The last couple Vintages bi-weekly catalogues have had some interesting copy. (Not sure if I’d call it articles – especially since no by-line is given – shame on Vintages.) In the catalogue for items available April 13, 2019 they’re featuring organic wines. So, interspersed in the catalogue is interesting snippets of info about what it takes […]
Author: Ingrid Sapona
Prince Edward County’s Craft Distillery: Kinsip House of Fine Spirits
On a recent visit to Prince Edward County friends and I stopped in at Kinsip House of Fine Spirits. It’s at 66 Gilead Road in Bloomfield. If that address rings a bell, that’s because it used to house Gilead Distillery. The distillery was re-named Kinsip when it was sold a couple years ago. I had […]
Sugarbush Vineyards’ Experience with Geotextiles
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Oxley Estate’s current experiment with geotextiles. Murray and Ann Wilson of Oxley had mentioned that in researching the idea they met with – and learned from – a winery in Prince Edward County that has been using them. That winery was Sugarbush Vineyards. Last week when I […]
EPIC’s Thriving Winery Restaurant Scene
Keeping up with what’s new in the Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Escarpment regions each year usually means checking out new wineries. Keeping up with what’s new in the Erie, Pelee Island, Coast (EPIC) wine region means visiting old favourites that are kicking it up a notch and becoming destination wineries. I’ve just returned from the region […]
New strategies for coping with extreme cold?
As pretty much the whole province has experienced spurts of on-again/off-again arctic cold, it’s only natural to wonder (even worry) about what these extreme temperatures must be doing to the vines. After the last polar vortex winter a few years ago, I couldn’t help notice how many wineries have purchased wind machines. And who can […]
Announcing The Founders Series
I’ve started a new feature on the website – a video series focusing on the founders of the Ontario wine industry. The passing of Karl Kaiser in December 2017 got me thinking about the fact that it’s not just the industry that’s maturing… So, I thought it would be interesting to interview some of the […]
Owning a Winery Means Facing ― and Managing ― Risks
One of the things I especially enjoy about driving around wine country is seeing the lush, straight rows of vines tethered to the delicate-looking trellises. I love seeing vineyards because they remind me that the delicious nectar that I so enjoy has its start on a farm. And, when I visit a winery, I love […]
Digging Stratus Vineyards’ Roots
This weekend the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake are hosting a new event called Dig our Roots. Unlike the popular passport programs, the idea behind this event is to learn more about the unique properties of the appellation from the roots up. For the event, each winery designed its own unique “experience” around the general theme. Stratus […]
A home with a storied history
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery has always been one of my favourite spots. There are a number of things that make Ravine special – the wines are lovely, they have one of the best restaurants in the area, and it’s a family-friendly place. What I think a lot of visitors don’t know is that the house […]
Winter, Wine, and Chocolate – these are a few of my favourite things!
To some, February is the last hospitable month in Ontario. (I say “to some” because, well, it’s actually one of my favourite months!) But, the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake have the perfect antidote to those who think the only good thing about February is that it’s only 28 days long – The Days of Wine & Chocolate. The […]