Spring at Niagara College Teaching Winery

Spring is a season related to new growth and new beginnings. For a lot of us, spring also means doing work outdoors and replenishing our gardens. It was once said that "In spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt!"---Margaret Atwood. This sentiment is definitely true, and the students at Niagara College Teaching Winery would agree. Especially after spending an afternoon pruning and tieing in the on-campus vineyard.

During the past few weeks, students here at Niagara College Teaching Winery have been busy pruning in the vineyard and preparing the vines for the new growing season to come. Pruning the grapevines is essential to maintain the vines' size, shape, and is important for the ultimate productivity of the vine. When the students head out to prune the vines they will cut portions of last season's growth, and only leave certain canes which will provide the growth for the new season.

Jolanta Budziak, a first year student in the Wine and Viticulture Technician course offered some reflections about her first pruning experience. "Running at $100.00 a shot you can get a pretty good hair cut. But to prune a vine is a priceless experience, especially when your viticulture grades and the life of the college vineyard depends on it! Not only do you want to achieve a 'perfect look' but also a perfect balance-one vine at a time. With all cutting, sharp sheers are mandatory to keep the cuts clean and efficient. Making decisions on behalf of the vine, with your feet sinking into the snow-imagine what the vine wants, imagine what the vine needs. Gain confidence in taking risky moves. Count your progress, talk to yourself, talk to the vine, argue with birds, adore the sunset and above all, mind your fingers!"

At the Wine Visitor + Education Centre we have recently released our 2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay just in time for spring. This Chardonnay provides tantalizing aromas of caramel, vanilla bean and peach pie. This full-bodied wine has a silky mouth texture, offering characteristics of butterscotch and baked apples on the palate, leading to a long and lingering finish.

Appellation: St. Davids Bench

Vineyard: Donald Ziraldo

Harvest Date: Monday October 13, 2008

Harvest Conditions: Cloudy, dry, warm

Case production: 320

Alcohol/Volume: 13.5%

Sweetness Code: Extra Dry-0

Residual Sugar: 3 g/L

Total Acidity: 6 g/L

Malolactic Fermentation: Yes

Oak: Malolactic Fermentation with sur lie batonage barrel maturation for 11 months in French and American Oak.

Cellaring: Drink now-2016

Food recommendations: Perfect for your traditional Easter dinner including turkey or honeyed ham. Also great for non-traditional Easter meals including buttered lobster, grilled salmon and rich risotto dishes.

We hope you enjoy the spring of 2010, and feel free to visit us at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre to try some of our wines, and visit our facility.

Cheers!

Wine Guide in Hand and Ready to Go: Wine Touring in Ontario

The Wine Visitor + Education Centre is a unique facility housing Niagara College Teaching Winery, Wine Store and Visitor Centre. As a gateway for the Niagara Wine Region, the Wine Visitor + Education Centre celebrates the Ontario Grape and Wine industry through informative displays, tours, and an information centre to assist visitors in their exploration of wines and wine country.

Ontario wine country has so much to offer it's visitors, from the local charm, to the scenic beauty, flavourful foods, and locally produced wines. The possibilities for your adventure in wine country are endless, and every trip you take will be just as exciting as the last. Along the way you will meet winery personnel who are passionate and excited about their wines and their winery. One of my favourite parts of wine touring (besides the fantastic wine) is listening to the stories about each unique winery.
Here at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre we recognize how special the Ontario Wine Route really is, and we would like our visitors to make the most of their time in wine country. It is important to us that our visitors learn to celebrate, as well as appreciate the Ontario Wine Industry as much as we do. To do this, we feel its necessary to provide our visitors with the proper tools and information to navigate their way through wine country, and have an unforgettable experience.

With the tourism season quickly approaching, visitors will soon be making their way to various wine regions located throughout Ontario. These regions include the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore, Pelee Island, and Prince Edward County. With this is mind, we would like to provide you with some helpful tips to think about before you head out on a wine tour.

Plan your Route:

The Wine Council of Ontario produces Ontario Wine Guides/Wine Maps to help you navigate your way through wine country. Plan ahead of time, and decide which wineries you want to visit during your tour. The Wine Guide provides information about each winery, their hours of operation and tour times. If you are looking for a particular wine during your tour, research wineries and find out which varieties they are known for.

Designated Driver:

Before you head out on your wine tour, make sure that you have a designated driver. After a few wineries, the samples can add up to a lot of wine. If your whole groups wants to partake in tastings for your wine tour, look into hiring a driver or a tour bus. There are plenty of companies that will take you around wine country to various wineries. It is a safe and enjoyable way to taste your way through wine country.

Ask Questions:
No question is a silly question. If you have any questions about the wine you are tasting, or the winemaking process, ask. Winery staff are trained to educate guests, and provide you with an informative, and educational experience. If you want to know how wine is made, or what it takes to make grapes grow, just ask.

