What are the biggest misconceptions about Icewine?

Many people assume that it’s way too sickly sweet. Icewine is 19-23% sugar which is high, however, when it’s balanced, has the proper acidity and is paired correctly it’s amazing! It’s not something you’re going to have a large glass of with your meal. It’s meant to be sipped and savoured, you should linger over it.

Another misconception about Icewine is more about the harvest. People seem to think that the weather needs to be cold for three days in a row before you can harvest which is untrue. The grapes do need to be -8°C or colder before they should be harvested but the weather would ideally change gradually. The temperature could be -8°C for only one day in order for the grapes to be ready to harvest. January 3, 2012 was perfect for Icewine harvesting. It can be tricky though because if it gets down below -12°C or -13°C, it’s too cold and because the grape has become so cold, the juice yield will be far too low and the sugars won’t break down properly during the fermenting process.  It’s tricky during harvest season because 90% of the time, the perfect harvest conditions occur overnight meaning that your team needs to be on standby for the harvest.

Aside from your own award winning Icewine, which one is your favourite?

Two of the best Icewines would be Gurwurtztraminer and Sparkling Icewines.

Gurwurtztraminer is spicy with hints of lychee, rose petal, and mandarin orange flavours. The complexity and flavour lingers. This type of Icewine is very hard to make because the grape skins are so thin and tend to breakdown too quickly to last until harvest.

Inniskillin, Pillitteri and Magnota all make lovely Sparkling Icewines. All Icewine is so decadent and luscious but Sparkling Icewine is extra special.

Vidal Icewine is a less risky venture as the skins of the grapes are thicker and the end result is a fantastic product. You can find the scent of most tropical fruit in a Vidal Icewine if you’re looking for it.

How do you suggest moving from “Special Occasion” to “Everyday” consumption of Icewine?

We need to educate people and encourage them to not be afraid to open a bottle of Icewine and experiment with it. Try it in cocktails or try cooking with it. Drink up! Enjoy it!

Cellaring Icewine isn’t recommended. While some are fine to be cellared for 10-15 years, the small bottles mean that they’ll typically age 2-4 times faster than a bottle of table wine.

Icewine Martini

1 part Icewine

2 parts vodka (Staff recommends Polar Ice Vodka)

Serve in a martini glass with frozen grapes as a garnish.

What could a visitor expect to see in Wine Country during the Icewine festival?

There are a number of different events taking place during the month of January including the 20 Valley Icewine Festival in Jordan, Ontario. There are 20 different Icewines available to try and approximately 80 different wines in total. The festival will feature a fashion show where winemakers will be trying their hands at modeling and a barrel rolling contest. There will be a number of cooking demonstrations starring Kary Osmond of CBC’s Best Recipes Ever, Rob Rainford of Food Network’s Licence to Grill and Jordan’s own Chef Michael Olson. On January 14, Ashley MacIsaac will wow the crowds on Main Street.

What’s your favourite food pairing to go along with Icewine?

Icewine pairs well with blue cheese, foie gras and hazelnuts. The acidity cuts through the fat and brings out new flavours. Icewine is great to cook with as well. Try replacing the sugar in a Sabayon recipe with Icewine. It brings a new flavour to the dessert and as a result pairs easily with Icewine.

What can you tell us about Late Harvest wine?

There are two types of Late Harvest wines. The most classic style would be the Late Harvest wine made from grapes that are left on the vine for about 2-3 weeks longer than they would be for a typical table wine. The other style is from grapes which have been harvested and pressed for Icewine but are then left for a few days and pressed again.

Late Harvest wines go well with salads that have a sweeter or fruity dressing. Late Harvest wine doesn’t have the full, intense lushness of Icewine.  The expected juice yield is about 50% of the expected yield for table wines.

Name: Carly Rupcic

Name of your winery: Pillitteri Estates Winery

Website: www.pillitteri.com

Winemaker: Aleksandar Kolundzic

Winemaker Bio: Aleksandar brings with him over 15 years of experience and expertise in wine making. He has been with Vincor Canada as a VQA Winemaker since June 2004 and previous to that with Hillebrand Winery as a Winemaker and Lab and Cellar Technician commencing in 1996. Aleksandar received his Bachelor of Science at the University of Zagreb, Croatia and his Honours Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology at Brock University. Aleksandar’s proficiency in HACCP and his ISO program knowledge is also valuable for Pillitteri to continue with the production of secure and quality VQA wine making. Aleksandar will commence his position at Pillitteri for the beginning of the 2010 harvest.

How many varietals of wine does your winery produce (including blends?)
Pillitteri produces 33 varietals and styles of wine

What is your favourite blend or varietal of wine that your winery produces and what makes it so special?
Pillitteri’s Gewurztraminer Riesling Fusion is my favourite varietal of wine we produce. It is special because it contains a 1% dosage of Riesling Icewine, which balances out the acidity beautifully and gives the wine a wonderful richness

Which varietal is the most popular? Are there any varietals that you wish more Ontarians knew about?
Our Pinot Grigio is the most popular, followed closely by our Gewurztraminer Riesling Fusion. Ontarians should know more about Cabernet Franc. This varietal excels in this area and
a well made Cabernet Franc is a true example of the quality of wines this region can produce.

