Sunday, December 18, 2011

Ice-tini Recipe

Ice-tini Recipe


While we prefer icewine straight and unmixed as a dessert, we’ve seen many icewine dessert cocktail recipes. This one is still our customer’s all time favourites:

1 ½ oz Erie Shore Vineyard Vidal or Cabernet Icewine
1 ½ oz Vodka

Pour ingredients into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cranberries for the Holidays.

Holiday Desserts-Glamorous and Easy

This continues to an all time favourite!



Chocolate Covered Strawberries

16 oz Milk Chocolate Chips
Or 16 oz Dark Chocolate
2 tbsp shortening (the original recipe called for paraffin)
1 pound fresh strawberries*

1. Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries
2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.

Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool. White chocolate may be drizzled over the chocolate for a fancier look.
/recipe modified from allrecipes.com

Serve along side 1-2oz of Erie Shore Vineyard’s Vidal or Cabernet Icewine

Thursday, December 15, 2011

"Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures."--Michael Broadbent

 Great Holiday Entertaining...



Party Wines & Foods:
Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds and other nuts all have an oily, salty taste and need a

wine with an acidic backbone such as our Riesling or Blanc de Blancs to balance their taste.
Spicy Asian and Thai foods need some sweetness to temper their heat.  Winter Harvest Cabernet, Summer Sun, Sellar Secret and Vidal all complement these.

Snacks such as oysters, shrimp and salmon are too briny for red wines and make the wine taste metallic. Try our Vidal,  Blanc de Blanc, Proprietor's White or Summer Sun Cabernet and Sellar Secret.

Wine-friendly cheeses:

• Brie• Cambozola
• Camembert
• Canadian Cheddar
• Chevre
• Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Log
• Duo Bleubry-Saint-Honore
• Fondue Cheese
• Friulano
• Oka
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Port Salut
• Roguefort

/ from Natalie MacLean & Costco Connection-2009

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Erie Shore Vineyard Icewine Sale!



We are pleased to offer a Holiday Special:
2 for 1
for both our award winning 2008 VQA CABERNET ICEWINE with gift box
&
2006 VQA Vidal Icewine with Gift box &packaged

REGULAR $54.80,
ON SPECIAL FOR $29.95 tax included!!
not sold separately, limited time available as gift package only!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

'Tis the Season for Mulled Wine

Erie Shore Vineyard’s Mulled Wine

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Erie Shore Vineyard’s Cabernet Franc or Zweigelt Red wine
Cinnamon sticks
Orange slices
Honey

Preparation:
Pour wine into saucepan and warm over medium heat until heated through, but not boiling!
Serve with Cinnamon Sticks and orange slices, add honey to individual taste.

Monday, September 19, 2011

ECFA Farm Hiker Tour-

Thanks to all who attended the ECFA FARM HIKER TOUR-Erie Shore Vineyard was proud to be one of the Host Farms. Over 1,000 learned about wine growing and winemaking with vineyard displays, seen & fed the horses, and played on the grass. The Pavilion had delicious local food available, prepared by Gourmet Chef Jeff Wright of ToYourKitchen, wine tasting, and wine by the glass were also available in the pavilion.

Did you test your identification skills?

Answers to our Id Variety quiz and other:

-Can you identify a grape variety?

1. Chardonnay

2. Riesling

3. Vidal

4 Zweigelt

5. Cabernet Franc

6. Chambourcin

7. Baco Noir



For a wine to use the VQA term on its label it:

A) Must be 100% made from grapes grown in one of Ontario’s four designated viticultural areas

B) Must be made from an approved list of Vitis Vinifera grape varieties &/or French Hybrid varieties.

