kanadischer wein

VQA Ontario Annual Report 2011

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:59:40 +0000

9.7.2011
2010 wird ein großartiger Jahrgang, möglicherweise der beste des Jahrzehnts. Die Bedingungen während der Wachstumsperiode waren durchweg positiv, es gab praktisch keine negativen Einflüsse von Mutter Natur. Die Weine werden somit die Ausgewogenheit des Reifeprozesses im Jahr 2010 und damit auch die Eigenschaften des Terroirs der Ontario Appellationen im vollen Umfang widerspiegeln. Dies gilt uneingeschränkt für alle Rebsorten.

Conditions

Winter and early spring were relatively mild and dry throughout southern Ontario in 2010. Precipitation, both snow and rain, was slightly lower than normal and average temperatures a bit above normal. Bud burst was about two weeks early in all the wine growing regions, mid April in the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island and early May in Prince Edward County. Despite the prevailing warm conditions, Prince Edward County was hit with frost in mid May, resulting in some bud damage but without widespread ill effects.

May was warm and summery with mean temperatures hovering 2° to 3° above normal and a number of high temperature records broken. Early season growth was rapid and healthy. Despite the heat, there was relatively little severe weather.

June saw normal temperatures, higher precipitation and severe weather including four tornadoes in the Lake Erie North Shore appellation at the start and end of the month. Fortunately, for the grape crop, no vineyards sustained any lasting damage.

Severe thunderstorms continued into early July for Lake Erie North Shore but on balance the July weather was hot, sunny and perfect for maturing grapes. Some heavy downpours left enough moisture to cause slight disease pressure in a few locations but generally rain came in healthy amounts and there was lots of sunshine hours to fuel growth. August was warmer and drier than normal in all regions, and included a record low precipitation for Lake Erie North Shore. Conditions could not have been more perfect for ripening grapes and winemakers were very excited about quality prospects heading into harvest.

Harvest

Thanks to the warm season, the grape harvest began approximately two weeks early with sparkling wine grapes harvested in late August. Warm dry conditions in September were ideal and allowed winemakers maximum flexibility to choose the best time for harvest. Consensus reigned in all regions that the 2010 vintage has tremendous potential for all varieties and that it would be a particularly promising year for the longer ripening varieties that are sometimes challenged by Ontario’s climate.

Temperatures cooled gradually into October with a smooth transition from the summer heat to warm days and cool nights and then to cooler mid-teen temperatures by late October. The first frost came in early October for Prince Edward County and some of the cooler sub-appellations in Niagara and gradually over the next two weeks for the remaining appellations. Harvest for table wines was substantially completed by mid October.

Preliminary registrations for Icewine and Late Harvest grapes show that production will remain similar to 2009 and substantially lower than the records near 7000 tonnes set through 2006 and 2007. Subject to audit verification, a total of 1560 tonnes have been left hanging for use in Icewine and Late Harvest wines for the 2010 vintage.

VQA Ontario Icewine Report für den Jahrgang 2009

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:31:05 +0000

21. April 2010
2009 wird vorraussichtlich ein guter Jahrgang für Ontario Icewine. Trotz der bisweilen schwierigen Bedingungen ergab die Eisweinernte des Jahrgangs 2009 einen durchschnittlichen Zuckergehalt von 38,4° Brix. Dies erlaubt Eisweine hoher Qualität und einzigartiger Aromatic, die weltweite Standards setzt.
Die Menge der zur Eisweinernte an den Reben belassenen Trauben war deutlich geringer als in den vergangenen Jahren. Dies ist mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit den ökonomischen und Markt-Bedingungen geschuldet.
The 2009 growing season saw average temperatures for the season as a whole but wide variations in conditions from month to month. Coming into Icewine season, the cool October helped keep grapes left on the vine in good condition. A significantly reduced tonnage of Icewine grapes was registered in November 2009 – 1750 tonnes compared to 6500 tonnes in 2008 – and some of these grapes were diverted to table wines, destroyed by bird damage or otherwise removed from Icewine eligibility. Harvest began on December 10, 2009 in the Lincoln Lakeshore appellation of Niagara Peninsula and was completed on February 12, 2010 in Prince Edward County. Icewine juice was produced in every appellation and sub-appellation, with the exception of Pelee Island and Vinemount Ridge.
At the end of the season, the total volume of eligible Icewine juice recorded was just over 228,000 litres, representing approximately one quarter of last year’s production, and dramatically lower than the record production of 1.18 million litres in 2006. In addition, 36,500 litres of Late Harvest juice was produced.
Vidal Blanc continued to be the mainstay varietal, making up 56% of eligible juice, with Riesling following at 16% and Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon at 11% and 9% respectively. Production of
Gewurztraminer Icewine has decreased over past years and negligible volumes were produced in 2009. Icewine juice was pressed from fourteen other grapes varieties – evenly split between red and white grapes.