What is your favourite Ontario wine produced by another winery?
There are so many to choose from! One of my favourite wines (and wineries!) is Pondview’s Riesling

What’s your favourite festive food and wine pairing?
A great cocktail can be made blending Select Late Harvest Chambourcin with Sparkling Wine (such as Pillitteri’s Due). All through the month of December we offered this cocktail paired with our Christmas Krackle, a delicious easy-to-make chocolatey treat!

Website: www.calamuswines.com

What’s your specialty in winemaking? 100% VQA Wines

How long have you been in the wine industry? 11 years

CALAMUS ESTATE STORY

How did you get started in this industry? By purchasing open lands, planting vineyards and starting a winery from scratch.

What is your favourite varietal of wine? Pinot Gris

What is the best wine-related tip you can share? Drink what you like, not what others tell you to like.

What’s the best wine-related tip you’ve ever received? Try this Ontario wine!

What’s your favourite food and wine pairing? Thai food and Ontario Gewϋrztraminer.

What makes you (and your winery) unique?

The rustic charm of our 19th century tasting room and production area, houses modern winemaking facilities and a one of a kind experience in wine country. Our 100 per cent VQA wines are crafted from our own estate vineyards located in the Niagara Bench lands. Also watch for our special “tastings with the stars” at the Chronos observatory, located right atop of the winery.

Stratus Winery has shared a recipe from their good friend and chef, Jason Bergerter of O&B Luma in Toronto. This recipe takes minutes to prepare and is sure to fill your home with the warmth of the season!

Ingredients (all spices in whole form):

4 sticks cinnamon

8 pieces star anise

1½ tbsp /22.5 g clove

12 pieces juniper

1 tbsp /15 g coriander seed

½ tbsp /7.5g fennel seed

Method

Gently sauté the spices in a pan on medium heat until toasted and fragrant. About two minutes.

Remove from pan.

When cooled, place in a spice grinder and grind to a powder.

Store in an airtight container or a zip lock bag. 

Below are a few ideas on how you can use your holiday mix – Enjoy! 

BREAKFAST AND SWEETS

Fantastic in French toast recipes

Dust on bread and butter pudding

Apple pie spice

Stone fruit preserve spice

Add to your favourite chocolate cake recipe for a twist

APPETIZERS AND MAINS

Turkey gravy seasoning

Season shrimp for the BBQ

Great in pumpkin soup

Use as a rub for ribs and on red meats before cooking

FUN

Dust on popcorn

Gift bag

Use to scent rooms. On Christmas Eve, before family arrives, heat a stone in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F. Using an oven mitt, remove the stone from the oven, place it in a bowl lined with a small towel or dishcloth. Dust the spice on the hot stone and leave on the counter. The spice will smoulder on the stone and scent the room. 

ADD TO BEVERAGES

Coffee

Eggnog

Hot chocolate with marshmallows

How will you use your holiday mix this season? Tweet us your photos at @winecountyont!

Wishing you all the very best this holiday season!

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

It’s even more fun if you sing along to the 12 Days of Christmas song…On the first Day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

1 Amici Gift Card

2 Crystal Riedel Wine Glasses

3 Decanters

4 Ice Wine Glasses

5 Colaneri Dessert Wines

6 Fiesta Flavour Gift Packs

7 Festive Wine Packages

8 Colaneri White Wines

9 Bottle Stoppers

10 Colaneri Red Wines

11 Wild Hibiscus Flowers in a Jar

12 bottles of Colaneri Wine

 For even more tips on how Wine Country Ontario can help you enjoy a fabulous holiday season follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

For the past two weekends, Wine Country Ontario has had the chance to visit Toronto and share what our little slice of heaven has to offer.

We’ve been busy sampling some of Ontario’s best wines at The Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery District.

Wine Country Ambassadors took our guests through a wine tasting while our on-site Sommelier answered a number of questions that our guests had (including “what do I serve with the Christmas turkey?” Tip: try Riesling.)

This weekend (December 17/18) will be our last weekend in the city and we hope to see you there. We’ve had thousands of visitors already and can’t wait to share a piece of Wine Country Ontario with you!

Happy holidays, from our team at Wine Country Ontario.

Icewine season is around the corner and there is nothing better than experiencing the magic first hand!  The gift of a Wine Country tour is more then something wrapped up in a box. It’s an experience, a memory, a chance to become a part of something beyond a cash register.

This December, give yourself a small break and check one gift off your list from the comfort of your own home.  By visiting Wine Country Ontario, you can customize a trip that is just right for your loved one, easily personalized based on location, interests and tastes.