C) Must be entirely fermented processed, blended, finished and bottled in Ontario

D) All of the above

E) None of the above

How many of Erie Shore Vineyard’s wines are estate grown?_All

Thank you for coming out and enjoy the great produce, products and hospitality of the County. Thank you to the ECFA (Essex County Federation of Agriculture)



Cabernet Franc 

Friday, September 2, 2011

The 7th Annual Shores of Erie-next weekend, Sep 8, 9, 10 & 11, 2011

From the Amherstburg Echo:
Organizers excited for Shores of Erie International Wine Festival
Wine festival runs Thursday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 11
By Ron Giofu/The Amherstburg Echo
Posted 35 minutes ago
AMHERSTBURG — The Shores of Erie International Wine Festival has arrived for 2011.
This year's festival runs Thursday, September 8 through Sunday, September 11 at Fort Malden National Historic Site with 11 wineries participating. There are also 29 other booths featuring mainly restaurants with other vendors also participating.

"We've got a lot of new stuff this year," said festival director Kelly O'Rourke.

One of the new things is additional shuttle service. In addition to the shuttle that will continue from the former General Chemical property, shuttles will also be run out to the Crown Ridge and Monopoly subdivisions as well as the Pointe West/Kingsbridge areas.

The shuttles are free but a donation of $1 or $2 is welcome with proceeds going to the House of Shalom youth centre.

"We're also unveiling something called 'Galleries at the Shores'," said O'Rourke.
The wine festival is working with the Gibson Gallery and is bringing in roughly eight groups with a wide variety of arts and crafts to be displayed. The Mudpuppy Gallery is one of the groups coming in, said O'Rourke.
"It will be a nice enhancement," she added.

The Shores of Erie International Wine Festival has also teamed with Transportation Options and the Cycling Tourism Expo. Free bicycle tours of the area will be provided with one being on Bob-Lo Island and the other being a culinary tour of the town. There will be valet bike parking Saturday and Sunday and bike rentals will also be available.

"They came to us and asked if they could promote cycling in southwestern Ontario," said O'Rourke "We thought it was a really good fit."

Registration is available online at http://www.soewinefestival.com/
Of course, what would the Shores of Erie International Wine Festival be without first-class entertainment?

"We're really excited about the entertainment this year," said O'Rourke.

Opening night features the return of the Sam Roberts Band, something which O'Rourke said is "by popular demand." The Sam Roberts Band was at the wine festival three years ago and returned after a number of people asked for their return.

Michou and Pat Robitaille open for the Sam Roberts Band with the latter having a special surprise guest, said O'Rourke.

Wine festival organizers are also excited for the Sunday performance of popular rocker Sarah Harmer. O'Rourke said Harmer may not have the name recognition in this area of Canada but Harmer is beloved in other parts of the country. O'Rourke said once she heard Harmer's music, she became a regular listener of Harmer on her iPod.

"I think people will embrace her. She fits Sunday quite nicely," said O'Rourke.

Friday night features April Wine, a band that people of all ages are showing an interest in, O'Rourke noted. Saturday night is sold out but those who have tickets will see the talents of jazz artists Kimmie Horne, "who is just awesome," said O'Rourke.

The vine pavilion will see some additions and enhancement this year with wine walking tours part of this year's festivals. The walks are free but the tastings along the route present a cost. Tours will also focus on winemaking techniques and what is different about each wine.

The tasting bar is expanded this year and there will also be guest speaker Konrad Ejbich Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Ejbich, a renowned wine correspondent and writer, is already drawing interest although seating is limited to 100 people. Pre-registration is available at http://www.soewinefestival.com/

A Reidel tasting seminar is Sunday at 3 p.m. with the discussion to centre on wine tasting and the impact a wine glass and the shape of the glass can have on wine.

"People are always in awe after that one," said O'Rourke. "They can't believe what a difference it makes."

People can also pre-arrange for a designated driver. O'Rourke said First Class Valet can be booked by calling ahead and arranging a time for people to be brought home safely from the festival. The person and their vehicle are arranged to be brought home in case someone is not in condition to drive after visiting the festival. Rides can be booked by phoning 519-250-7732 or 519-818-8887.

"It was very popular last year. Booking ahead is the key," said O'Rourke. "It's a great system. People used it like crazy last year."

