GreenLane Estate Winery’s New Location

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: Vineland/Twenty Valley Region, Winery-specific News

IMG_0734I was driving along King Street in Vineland (near Cherry Avenue) in June and I noticed a sign announcing that GreenLane Estate Winery would be opening soon — it was on what used to be Wayne Gretzy Estate Winery, for those of you who remember that. Anyway — I was in the area last week and noticed that the sign said GreenLane is now open, so I stopped in to see it.IMG_0732

GreenLane has remodelled the place — brightened it up — and have settled in. Though they still own the property down on Green Lane (near the QEW), their new location: 3751 King Street, Vineland, is where their tasting room is now located.

August 17, 2013 they’re hosting a music night featuring a bluegrass band, so if you’re looking for an excuse to visit, that would be a terrific time to see their new digs.

Touring Tawse Winery

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: Vineland/Twenty Valley Region, Winery-specific News

Tawse Winery in Vineland has been named Canadian Winery of the Year by Wine Access Magazine for three years in a row. So, when I had plans to head toward Niagara this week, I contacted Laurie McKenzie, Hospitality Coordinator at the winery, to arrange a tour.IMG_0723

Because it was late in the day and mid-week, I was treated to a one-on-one tour. Bianca started me off with some of their 2012 Grower’s Blend Rosé, which I was invited to take with me on the tour. (I don’t tend to order rosé, but after tasting this one, I’ll re-think that. It was a luscious blend that was like biting into the tastiest strawberry you’ve ever had.)

IMG_0726I knew that Tawse is certified organic and biodynamic, so I didn’t need to see any of the sheep as proof. (Indeed, I didn’t see any sheep – they were off somewhere else in the sprawling vineyard. Only the chickens were around.) My main interest that afternoon was learning about the six-story gravity fed process they use. To get the full effect, Bianca walked me up and around the back of the sloping property to the crush pad.

IMG_0724On the way we stopped to admire the view. It was a lovely clear day, so the view of the lake and Toronto in the distance was spectacular.

Though it seems high on the hill, the crush pad is basically “at ground level”. The winery production facilities are stepped down from there, which means they don’t have to use any pumping to move the wine through the production process. Eliminating the pumps means there’s less manipulation of the product, and generally less aeration.

IMG_0729The tour takes you through the different floors (levels) of the facility and through the barrel rooms. One of the interesting things Bianca pointed out in the barrel room was that each barrel is marked with the vineyard the wine is from (Tawse has a number of different properties and they also get some grapes from other growers). As well, for the wines that are from certified organic vineyards, the barrels are clearly labelled as such.

The tour brought us back to the wine boutique for some additional sampling and final questions.

After touring and tasting, it’s easy to see why Tawse Winery is so popular and acclaimed.

Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: Beamsville Region/Grimsby, Out and About

IMG_0702Yesterday — one of the hottest days of the summer — a friend and I set out to walk the new Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail. The trail, which was funded by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Beamsville Bench Winery Association, opened June 1, 2013. The trail has two distinct segments that join six Beamsville wineries. The “Lower Loop” is a very easy walk that joins Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery, Angels Gate Winery, and Thirty Bench Wine Makers. The trail is very well marked and this particular loop takes you directly through the rows of vines. It’s a terrific way of getting a close-up look at the trellising systems, the vines and, of course, the grapes.

You can leave your car at any of the wineries and you can also pick up a trail map at all of them. We started at Rosewood and when we set out we looked at our watch to see how long it might take to hike the loop. Of course, as soon as we got to Thirty Bench we popped in — to cool off — and to try some of their newly released Riesling and Rose — and to shop a bit.

After that, we headed back out to the trail and forgot to look at our watch. But, the Lower Loop is a pretty walk and really, the point of the trail isn’t so much about hiking, it’s about stopping in at the different wineries for tasting, buying, and enjoying!IMG_0701

Because it was so hot, we decided we’d leave the Upper Loop (which includes Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery, The Organized Crime Winery, and Fielding Estates Winery) to another day. (I’m thinking it’d be especially lovely in the fall…)

In addition to the two “loops” of the trail, there are also two side portions — the Angels’ Walk Side Trail and the Bruce Trail Side Trail, which we’ll no-doubt check out too.

Watch for the latest App update!

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: App Info, Miscellaneous Musings

I’m just putting the finishing touches on over a half-dozen new entries and so the App will be updated in the next few days — so watch for it. Because we use dynamic updating, most updates don’t go through the iTunes App store (which means there’s less delay). IMG_0344
You can always tell that the App information has been updated because the next time you open it you’ll be asked if you want to update the content. Then — when you say “yes!” — the new content will download and you’ll be up-to-date.

So — keep an eye out in the next few days for the update and let me know what you think!

A Day of Bonuses!

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: Lake Erie/Pelee Island Region, Miscellaneous Musings

IMG_0302I’m just back from a day of visiting wineries in the Lake Erie/Pelee Island area. One of the biggest surprises was how tall and full of leaves the vines are out there already. I know the area is the southern-most wine region in Ontario and so it has a slightly longer growing season than elsewhere in the Province, but seeing how far along the vines are really drove home the climate difference.

The weather was perfect for the drive from Toronto, which was much quicker than I thought it would be. Since the drive was shorter than I expected, I had more time to spend at the wineries, which was great.

I stopped at a number of wineries. Because it was mid-week, none were too crowded, which was also a bonus, as that means folks at the wineries had more time to chat and show me around. At Erie Shore Vineyard, for example, Harvey Hollingshead, who owns the winery along with his wife Alma, took time to answer my questions about the winery. Even better, when I asked him about the young grape plants that looked like they were ready to be planted, he did a bit of show-and-tell for me. You can watch Harvey’s explanation in a short video I shot of him.

The Lake Erie/Pelee Island region (which the local wine tourism association has branded EPIC: Essex Pelee Island Coast Wineries) has a number of long-established vineyards and wineries and a number of lovely new ones. In the next App update you’ll find entries for the six I visited this week, and there’s more I’ll be visiting in the future.

Terroir in Prince Edward County

Published on by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Prince Edward County Region

I’m just back from a GREAT long weekend in Prince Edward County where a friend and I visited a lot of wineries and attended Terroir 2013. The only complaint I have is there is so much going on in The County that we didn’t get to all the placed I had hoped to visit. The up side of that complaint, mind you, is that I’m already planning my next trip.IMG_0195

The themes for the weekend are easy to summarize

  • Commitment — the winemakers and industry folks that I spoke with are clearly committed to making The County a fantastic destination for wine lovers and explorers. All of them saw the potential of the unique terroir of The County and in the early 2000s they went all in, buying properties and planting. (And, because of the climate and conditions, most of them have the additional task of burying the canes, which means there’s even more work.) Thankfully, their work and vision is paying off now, with lots of terrific wines on offer.IMG_0199
  • Enthusiasm — every person I talked with shares an unbridled enthusiasm — for their vines, their wines, and The County. They’re anxious to share their stories and their wines.
  • Pride — The County winemakers are proud of their work and so they should be.

IMG_0157So, my current task is to add entries to the App for the wineries and other interesting places there are to visit in PEC (like The Carriagehouse Cooperage and 66 Gilead Distillery). So, stay tuned