Friday 17th Sept - Prince Edward County

The bad weather has gone and today we had beautiful blue skies so we set off early for the Picton area for more wineries and beautiful lakesides.  We caught the Glenora ferry across the river.

                 

We started off at the Black Prince Winery where today's Vineyard Report…September 17, 2010 says
Planted on a fertile, sandy, loam ridge on our 50 acres property sits 10 acres of grapes that span behind the property on the Loyalist Parkway to the adjacent road, Talbot Street in the lovely town of Picton in beautiful Prince Edward County. 

I tasted some more Vidal white which I enjoyed in Niagara and isn't available outside North America - I quote "Vidal Blanc has proven to be amongst the versatile varietals in North American viticulture. In Canadian vineyards, this hybrid has excelled in the production of Ice Wine, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. This has earned Vidal superior status among all other French-American hybrids. In Canada’s fledgling, quality wine-classification system, the Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA), it is the only hybrid entitled to the highest category of quality."

All good things come to and end and so we moved onto the Barley Days Brewery where after tasting their 3 brews, I felt obliged to buy a six pack (Jean said it matched my physique but I'm not so sure).

By then it was time to move on to our final tasting destination and lunch stop....  This was the Casa Dea Winery where we had a great tasting where I think their best wine was the sparkling made from Pinot Noir and chardonnay which strangely reminded me of champagne!  Here it is.......

2008 Dea's Cuvée $19.95

12.5% 750mL VQA Prince Edward County
Dea's Cuvée is a Fruity Sparkling Wine. It has a nice balance between acidity and sweetness. A smell of riped peaches and apricots. Perfect for any holiday occasion.

Lunch was magnificant - probably the second best pizza I've had all week.  The others had pasta and chicken Parmaggiana.  Here they are enjoying the view.

Jim and I then had a game of chess

and here's my victorious King

 

Time to move on to the next winery.  The By Chadsey's Cairns Winery is set in a ancient farm and is renowned for it's Riesling - I quote "NOTES ON RIESLING - (pronounced REES-ling) A great classic wine that tastes nothing like the sweet versions many of us cut our teeth on during our early wine drinking days.  A dry Johannisberg Riesling is thirst-quenching and energizing.  One of the few white wines that evolve with age, Riesling is also known for its ability to express the terroir of its surroundings.  Grown on Brighton Gravelly Sand, our Riesling tends to taste of zippy citrus and a distinctive minerality with a floral or green apple bouquet.  The grapes need a long, slow ripening period to maximize flavour—perfect for Ontario vineyards.  [3.7 acres; planted 1999] "               

In the great barn, local artists can put on performances and there is a genteel coffee area with hay bale seats where the horses can relax and chat.

Time to move on to the Sandbanks area where the outlet beaches are.  They're separated from Lake Ontario by a sandbank with a narrow passage letting the water in.  They're very shallow and very warm so ideal for swimming, sadly I'd left my speedos in the suitcase!  Still we had a good walk up the very high sand dunes.

The frogs are different round here...

The Monarch butterflies are very popular here at the moment before they migrate to the USA.  Their lower wings are a different colour to their upper wings.

Here we are at the top of the sand dunes......

Here's the Outlet beach............

Then finally home for a BBQ and a view of our first "walking stick"

Tomorrow we'll be off to view a show home.  These sell for around $300,000.

More tomorrow.  Keep those comments coming...............