The culinary pavilion returns again this year with people given the opportunity to taste food, but learn to make it themselves, she added.

Tickets are available for every day except Saturday and are $30 in advance and $35 at the gate for Thursday, $20 in advance and $25 at the gate for Friday and $15 in advance and $20 at the gate for Sunday. Tickets are available at ScotiaBank, CIBC, Windsor Family Credit Union branches in Windsor-Essex County as well as the wine festival office in the Gordon House, 268 Dalhousie St. Tickets can also be purchased through the wine festival's website.

Those seeking three-day passes should call or e-mail ahead for availability at 519-730-1001 or info@soewinefestival.com as passes are limited. Three-day passes are only available at the wine festival office.

In addition to getting information on the festival on the website, O'Rourke also encourages people to "like" the festival on Facebook. She said there are "constant updates" about the festival.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Marty Lowman, David & Sharon Light join us August 7th in the Pavilion!

Join us August 7th 
for
Marty Lowman









&
David & Sharon Light
in the Erie Shore Vineyard Pavilion!
Noon to 5pm.
Live Music from 2pm
Food--Music--Wine 
Come Early!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Explore the Shore with Erie Shore Vineyard

Saturday & Sunday July 23 & 24: Explore the Shore Weekend.
Lots of great music, food, and people! Please join us!
  •  Saturday: Timmy McDonald in the pavilion-come early!
  • Sunday: Karen Morand & Marty Lowman in the Pavilion
  • Gourmet Appetizers by Jeff Wright of ToYourKitchen both days!
  • Cost $5/appetizer, and $5/glass of wine
    Erie Shore Vineyard's wine by the glass.
  • Passports on site. Visit five participating businesses and enter to win a grand prize and over 25 individual prizes, products and gift certificates!

    Also we wish to introduce the artists of Brushes‘nBottles ~ Enjoy some unserious art! Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, and purchase a second if you like and paint a picture along with a local artist. You'll be given easy step-by-step instructions to paint a beautiful work of art in 2-3 hours.  Please book @ 519 738-4953 mailto:paintbrushesnbottles@gmail.com

Monday, July 11, 2011

Karen Morand joins us at the Pavilion- July 17th!

Sunday, July 17th
1 to 5 PM
The Erie Shore Vineyard Pavilion
is pleased to feature:
Karen Morand
Cost: $5/glass of Award Winning
Erie Shore Vineyard Wine
$5 cheese plates
Please plan to stop by!

ERIE SHORE VINEYARD

410 COUNTY ROAD 50 WEST, RR3
HARROW, ON N0R 1G0
http://www.erieshore.ca/
519-738-9858

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Double Double - July 10th

Please join us on
Sunday, July 10th, 2011
1-5pm
for

Double-Double

Enjoy Erie Shore Vineyard's Award Winning Wine by the Glass.

$5 for an appetizer, $5 each glass of wine

ERIE SHORE VINEYARD

410 County Road 50 W., RR3, Harrow, ON N0R 1G0
erieshore.ca 519-738-9858

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Canada Day / US Independence Day Celebrations

Please join us on
Sunday, July 3rd, 2011,
1-5pm
for the
Canada Day / US Independence Day Holiday Celebrations!

Gourmet Appetizers by Chef Jeff Wright of ToYourKitchen Gourmet Cooking


Live Music – Marty Lowman

Erie Shore Vineyard's wine by the glass.
$5 for an appetizer, $5 each glass of wine



Wear RED and enter to win an Erie Shore Vineyard Wine Gift Basket!

ERIE SHORE VINEYARD


410 County Road 50 W., RR3, Harrow, ON N0R 1G0
erieshore.ca    519-738-9858

Friday, May 20, 2011

Pavilion Opening Weekend-May 28 &29

Saturday & Sunday May 28th & 29th:
Please join us for Erie Shore Vineyard's
Pavilion Opening Weekend 
1-5 pm.
Wine by the Glass and Hors D'oeuvres.

