From The Farm Cooking School presents Cynthia Peters’ Local Food Heroes, a series of posts on the innovative food and wine producers of Prince Edward County and the delicious things they make. Click here to see all the posts.
Jonas Newman at Hinterland Winery, Prince Edward County
When it comes to sparking wine, Hinterland Winery is one of the top producers in Canada. And fortunately for us, it calls Prince Edward County home. As a small artisan winery located in a heritage cow barn, its casual appearance is very deceiving compared to the products it produces.
The owners, two former Toronto professionals, have made quite a name for themselves in the world of sparkling wines. Jonas Newman and his wife Vicki Samaras decided early on to focus on sparkling only and it has proved to be a winning formula. Not only are they receiving numerous accolades for their wines, they opened up their barn doors to other wine makers in The County. Sharing their specialized charmat equipment so others could join in the bubbly revolution, was just part of their commitment to the craft. Now that’s a local hero.
Perfect for the holidays, their current releases include a fun pink bubbly with Champagne-like sophistication. Also popular this time of year, is their Gamay bubbly, named Ancestral, described by The Globe and Mail as “ happiness in a glass”. Next comes Whitecap, made in the charmat method. In their words: “The charmat method is used in the crafting of prosecco and sekt. The secondary fermentation (which is the process to produce bubbles) takes place in a charmat tank (instead of the bottle like Champagne). This process is ideal for aromatic and fruit forward sparkling wines and produces wine for immediate enjoyment.”
Then their most sophisticated offering, made in the traditional method, is Les Etoiles. Very elegant and a bottle you would be proud to serve to the most discerning of champagne connoisseurs.
Whatever your preference, Hinterland will awaken and delight your taste buds for Ontario bubbly. Hurry, you will want a few bottles on your New Years’ table.
Where to buy? Online at hinterlandwine.com. Available in person at the winery. Open on the weekends or by appointment during the week. All details on website.
Cynthia Peters’ From The Farm Cooking School in Prince Edward County is a Certified Good Food Fighter. Please support the business and organizations that support Good Food Revolution.