Sight, Smell, Taste:

When you are out wine touring, take some time to appreciate the wines you encounter. Use all of your senses including your sight, smell and taste. Use your eyes to look at the colour and clarity of the wine. Smell the wine and appreciate it's aroma. Lastly, taste the wine. Take a portion of your sample and swirl it around your mouth to cleanse the palate. It has been said to never judge a wine by the first sip. Take another couple of sips after your palate has been cleansed, and then you will be able to tell if you enjoy the taste of the wine.

Spitting is Okay:

You do not have to consume your entire sample. All wineries will provide spitoons which they generally will keep on their tasting bar. In the world of wine, spitting is the norm and entirely acceptable.

Dumping Wine:

You will generally receive a 1 oz. sample of wine. It is not necessary to finish your entire sample. Again, the spitoons are the place to dump any extra wine you do not want to consume.

Eat Along the Way:

It is always a great idea to have some food during your wine tour. Having some food will not only help to metabolize the wine you are consuming, but also will allow you to experience the local cunlinary scene. After you have visited a couple of wineries, take a break and then continue. While visiting wineries ask the staff if they have any suggestions for good places to eat in the area. Some wineries have restaurants on site as well.

Sensory Blockers:

Wine tasting is a sensory experience. Try not to chew any gum, or consume any strong liquids (such as coffee, tea, or soda) while you are out wine touring. These strong flavours will affect the wine you are tasting. Also, try not to wear perfumes, or any strong scents while you are wine touring. Strong scents will influence the aroma of the wine.

Take a Tour:

Various wineries offer public tours which allow you experience "behind the scenes" action at the winery. It is a great way to learn about the wine region you are visiting, the winery, as well as the winemaking process. Wineries will generally have their tour times on their website, or you can find them in the Ontario Wine Guide. Call the wineries to see if you can book ahead of time, or simply join the tour when you arrive on the day.

Purchase:

Most of the wines you taste will only be available to purchase at the winery. If you find a wine that you enjoy and are interested in purchasing, buy it. If you are an Ontario resident, some wineries have wine clubs which allow you to receive shipments of wine each month. Ask questions, and see what wines are sold solely at the winery.

Take it all in:

Take advantage of the peaceful vineyards, and the scenic beauty. Sit in a vineyard, amongst the grape vines, and take it all in. Their is nothing quite like a beautiful summer night, looking out towards the vineyards and enjoying the locally produced wine, and locally grown food.

Above all, have fun and enjoy your time in Ontario Wine Country. Cheers!

Canadian Oak Project

The Cuvee awards are known as the "Oscars" of the Ontario Wine Industry. On February 19, 2010 the awards were revealed to deserving wineries from all over Ontario. Niagara College Teaching Winery was honored to receive Gold in the category for "Limited Edition Red" for our 2007 Dean's List Pinot Noir (Canadian Oak Project.)

The goal of the Canadian Oak Project is to"define the distinct characteristics of Canadian Oak, and its use, including flavour profiles and terrior inherent in this unique barrel style." We have recently released two wines that are a part of the Canadian Oak Project including the award winning 2007 Dean's List Pinot Noir, as well as our 2007 Dean's List Meritage.

2007 Dean's List Pinot Noir Canadian Oak Project:

This complex wine is deep ruby in colour with a nose of strawberries and black cherry. Mocha and vanilla bean dominate the palate, offering a pleasant mouthfeel, and concluding with a smooth lingering finish.

2007 Dean's List Meritage Canadian Oak Project:

This Meritage is deep ruby in colour offering aromas of cedar and black currants. With a strong tannic structure and full mouthfeel, the palate consists of black and red fruit characteristics. The blend for this Meritage consists of 42% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec.

About Canadian Oak :

Since the Ontario Wine industry is quite young, the usage of Canadian Oak for aging wine is a new undertaking. The first commercial usage of Canadian Oak was in 2002 and since then, various Ontario Wineries have experimented with Canadian Oak. It has been found that Canadian Oak is distinctly different from, yet an intermediate between French and American Oak barrels.

This is a truly exciting advance in the Canadian wine industry offering a true representation of Canadian terrior, offering both locally grown grapes, as well as wine that has been aged in Oak deriving from the same Canadian soils.

Recipe:

For this blog I have chosen a fantastic recipe that pairs extremely well with our 2007 Dean's List Pinot Noir Canadian Oak Project.

Seared Duck Breast with a Blueberry/Blackberry Gastrique

Serves 4

Blueberry/Blackberry Gastrique

3 cups Blackberries

2 cups Blueberries

2 cups Sugar

1 cup Rice wine vinegar

In a small sauce pan, combine the berries, sugar and vinegar. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture for about 25-30 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy.

Seared Duck Breast

4 Duck Breasts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees faranheit.

Score the fat on the duck breasts diagonallyin a criss-cross pattern. Then season with salt and pepper. Panfry breasts fat side down to render the fat for 2-3 minutes, and continue to roast in the oven until the meat is medium rare.

Spoon the gastrique over the duck breast and enjoy with the 2007 Dean's List Pinot Noir Canadian Oak Project.

For more information regarding the deserving winners from the Cuvee awards, visit http://www.cuvee.ca/event.html

Cheers.