Erste “Amarone” Reben in Kanada

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:41:01 +0000

30.3.2010
Pillitteri Estates Winery bringt die ersten “Amarone” Reben nach Kanada. Dabei handelt es sich um die 3 klassischen Rebsorten Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. In diesem und nächsten Jahr werden diese Reben, die ursprünglich aus Norditalien stammen und auch in Kalifornien angebaut werden, auf Pillitteri Rebflächen kommerziell angepflanzt, um dann Weine nach der traditionellen Methode der Trocknung zu produzieren. Darüberhinaus plant Pillitteri auch die Produktion von Eisweinen von diesen Rebsorten, was dem Eisweinbereich einen neuen innovativen Schub geben wird.
New grape varieties cannot enter Canada without a phytosanitary (disease free) certificate approved by the CFIA (Canada Food Inspection Agency), or a sanitation process by Agriculture Canada in BC which is costly and can take 3 to 4 years.
There are no nurseries in the world that have these as certified vines. The research facility of the University of California Davis was the only place having small amounts destined for US nurseries. After a 2 year effort Pillitteri Estates with Gemmrich Nursery, were able to secure a few hundred cuttings (budwood) in March 2010, making this the first export of budwood from UC Davis to Canada. These vines are a significant cost to Pillitteri for licensing fees, but well worth it.
Gemmrich Nursery was instrumental in procuring and importing the budwood, grafting to rootstocks to make vines for planting at Pillitteri. Traditional grafting takes two years with up to a 75% success rate. To prepare the 2,500 vines Pillitteri would need, by traditional methods of grafting, an additional 4 years to produce enough vines for planting. Pillitteri and Gemmrich next approached Dr. Helen Fisher of the University of Guelph at Vineland who has pioneered “green shoot grafting” in Canada. This is a new method to produce vines faster by growing vines in a greenhouse continuously from grafting green buds. Two dozen buds can produce a few thousand vines in a year and Pillitteri has recently contracted the University of Guelph to green shoot graft. The remainder of budwood will be grafted traditionally by Gemmrich to make this planting Canada’s first vineyard of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.
The cost of using these two methods has increased the price seven fold, but has saved 8 to10 years of time. Director of Viticulture for Pillitteri, Jamie Slingerland states that “these vines are too important to keep to ourselves and will be available through Gemmrich at normal prices by traditional grafting methods for other growers and wineries by 2013 or 2014″. Jamie also adds, ” that as a Grape and Wine Industry, we have proven that we can work together and this is another example of a collaborative project that is successful”.
For Pillitteri Estates Winery Founder and Owner, 74 year old Gary Pillitteri, another vision has become a reality, ” It was a life- long dream after founding my winery, to bring to Canada the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grape varieties from my native Italy. I know this will promote the Canadian Wine Industry and I am so proud that we are making this contribution. This grape and Wine Industry has given me so much and in gratitude, it is my chance to give something of value back.”

Pillitteri Winery is managed by the three Pillitteri Children, Connie Slingerland, Lucy Friesen, Charles Pillitteri and son-in-law Jamie Slingerland.

For more information, please contact

Jamie Slingerland
Director of Viticulture
Pillitteri Estates Winery
Cell 905-651-2663

Erster Vodka Icewine aus Kanada

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:11:23 +0000

12.2.2010
VICE – Vodka Icewine
Weltneuheit aus Ontario. Ein fertiger Cocktail aus Vidal Icewine der Niagara Peninsula und reinem, kanadischem Vodka.

VICE, die Kreation aus Vidal Eiswein der Apellation Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, und reinem, kanadischen Vodka ist ein überaus köstlicher fertiger Cocktail.

In einem Cocktailglas gut gekühlt serviert – garniert mit einer gefrorenen Traube – ist VICE ein absoluter Genuss.

Der Eiswein macht ihn zum idealen Essensbegleiter von Fischgerichten, würzigen asiatischen Gerichten und Käse. Durch den Vodka hat er einen weichen Körper mit subtiler Wärme am Gaumen, was ihn zum Aperitif oder abendlichen Longdrink prädestiniert.

Alkohol: 21% w/v

750 ml Flasche

Hergestellt wird VICE von Vineland Estates Winery, einer ältesten und renommiertesten Weingüter Kanadas.

Erster Sparkling Cabernet Icewine von Pillitteri Estates Winery

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:45:44 +0000

Pillitteri Media Release vom 10. Dezember 2009
Pillitteri hat nach dem ersten Sparkling Riesling Icewine jetzt den weltweit ersten und einzigen roten Eisweinsekt – Sparkling Cabernet Icewine – produziert und erhielt dafür die Goldmedaille des Effervescents du Monde im November 2009!

The 2008 Cabernet Sparkling Icewine received the accolades and was the only North American wine recognized in the top ten. This is the first competition entered for the yet to be released 2008 Sparkling Cabernet Icewine. Winemaster Marc Bradshaw is thrilled with the result and is honoured to have his wine recognized as the best in the world. “I’m stoked with snagging not only a Gold Medal, but also pegging top spot at the 2009 Effervescents du Monde with my 08 Cab Sparkling Icewine. It is brilliant in particular because this is my first crack at a sparkling wine. It is also exciting to see that not only an Icewine, but a red Icewine, was worthy of such praise.” Marc is now eagerly working on his next sparkling creation.

This is the 7th year for the international competition of the world’s best sparkling wines, Effervescents du Monde®, organized by Forum Oenologie. It was held on November 19th and 20th , 2009 at the Lycée Le Castel culinary school in Dijon, France. Over the course of two days, 75 international experts tasted 519 Sparkling Wines from 24 countries around the world. The top ten ranking consisted mainly of French wines with 2 Italian, an Argentinean and of course Pillitteri’s Canadian wine. Overall 37 Golds and 136 Silvers were awarded.

The 2008 Cabernet Sparkling Icewine was achieved through a delicate blending of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot varietals, resulting in another ground-breaking and innovative Icewine by Pillitteri. This bubbly has a deep scarlet hue and the nose bursts with nuances of candied apples, vanilla soda and raisin, coupled with a dash of pepper and ginger. It is an exciting taste sensation that you must experience!

Pillitteri Estates Winery is a family run and operated business founded in 1993 and is situated on 100 acres of
vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It currently exports to 29 countries and is the largest estate producer of Icewine in the world. Pillitteri has won over 400 international and domestic awards, reflecting the winery’s commitment to produce premium VQA wines.