(Wellington) The reputation of the beaches of Prince Edward County, between Toronto and Kingston, is well established. But the notoriety of its wines, yes. To do this, several winemakers create vintages to please the region’s main visitors: Quebecers.
Fall is upon us in Prince Edward County, and the gentle waves of Lake Ontario are lapping the now-deserted beaches. Although the tourists have left the dunes, there are still many of them in the vineyards. Surprise: several have a Quebec accent.
On the limestone plateau of Hillier, in the western part of the island, the Trail Estate estate completely changed its style in 2015. Upon arrival, winemaker Mackenzie Brisbois created a range of orange wines, natural sparkling wines and even five stakes.
Owner Alex Sproll makes no secret of it: this style is very popular with Quebecers. “We developed two ranges of wine,” he explains. The funky bottles are for consumers in Quebec and the classic bottles are for those in Ontario. »
Like several other producers on the island, Alex Sproll observes that more Quebecers are visiting the county since the pandemic. Producer Sherry Karlo, of the Karlo Estates vineyard, even claims that 40% of her clientele comes from Quebec. On the Loyalist route, the reception manager at the Keith-He estate, Laura Penberthy, estimates that this figure is even higher.
The representative of the Closson Chasse estate, Francis Bertrand, notes that Quebecers no longer come only to enjoy the beaches and, incidentally, to buy wine. Now, vineyards are often the main reason for their travel.
Yet with less than 400 hectares of vines, Prince Edward County doesn’t produce even 1% of the province’s wines. Its cold climate requires that vines be buried in winter and the short summer period limits the number of varieties of grapes that can be grown on the island.
The county’s winemakers, however, have found a solution to avoid running out of wine: they buy grapes from the Niagara Peninsula.
In the tasting room, RoseHall Run Winery offers a wide range of wines. However, not all vintages are made with grapes from the vineyard. “We buy half of our grapes in Niagara,” explains Dylan Sullivan, “especially the grape varieties that don’t work in the county like cabernet sauvignon and merlot. »
The Sullivan family is not alone in doing this. A large majority of producers on the island buy grapes from the peninsula. According to winemaker Mike Traynor, buying grapes is a matter of survival.
“The harvest is up and down in the county, you never know the production you are going to have, especially with the vitis vinifera – the European varieties. By buying grapes, we know that we will have a production every year,” he explains.
Growing vines north of Lake Ontario poses several challenges. For European varieties to survive winter cold, they must be buried before frost sets in, then dug up in spring. This operation, called hilling, is expensive and is reflected in the high price of county wines. In addition, difficult seasons sometimes reduce yields. Winegrowers must then increase the price of bottles to remain profitable.
In this context, Mike Traynor is gradually changing his strategy. When we visited in September, he had torn out his Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to replace them with varieties that Quebecers know well: hybrids. Marquette, Frontenac Gris and Petite Perle are more resistant to cold, often require less treatment and make it possible to produce more accessible wines.
The lower cost of Niagara grapes also explains why Closson Chase still sources 25% of its production from the peninsula. “Offering low-cost wines made from Niagara region grapes can help us penetrate or increase our share in certain market segments,” notes Francis Bertrand. These wines can serve as an entry point for consumers who are unfamiliar with Closson Chase and hopefully encourage them to discover our estate’s wines. »
Prince Edward County, or Niagara? There are only two ways to know where the grapes come from: read the label and, of course, taste the wine.
Mike Traynor was the first producer in the county to make natural sparkling wine. This type of lightly sparkling wine now represents almost half of its production. Its Green Meanie vintage is made with Vidal. At 10% alcohol and very little residual sugar, the wine compares to a pilsner beer, observes his winemaking assistant, Richard Narayan. Pear notes fill the glass and subtle bitters add length. Simple and efficient.
Little alcohol, a cloudy color and little intervention in the vineyard: this cuvée from the RedTail vineyard ticks all the boxes of a natural wine. Thomas Stallinga bought the estate in 2018 with a childhood friend. Even back then, the vineyard was known for its different methods. Only prepared with pinot noir harvested in the county, the FieldHand vintage charms with its sour notes of morello cherry. Simply chill this juicy, floral wine and open it a few hours before serving to fully enjoy it.
The Sullivan family produces several bold wines like Sully’s Mix, a light red made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Tempranillo – a rarity on the island. To taste it, however, you have to go to the estate, because it is the more classic vintages that arrive on the shelves of the SAQ. This Chardonnay is already 6 years old, but the cool terroir of the county has given it enough acidity to stand the test of time. The spicy notes blend into a delicious and fruity mouthfeel. The scents of pear and flowers are inviting. A perfect fall wine! Available in limited quantities.
