Festival of Hawks --September 12-26th, 2009

This is not a wine event, but it is a significant local event.

It is the Fall Migration! Raptors, Monarchs, Dragonflies and more. Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Amherstburg, ON (*5 miles west of Erie Shore Vineyard), and Point Pelee National Park of Canada, Leamington, ON (*20 miles east of Erie Shore Vineyard) Details on: http://www.erca.org/ or download a complete brochure: http://www.erca.org/downloads/calendar_Hawk_Fest.pdf

/Photo courtesy of Len Strahl

New 2007 Sellar Secret, new Winter Harvest Cabernet

We have released two more new vintages this week that we think you will love.

The ever popular Sellar Secret in the Blue Bottle, is made from Chambourcin grapes that are fermented away from the skins, resulting in a very pleasant, soft, cherry-pink colour with no tannins. Vibrant tropical and strawberry flavours. Serve chilled of course.

The Winter Harvest Cabernet is another great one! Great apple, strawberry flavours with a spine of acidity that cuts through the natural sweetness. It's dessert in a glass.

New! New, new...Sun '08, Cab Reserve, ...

Yes it's official, the new Summer Sun '08 is on the shelves! Also on the shelves is the 07 Cabernet Reserve. They just get better folks!

The Sun is also available on most of the LCBO shelves as well. Soon: 07 Sellar Secret, 07 Baco, and three icewines.

True Essex County Temperatures for the Vintage Tasting

94 F /34C and hazy and humid. A fitting Essex Summer day for the 15th Annual Vintage Tasting. For a day like this our new 2008 Summer Sun poured well. We certainly had many visitors to our retail for it throughout the afternoon. It will officially be available tomorrow...

Thank you to everyone that attended the event, and especially to Jim & Judy who helped us pour today. We certainly are fortunate to have such great friends to help us out so professionally.

Veraison

Yesterday and today marked the first observed Veraison at Erie Shore Vineyard. Our earliest varieties started to change colour. Veraison is an intermediate stage in the grape's development, when they go from hard, green berries to soft and coloured grapes.

We use some of these developmental stages to guage crop development. Based on the timing of early veraison, we are exactly normal in fruit development. Based on this we will start harvest in mid to late September.