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Prince Edward County
Articles by Michael Fagin Meteorologist,
Travel Writer and Wine Enthusiast
By Chadsey's Cairns Winery Vineyards
Comprising of a multi-fingered peninsula on the eastern end of Lake Ontario , Prince Edward County sits in the heart of Ontario 's Loyalist Country; a region centered in Kingston that was heavily settled by Americans loyal to the British Crown upon their defeat in the American War of Independence. Placid and picturesque, the county is graced with rolling countryside, surrounded by azure waters and punctuated with charming villages. It is also home to a growing wine industry helped nourished by the Great Lakes Effect due to its geographical position. In essence, the Lakes Effect affects wine making for the better.
The Lake Effect moderates temperatures close to the lakeshore enabling grapes to survive the long and cold Ontarian winters. It's especially beneficial to grape growers in spring and fall due to the Effect's influence in minimizing frosts. Far less periods of frost occur along the edges of the lake than farther inland. On Prince Edward County , grape growers take advantage of this by setting up their vineyards within 2.5 kilometers from Lake Ontario . But still, while the Lake Effect has advantages, Ontario 's northern climes still restricts wine production to mainly whites; Rieslings, chardonnays, and no surprise, ice wines. The area's favorable soil structure however does permit for the cultivation of a few red wines.
Aside from less frost periods during the winter months, the Lake Effect helps keep areas close to Lake Ontario warmer. And on the northern shores less snowfall as well. Upstate New York receives twice as much snow than Ontarian cities bordering Lake Ontario . This is due to cold air masses picking up warmer moisture over the lake then dumping it downwind on New York . And finally the Lake Effect has helped protect Prince Edward County from devastating ice storms. The Great Ice Storm of 1998 which deposited up to 100mm of ice on areas along the Saint Lawrence River spared Prince Edward County and its vineyards.
I recently toured the area, liberally sampling its fine wines and splendid scenery. Basing out of the Devonshire Inn ( www.devonshire-inn.com ) located in the small village of Wellington (pop. 1,700) on Lake Ontario 's Wellington Bay I was both close to the area's stunning scenery and succulent wines. After enjoying breakfast outside on the Inn 's patio, taking in sweeping views of the lake, I set out to tour two of the region's wineries. Both within 5 kilometers of the inn and town, they are easily accessible by bicycle, a preferred mode of travel by many visitors.
First on my list was the Sandbanks Estate Winery ( www.sandbankswinery.com ), named for the sprawling dunes that occupy the largest freshwater baymouth sandbar in the world, located just across the bay. The Sandbanks Winery makes a nice Riesling offering a rich mineral taste helped brought out by the limestone found in the region's soils. Originating in the Rhine region of Germany , one of the traits of Rieslings is that it best brings out the terroir. Not surprising, this taste of the Riesling of Sandbanks was a common trait of the other wineries in the region.
And speaking of terroir, the Cabernet Franc has been called the signature wine of this region. The Cabernet Franc's roots and popularly goes back to the Bordeaux region of France . Favoring the cool climate of the Lorie Valley of France, it matures early. This characteristic makes the Cabernet Franc perfect for the cooler climate and shorter growing season of Prince Edward County as well. The area's limestone soil structure helps bring out the taste of the Cabernet Franc as well.
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My next stop was By Chadsey's Cairns Winery ( www.bychadseyscairns.com ), literally a stone's throw east from Sandbanks Estates. Cairns is a city in Far North Queensland, Australia named after William Wellington Cairns then Governor of Queensland. Thus a Wellington Ontario name connection. But a cairn is also an artificial pile of stones, often used by hikers for directional purposes. Cairns too were used in the past as burial sites and to commemorate the dead. The cairns on the property of By Chadsey's Cairns Winery were made for this reason traced to Ira Chadsey who built them in the late 1800's to guide him home after his death, brought upon by suicide. The current owner of the winery, Richard Johnson is also a hands-on owner. A former president of the Toronto Centennial College, in 1999 he traded has academic laurels for grape vines. His long commute from Toronto to Prince Edward County has now been replaced by driving tractor; and tasting his wines, among them, Gamay, which has its origins in Beaune in the east of France . The grape used for this wine is blackish purple; common in this region. Johnson also grows red grapes for Pinot Noir, a wine associated with France 's Burgundy region. It too does well in cooler regions.
Treating yourself to a wine tasting holiday in Prince Edward County. The area's charming vineyards, inns, villages, and spectacular Lake Ontario scenery will no doubt have a Lake Effect on you as well!
Where to stay while visiting PEC
Additional Articles by Michael Fagin
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