Music, 2-4 pm -May 28th- by Marty Lowman,
May 29th by Merrill Mills & Dan Thibideau.
Complimentary Guided Vineyard Walking Tours:
1 pm - 2 pm - 3pm

Enter to win an Erie Shore Vineyard Gift Basket.


Details:
http://www.erieshore.ca/Erie%20Shore%20Vineyard%20Pavilion%20Opening%20Weekend-May%2028%20&29.pdf

Friday, April 8, 2011

"Criminalizing Wine Traffickers"

Criminalizing Wine “Traffickers”

By Robert Stephen
(WINDSOR, ON) – Pardon my ignorance but shouldn’t it be the position of a federal government and any provincial government to promote and see domestic industries grow and prosper? Should the Canadian and provincial governments encourage the growth of provincial wine producers through the removal of barriers to inter-provincial shipments of wine direct from wineries to consumers? Or should they be allowed to exercise ....more:

April's E-news now online

For those of you not on our email list our most recent e-news in now online:  http://www.erieshore.ca/ESVapr2011e-news.pdf
Have a great Easter Weekend!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Easter Store Hours

Just a reminder that we have Easter Weekend Store Hours:

We will be Closed Good Friday, April 22nd & Easter Sunday, April 24th .

We are open Easter Saturday, April 23rd: 10 am—6 pm & Easter Monday, April 25th: 1—6 pm and back to normal hours from Easter Monday onward.

“Ontario wine consumers need more access to Ontario wines,”

Grape Growers call for more consumer access to Ontario wine
Media Release April 1, 2011

ST. CATHARINES (April 1, 2011) – Over the past year, the Ontario government has made changes that have put Ontario wines on a good foundation moving forward, but now we must embark on the next steps to ensure the domestic grape and wine industry will enjoy robust growth in the future, says the Grape Growers of Ontario.

“Ontario wine consumers need more access to Ontario wines,” says Grape Growers of Ontario Chair Bill George Jr. “We have put in place a varietal plan. We have made prices affordable. But there is only so much we can do if consumers can’t get access to the wines Ontario grape growers and wineries are producing.”

The Grape Growers of Ontario propose key stakeholders in the grape and wine industry meet with the provincial government to begin discussions on the existing wine distribution network in Ontario and how it can be improved to boost the sales of domestic wines.

“We’re going into this with an open mind,” says George Jr. “We would like the government to work with us to review the various options available to reshape the distribution of and access to Ontario wines.”

For the industry to reach its maximum potential in wine sales and Ontario wine market share, it needs better access to the marketplace, says Grape Growers of Ontario CEO Debbie Zimmerman.

"We need to shift our focus to the future so we can be sure the excellent products we are growing today have a place to be sold tomorrow,” Zimmerman says. “Increasing the access Ontario wines have to the market will help Ontario catch up to the rest of the wine-making world where domestic wines have a significant share of their own market.”

Ontario wines have 44% share of their domestic market, whereas most other wine-producing regions have a much larger domestic share:

◦Australia- 90%

◦California– 63% of the entire U.S. market

◦New Zealand– 57% (New Zealand does not import grapes for wine, whereas Ontario includes blended wines as Ontario wines)

Ontario’s grape growers are coming off a strong 2010 when a hot, dry summer and fall led to a 13% increase in tonnage harvested. Growers also agreed to a new pricing model, introduced a new wine label designating 100% Ontario-grown wine grapes, are anticipating the beginning of a four-year, $12-million Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs transition program and, as part of that transition program, developed a Varietal Plan to determine which grapes grow best in this cool climate, making the quality grapes grown in Ontario even better and improving the market for those grapes.

“We have completed the first phase of a Varietal Plan that will identify the cool climate varietals the industry grows best and have good market potential,” says George Jr. “This will help us best align the Ontario grape supply with the demand.”

At its Media Day April 1, the GGO also launched a redesigned website that will help it stay in better touch with not only its members, but also Ontario wine consumers.

