With summertime looming (HOORAY), it’s almost time to relax with a glass of red on the patio. But have you thought about the wine list? I attended the County in the City event at the Church at Berkeley Church.
This was a wine-tasting event that highlighted the wines of Prince Edward County, hosted by the Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival. Over the course of several hours, I sampled an array of wines and even went back for seconds at some stations!
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After extensive research, I’ve narrowed down my top picks that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. And some are even available at the LCBO.
Sandbanks Estate Winery - Sandbanks Rosé – $12.95
I loved this lemonade-pink wine with a medley of raspberry, tangerine and grapefruit. Recommended as an aperitif or served with grilled chicken or fish.
Sandbanks Winter Harvest – $12.95
All I can say is – DELICIOUS! This dessert wine was my top pick for the night, both for its flavour and price. Made from the Vidal grape, it tasted like honey in a glass. The flavour is very similar to ice wine, but the bottle is a fraction of the cost. Excellent served icy cold as an aperitif or with dessert – or even as the dessert itself.
Trumpour’s Mill - Paint the Town Red Gamay Noir – $14.95
The name of this wine is perfect because it’s both ruby-red and a show-stopper. It had such a unique aroma of raspberries and cherries...I couldn’t resist asking for seconds. A great wine to accompany cedar-planked salmon.
Lighthall Vineyards - Lighthall 2011 Progression - $20.00
Get busy with the fizzy, baby! This sparkling white bursted with light and refreshing bittersweet bubbles. A perfect patio drink for the summer. This wine isn’t on the shelves of the LCBO, so check out the website, or even better, visit the winery for a tour and tasting.
Stanners Vineyard - Stanners Vineyard Estate 2009 Pinot Noir - $35.00
Stanners Vineyard is a small family vineyard and boutique winery dedicated to producing premium Pinot Noir. And do they ever! I loved this bright red blended with cranberries and cherry flavours. This wine recently won bronze medals at the Canadian Wine Awards and the Intervin International Wine Competition.

Thanks for the great write up about Prince Edward County wines. You can all come enjoy the County experience at our upcoming Spring Wine Festival called Terroir on Saturday, May 26th in beautiful Prince Edward County. Tickets are available at http://countyterroir.ca/
ReplyDeleteCheers!