Thursday, April 30, 2009

Spring Bud Break - It's Happening..


In vineyard life there are some very key times. One of these is happening right now. In our earliest varieties we are now experiencing bud break. This is time when snall shoots emerge from the young buds. This also means that bloom is 8 weeks away. Bloom is the next significant stage.

We have had quite a lot of rain this week. This is normal for Spring-"April Showers bring May Flowers.." These large, penetrating rains encourage the plant into bud break. We should see a lot of development this week.

Our vineyard is on the shore of Lake Erie. The lake effect delays us in the Spring. We can be 10 days behind the City of Windsor at this time. Our earliest bulbs are just now blooming.

Happy Spring!
The photo shows the vineyard now, and if you look closely, you'll see how we are training new trunks beside the old ones.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Staff Pick! - 2007 VQA Summer Sun Cabernet


We are pleased to have our 2007 VQA Summer Sun Cabernet selected by the LCBO Roundhouse Staff as their Staff Pick! All the staff must vote on the product they pick as their staff pick for promotion by the till. Thank you!
The "Roundhouse Centre" the LCBO Store at HOWARD & E.C. ROW EXPWY
3165 HOWARD AVENUE, WINDSOR, ON
Our Wine Notes:
Vintage: Cabernet Franc – Erie Shore Vineyard- Harrow, ON
Winemaker – Harvey Hollingshead
Vintage 2007 750 mL Retail $12.65
Aged in Stainless Steel. Sugar Code (1) Serve at 15-18 Degrees C (55-60 F)

The ever popular Summer Sun Cabernet is 100% Cabernet Franc grapes that are pressed immediately at harvest and fermented away from the skins and seeds. This results in a very pleasant, soft, salmon-pink coloured red wine, with litle to no tannins, while maintaining subtle Cabernet flavours. Serve slightly chilled. Vibrant citrus nose(lime, grapefruit) with a hint of sweetness. Dry finish. A wonderful match with seafood, cheese, grilled vegetables, appetizers, salads, wraps, summer or daytime foods.
Other Reviews of this wine include: Essex Wine Review & Ontario Wine Review
Photo courtesty of Essex Wine Review.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Essex County Local Food Map


The Essex County Federation of Agriculture has been putting a map together of its membership and their produce. This ranges from Galati Cheese in Windsor, who produce cheese from 100% of the County produced milk, to Lamb from Ewe Dell, to honey, made and sold in Cottam, to of course estate grown and made wines.

The recent Essex County Local Food Map is now available in an online version, on Google Maps, by clicking this link: http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?vps=1&jsv=154c&hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=103436766376375721831.000467a077b00df57e3cf

The Essex County Federation site is at: http://www.ecfa.ca

A great resource!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Serving Temperatures of Wine

Probably the most asked question we receive in our retail store is about serving temperatures for wines. We reprint the following from our Spring 2008 Newsletter:
"Much more important than people realize is the temperatures at which wine is served. Cold temperatures tend to mute sweetness and flavour. In red wines, cold temperatures will emphasize tannin. Warm temperatures will emphasize sweetness and alcohol. We tend to serve our reds too warm and our white wines too cool.

A quick rule of thumb is to put red wine into the fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving and to take white wine out of the firdge 15-20 minutes before serving. Icewine and sweeter wines can be served directly from the fridge or from an icebucket."


Serving Temperatures:
White Wines at 10C/50F

Red Wines at 18-19C/65-68F

Light Reds such as Summer Sun 15C/ 55-60F

Icewine at Freezing 0C /32F