“In our ongoing effort to remain in touch with the people who matter most to us, our new website will provide industry statistics, tourist information about our Ontario appellations and other reports for the general public,” Zimmerman says.

The Grape Growers of Ontario represents more than 500 grape growers in eastern, southern and southwestern Ontario who produce grapes for processing.

- 30 -
For more information, contact:
Debbie Zimmerman
CEO, Grape Growers of Ontario
905-401-2471


Bill George Jr.
Chair, Grape Growers of Ontario
905-984-0994
http://www.grapegrowersofontario.com/node/123

Friday, February 25, 2011

March Into Spring

Saturday & Sunday, March 19th & 20th, 2011:

March Into Spring

GREEN OPEN HOUSE
Noon to 5 P.M.

In-Store Specials on all wines with Green Labels Wines,

Plus Vintage Tastings
&
Hors D’Ouevres.

**Wear green and enter to win an Erie Shore Vineyard Green Gift Basket!**
$5/person




Saturday, February 19, 2011

Genetic Diversity in Wine Grapes

...."75 percent of the varieties were as closely related as parent and child or brother and sister. “Previously people thought there were several different families of grape,” Dr. Myles said. “Now we’ve found that all those families are interconnected and in essence there’s just one large family.”
Thus merlot is intimately related to cabernet franc, which is a parent of cabernet sauvignon, whose other parent is sauvignon blanc, the daughter of traminer, which is also a progenitor of pinot noir, a parent of chardonnay. ".... 
Read more...New York Times

A Wine Cellar for your Home-

"Most wine cellars run between $6,000 and $12,000. No matter how much money you're spending on your cellar, there are certain precautions and considerations to factor in to ensure your vino keeps perfecto.
Keeping an optimum humidity level is integral to wine cellars because extreme high humidity of 70 per cent or more with no air movement can be a recipe for bacteria and mould.
It can also cause valuable wine labels to peel off, rendering expensive vintages worthless. Instead of spending thousands on a separate humidification system, most homeowners opt to invest in a climate-control system, says Arnel Marchand, owner of Koolspace Wine Cellars in Calgary.
"You want the humidity to be consistent," says Marchand. "Climate control systems work to raise humidity to 60 per cent, and gets rid of any humidity over 65 per cent. Climate control systems for cellars operate at a lower temperature and are designed to move the air a lot more. They run about 60 to 70 per cent of the time."
Insulation is another key factor. When you're building a wine cellar, you're essentially building a fridge. Therefore, the better insulation you have, the less temperature fluctuation will occur, in the cellar and the better your wine will keep.
Insulation requirements are determined by the outside wall area the cellar will occupy and the depth of the cellar below grade. The best type of insulation is sprayed-in-place two-pound polyurethane. However, this is a more costly option.
The second best option is insulation baths fitted into the stud cavities. This means the outside walls and ceiling joists, which can be difficult sometimes given the placement of plumbing pipes, ductwork, electrical wirings, etc.
And, of course, what's a cellar without storage?
"If possible, the racking design should be determined before cellar construction commences," says Durst. "The walls can then be proportioned to the exact size of your racking layout, thereby giving the racks the look of a true custom installation. This is for both walls and ceiling height.
"Racks should be chosen according to your collecting style. Depending upon your budget, design ideals and available cellar space, you can use a modular, premium, custom or vintageview racking/ storage systems."


T H I N G S T O REMEMBER

. Control humidity levels
. Have good air circulation
. Apply effective insulation
.-Try to implement good rack design
-Use nonaromatic wood like a hardwood such as mahogany or cherry
. Include inventory control system
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star

Monday, February 7, 2011

Festival of Ice- February 12 & 13

We invite you to join us for the:
Festival of Ice 2011 Open House
Saturday & Sunday, FEBRUARY 12TH & 13TH
FROM 1 – 5 PM 
$5 admission gives you a choice of:

-One ounce of either:
2006 VQA Vidal Icewine
2008 VQA Cabernet Icewine
-2 ounces of either:
2008 Fire & Ice
2006 Vidal Winter Harvest

2006 Winter Harvest Cabernet

 -5 oz Erie Shore Vineyard Table Wine
Also:
FESTIVAL OF ICE SPECIAL:
2008 VQA CABERNET ICEWINE WITH GIFT BOX

REGULAR $29.95 ON SPECIAL FOR $19.95
2 DAYS ONLY!
OTHER IN-STORE SPECIALS!
You can also enter to win an Erie Shore Vineyard Gift,
As well as a grand prize from all SWOVA wineries!



Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2011


Our area has made the top 7 Intelligent Communities (international) for 2011!  I reprint part of the article, with a direct link at the very bottom of the post.

"ICF named the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2011 at a 19 January ceremony during PTC'11, the annual conference of the Pacific Telecommunications Council in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. The following communities, drawn from the Smart21 of 2011, were named to the Top Seven based on analysis of their nominations by a team of independent academic analysts. Complete profiles of the communities will be available on ICF's Web site following publication of the white paper, Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2011, in February.
....
Windsor-Essex, Ontario, Canada


Located directly across the river from the US automotive capital of Detroit, Windsor shares its pain. Automobile assembly, research and technology contribute C$30bn to the local economy but are in structural decline greatly accelerated by the current recession. Working in partnership with Essex County government, Windsor is crafting a new, more robust economy to take its place. Assets include strong tourism and agriculture industries (which sometimes overlap, as in the case of the area’s many wineries), the presence of the University of Windsor and national and provincial government support. The university is using funding from the province to build an innovation center for engineering research as well as a virtual incubator serving the region. The Odette School of Business has restructured its many programs to deliver MBA-level education faster and mentor small manufacturers. A cooperative fiber network, WEDnet, meets the needs of governmental, institutional and educational facilities throughout the region and Windsor-Essex (a 2010 Smart21) is partnering with other communities to extend broadband to people in underserved rural areas. Government has collaborated with business to create a software technology alliance to attract entrepreneurs, mentor existing businesses and share resources for growth. A public-private business mentoring group is working to pool the resources of angel investors in order to increase the amount of seed capital available to start-ups."
 www.windsor-essex.info
www.citywindsor.ca
www.countyofessex.on.ca
https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=Top7_2011&link=Top7_2011



Friday, January 14, 2011

January 2011 E-News

We reprint part of our January E-Newsletter:

Hello and Happy January!



We hope your winter is going well. We were happy to see so many at our 8th Annual Open House last Nov 28 & 29th. We received excellent reviews of the Hors D’oeuvres prepared by ToYourKitchen (Jeff Wright). Many of you also picked up personalized Harrow Fair Cookbooks from the authors and our special guests Lori and Moira during that event. We understand that this first printing of the Cookbook is sold out, but that a second printing is in the works.


We have always had a Holiday Open House on the USA Thanksgiving weekend, as it coincides with our winery’s opening. This event has now also become a canned food drive for the local food banks. It was heart warming to see our guests come in with arms full of canned goods. We were pleased to deliver over 400 cans collected here, to our local food bank for their Christmas needs! Apparently 80 families utilize the Harrow Food Bank. Thank you.


The other 10 SWOVA wineries now also hold Holiday Open Houses on that weekend, and the 11 of us collectively offer a Grand Prize Gift Basket. We were very pleased to have been the winery’s ballot selected as the SWOVA Grand prize winner for this event! Congratulations go to Linda Pataky, of South Woodslee, pictured above collecting her Grand Prize from us!

Currently we are working on a few new wines that will be released soon. Some of these will be released with new looks. We are also working with the 2010 vintages. The 2010 vintage will be outstanding! We are looking forward to their release as well.


Also we have recenetly introduced an online store with payments cleared through PayPal. Ontario residents can now order wine online through our website at: www.erieshore.ca/store.htm and expect 24-48hr delivery.


We hope you are enjoying the winter weather and again we hope you have a great 2011!
Harvey & Alma