Prince Edward County | Funky wines for Quebecers

(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 winegrowers create vintages to please the region’s main visitors: Quebecers.

Fall is beginning 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 successful with Quebecers. “We have developed two ranges of wine,” he explains. Bottles funky 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.

One region, challenges

However, with less than 400 hectares of vines, Prince Edward County does not 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 grape varieties that can be grown on the island.

The county’s winegrowers have nevertheless found a solution to avoid running out of wine: they buy grapes from the Niagara Peninsula.

In the tasting room, RoseHall Run Estate 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 harvests are up and down in the county, we never know the production we are going to have, especially with the vitis vinifera – 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. In order for European varieties to survive winter cold, they must be buried before the onset of frost and 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 buys 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 the wines from our estate. »

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.

Mackenzie Brisbois, from Trail Estate, will be present at the Raspipav show on October 14 and 15 in Montreal. However, she will taste wines from her project in South Africa.

To discover

Fresh as a beer

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. With 10% alcohol and very little residual sugar, the wine is comparable to a pilsner-type beer, observes his winemaking assistant, Richard Narayan. Pear notes fill the glass and subtle bitters add length. Simple and efficient.

Green Meanie, Traynor Wineyard, $26.78 per bottle, offered in cases of 12 bottles for private import by the Glou agency

Natural and fresh

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.

FieldHand, RedTail, 2021, $31.50 per bottle, offered in cases of 6 bottles for private importation by the La QV agency

County Chardonnay

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 SAQ shelves. 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.

Rosehall Run Chardonnay Prince Edward County 2017, $38.75