Serendipity. Gotta love it. The unexpected, surprising and pleasing encounter is why I roam back roads. This time, the find was a just-opened winery in, of all places, southeastern Ontario.
I say “of all places,” because the winery is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the Thousand Islands Bridge from the U.S. to Canada, a fairly northern region to grow wine grapes in North America. But here, a couple of enterprising vintners were brave enough to chance the consistently sub-freezing winters and short summers to plant not just cold-resistant hybrids, but rather, Vinifera.
We almost missed the small “open” sign at the Scheuermann Vineyard and Winery as we traveled east toward the picturesque village of Westport on the Upper Rideau Lake. If we had arrived just a few days earlier, the tasting bar inside the Scheuermanns’ garage would not have been open yet.
We turned up the gravel drive and parked overlooking rows of neatly manicured grapevines in a valley below the mountain ridge and Sand Lake to the northeast. It turns out this ridge and the lakes that dot this entire region of Canada offer some protection to the vines from the worst pounding this climate can inflict.
The Scheuermanns’ two young daughters greeted us. We admired the vines and setting, until Francois, their dad, emerged from the house. Apologizing for the delay, he said they had just finished bottling the day before and was still cleaning up.
Francois went on to tell us how he and wife Allison bought the 20 acres of land in 2009 not knowing how they might use it. Much of it was a hayfield, but the Scheuermanns thought they might try growing grapes, despite having no prior experience whatsoever in the wine industry.
They knew they would need a mentor and luckily found one in Prince Edward County, an up-and-coming wine region on Lake Ontario about a two-hour drive to the southwest. Francois worked the harvest at his mentor’s vineyard for five years while planting his own vines. Finally, in 2015, after working through a licensing process perhaps as onerous as Pennsylvania’s, the Scheuermanns we’re ready to open for business.
The Scheuermanns’ three wines are crisp and clean. The slightly oaked, unfiltered Chardonnay has citric notes and a tangy acidity that paired beautifully with the raw sheep cheese we enjoyed later. Their unfiltered Pinot Noir is pale, delicate and worthy of some aging that no doubt will enhance its earthiness. The Scheuermanns source the grapes for their Riesling from the well-known Niagara region. It, too, boasts bright acidity.
Pennsylvania friends, you might ask “when will I ever get to this place”? Well, it’s easier than you might think. Simply drive north on Route 81 until you cross the border. From there, your GPS will easily take you to Westport. If you continue north on Route 10 from Westport, you’ll reach the quaint Scottish town of Perth in less than 30 minutes. Another hour north from there will bring you to Ottawa, the nation’s capital.
October is a perfect time to view fall foliage on your journey north and to enjoy this part of Canada known for its maple syrup. Definitely check out the international Wheeler’s Pancake House on your trip north. It’s open year round! If you go, let me know what you think.