Prince Edward County $23 (direct from winery,  www.hinterlandwine.com  613-921-7003)

County Wine Festival May 28

by Kato on May 18, 2011 in Events, Travel Notes with No comments

terroirOn Saturday May 28, Prince Edward County (PEC) hosts its annual wine and food spring fling called TERROIR.

Location is the beautiful Crystal Palace at the Picton fairgrounds. There are now over 30 wineries in the County so be prepared for lots of tasting.

Book a hotel or bring a tent. Tickets are $30 at the door, or $25 in advance here.

Preparing to Visit PEC

by Kato on March 20, 2011 in Travel Notes with 1 Comment

FOOLPREPARING YOURSELF FOR THE COUNTY

If you’re planning a trip to Prince Edward County this summer the best preparation that I can recommend is a read of ‘A Fool and Forty Acres’ by Geoff Heinricks. The story of leaving the city to grow grapes and make wine in Prince Edward County. You will cry, you will laugh, you will get to know this place, but best of all you will be treated to storytelling of the highest order. Geoff’s engaging diversions and digressions colour the struggles of being a pioneer in any field. While you’ll admire his dogged determination, it’s his human story that will win your heart. Every Canadian should read this book.

P.S. Geoff has gone on to commercial winemaking at Keint-He Winery near the town of Wellington. You can almost taste the years of struggle in his characterful and concentrated wines. Only those who have not read the book will think them to be expensive. www.keint-he.com

A FOOL AND FORTY ACRES by Geoff Heinrick published by McClelland & Stewart

Terrior: Prince Edward County Wine Festival

by Kato on May 15, 2010 in Billy's World, Events with 1 Comment

TerroirA record number of Prince Edward County wineries will be pouring their new spring releases at the fifth annual Terroir Wine Festival, May 29, at the historic Crystal Palace in Picton.

“It’s been less than a decade since the first winery opened here in the county,” said Terroir organizer Sally Peck, co-owner of Sugarbush Vineyards.  “Amazingly, we now have more than 25 wineries, including about eight new ones that will be opening their doors this summer.  Many people have made Terroir a weekend tradition, sampling the wines during the Terroir event on Saturday, then touring the wineries Sunday to buy their favourites.”

For a $20 entry fee, participants can purchase tastes of wines and local foods prepared by county chefs.  YOURS TRULY will be leading a tasting workshop “All You Need To Know About County Wines in Six Glasses.” Cheese expert Vanessa Simmons of Savvy Company, will lead participants through cheese and wine pairings.

It is a scenic time to visit The County – hope the lilacs will still be in bloom…they are magnificant.

Doors of the Crystal Palace will open at 12 noon and the event runs until 5pm, leaving lots of time to experience one of the great restaurants in the area. (Last week I was lucky to experience an incredible meal at East and Main Bistro in Wellington.)

Ticket information is available at www.thecountywines.com or by calling 1-613-921-7100 or 1- 888 313 9463.

LCBO Vintages May 1, 2010

by Kato on April 29, 2010 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with No comments

Vintages Sat May 1/2010
THE LOW DOWN: Lacks the outstanding values of recent releases but there’s some good explorer wines. Such as a couple of heavy hitting Zinfandels, and a bargain priced red from the south of France. Guigal’s white Rhone and the Moulin-a-Vent would be a delightful French pairing for a summer dinner party.  Prince Edward County wines are not values but offer good local expression. I hope to be featuring lots of local from the next few Vintages releases.
Enjoy!

WHITES
blackprinceWine style: fresh white
BLACK PRINCE 08 Riesling, VQA Prince Edward County 164236 $18.95
Classic dry Riesling – super refreshing, tart and low in alcohol. Perfect summer patio aperitif. Riesling fans should age this for a year or three.

guigalWine style: nice & easy white
GUIGAL 08 Côtes du Rhône Blanc, France 290296 $16.95
A lovely glass of wine. Mid-range everything and understated with delightful hints of this and that. Lots of charm from the Viognier grape. Enjoy with grilled white meats.
kapulaWine style: nice & easy white
SHEPHERDS RIDGE ‘Kapuka’ 09 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand 163576 $14.95
Mild mannered for a New Zealand Sauvignon, but a wonderful general-purpose summer drink. Think high octane Pinot Grigio. Refreshment and crowd appeal. Pretty package too.
clossonchaseWine style: rich white
CLOSSON CHASE 07 Chardonnay, VQA Prince Edward County 148866 $29.95
Deborah Paskus makes very seductive wines. Such as this silky smooth, exotic, tropical fruit flavoured Chardonnay. Lush, lovely and almost too nice to partner with food.

trumpMillREDS
Wine style: rustic red
THE GRANGE ‘Trumpour’s Mill’ 07 Cabernet Franc, VQA Prince Edward County 173187 $17.95
Those with a European palate will understand and enjoy this wine. Feels light, tart and refreshing. Inviting food. On the second glass, woodsy Fall-day flavours unfold. Very suggestive of something you once enjoyed at a county café in France. Or maybe it was Italy.

moulinaventWine style: lively red
DOMAINE de GRAND GARANT 08 Moulin-a-Vent ‘Les Thorins’, Beaujolais, France 160168 $16.95
Moulin-a-Vent is usually the big daddy of the Beaujolais-Villages clan but this is mainly about refreshment. Along with charm – along with some of the sexy nature of Pinot Noir. I can’t imagine a better partner for BBQ’d salmon. Or any summer patio meal. Lightly chilled, of course.
georgesWine style: rich red
DOMAINE PUIG-PARAHY 07 ‘Georges’, Cotes du Roussillon, France 171025 $13.95
Shiraz fans will love this smooth, jammy-sweet wine. All things nice at a reasonable price.

truchardWine style: rich red
TRUCHARD 07 Zinfandel, Carneros/Napa, California 54858 $21.95
Solid, earthy Zin. Very concentrated, very manly and not unlike a Californian Cabernet. Needs the beef.

ed_zinWine style: rich red
EDMEADS 07 Zinfandel, Mendocino, California 105924 $24.95
Super rich, Port-like and mighty seductive. Heft meets charm. Could be likened to a fifty dollar Amarone. After dinner sipping for sure.

← Older Entries
 

Site protected by VNetPublishing.Com Web Security Tools