Have you ever been on a Wine Country tour that was given to you as a gift? Share your experiences with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Holiday season is upon us and sometimes the challenge doesn’t end at picking out a great wine. What food do you pair your Ontario wine selection with?

The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards & Estate Winery has put together a simple guide to holiday pairing ideas with Chardonnay and Cabernet – classic choices with so many options!

Take a look at our tips below:

Chardonnay

Notes: a dry style white with fresh flavour; ripe yellow fruit and some warmth on the palate. With notes of yellow pear, apple and sweet preserved lemon; Chardonnay is light enough not to overpower the dishes it is paired with and remains fresh on the palate.

Things to pair it with: It is a great accompaniment to poultry, white meat, fish and shellfish as well as many of the traditional sides like sweet potato mash or acorn squash. It is a classic dry white that would work perfectly at cocktail parties or with a cheese plate.

Cabernet

Notes: a go-to red for the holiday season. It is a rich, heavy-style red with lots of warmth and fruitiness. It is perfect for balancing rich dishes. Cabernet Sauvignon provides a bit of spice and body to stand up to heavy dishes while Cabernet Franc adds ripe, jammy fruit character and a smokiness to the mix. The Cabernet family of wines are made for the holidays!

Things to pair it with: It is perfect with a traditional Christmas Eve dinner or a wholesome classic likeroast beef. With gravy, or red fruit compote, this is a rich meal, with a lot of strong flavours that require a wine to match. Other great pairings with Cabernet are lamb and other roasts, but also chocolate cake, gingerbread, fruit cake with brandy sauce, or blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream.

What are your favourite holiday wine pairings? Share with us on our Facebook page or connect with us on Twitter!

With the help of the winery’s resident sommelier, Southbrook has put together some amazing tips and recipes for breezing through the holiday chaos that we absolutely love!

Tip #1: Keeping them occupied (The Tall Ones)

As guests arrive, invite them in and hand over a warm glass of mulled wine. This comforting holiday sipper can be made ahead of time with minimal effort. No need stand over this simmering pot! Here is a simple recipe that keeps our Wine Lovers warm on The Tasting Bar (thanks to Wine Lover Michele)!

• 2 Bottles of Southbrook Cabernet Merlot Shiraz
• 2 Oranges (large) sliced
• 1 Orange stuck with Cloves
• 2 Lemons sliced
• 3-4 tbsp Honey
• 2-3 Cinnamon Sticks
• A 3 inch piece of fresh ginger root thinly sliced
• A fruit wine (Southbrook’s Cassis works well).

METHOD :

In a large saucepot combine all ingredients with the exception of a few orange slices, (reserve for garnish). Cook over medium heat until it is just before boiling. DO NOT BOIL. Steep on low heat for a minimum of twenty minutes. Taste, add more honey if needed.

Tip #2: Keeping them occupied (The Small Ones)

Now, those small guests may be harder to keep out of the kitchen, but all it takes is a favorite reindeer and a little creativity and we promise this treat will keep your kitchen clear and your guests happy! If you’re ready to bring the “wow” and be the “cool” party on the block – try this mocktail:

Rudulph’s Twinkling Nose (Serves 1):

• 4 oz. Southbrook’s Sparkling Apple Cranberry Cider
• 2oz. Pineapple Juice
• Splash of Grenadine
• 1 Maraschino Cherry (Rudolph’s nose)

METHOD:

Combine liquid ingredients in a martini shaker filled with ice. Stir martini ingredients briskly for 20 seconds and pour into stemless wine glass. Float grenadine over mocktail mixture and drop Maraschino cherry into glass to add a little Rudolph holiday cheer!

HINT – wish to make this a proper cocktail? Just add a little Southbrook Framboise to the mix!

If you get the chance to make it to Wine Country, Southbrook will be hosting Trim the Tree Event on Dec 17th, mulled wine, apple cider, gingerbread men decorating & a centre piece workshop!

If you’re going to be in the city over the next couple of weeks, don’t forget to come visit us at the Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery over the next couple of weekends!

Over the next three weekends, the gates of the Distillery open and the historical site turns into the most magical Christmas market in the city – instant holiday spirit! The lights, vendors, food and of course, wines to try make this a December favourite.

Starting at 4 pm tomorrow, Wine Country Ontario will be spreading the cheer with some of Ontario’s greatest wineries including Pillitteri Estates Winery, Flat Rock Cellars, Thirty Bench and Mike Weir Wine. Each weekend, the wines will be changing so be sure to visit us a few times to get the inside scoop!

If you can’t make it there tomorrow for the kick off evening, be sure to follow @winecountryont and @tochristmasmkt for our live tweeting starting at 6 pm! Share in the first experiences that might help you create your plan of action when you arrive at the market.

To find out more about the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery, visit torontochristmasmarket.com. Don’t forget to tweet us or send a message on Facebook when you visit!

Cheers!