[Growwine] From PECWA: Grape Harvest Record

[Larry Paterson]

Seems the best year ever for growers in Prince Edward County...

Lardy

Larry Paterson, lfw, rd, adcc
(Little Fat Wino, Roving Drunk, Alcohol Distribution Channels Critic)

http://www.littlefatwino.com/


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "By Chadsey's Cairns" <the.cairns at reach.net>
To: <the.cairns at reach.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2007 8:10 PM
Subject: FW: Grape Harvest Record




-----Original Message-----
From: By Chadsey's Cairns [mailto:the.cairns at reach.net]
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2007 7:13 AM
To: the.cairns at reach.net
Subject: Grape Harvest Record


Well its official we had a huge increase in grape tonnage in the County this
year. I have imbedded the press release we sent out yesterday for your info.


Hope to see you for the Wassail celebrations over the next couple of
weekends.

On this first weekend Countylicious will be offering $30 three course meals
at some of our best restaurants and Friday night is the Bloomfield Santa
Claus parade. Great gifting opportunities will abound at the participating
wineries and stores.

Richard


WINEGROWERS ASSOCIATION


P.O. Box 6259 Picton Ontario K0K 2T0 www.thecountywines.com

November 15, 2007

PRESS RELEASE


RECORD HARVEST CROWNS PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY'S RECOGNITION AS A VITICULTURAL
REGION


Only a few months after Prince Edward County became Canada's latest
Designated Viticultural Area (DVA), the County's vineyards have produced a
harvest of great quantity and quality.

Unlike other grape regions in the province where drought-like conditions
produced smaller harvests of high quality vinifera grapes, Prince Edward
County received enough moisture to nurture about a 40% increase over the
2006 County harvest in grapes that attained higher sugar levels than
previously experienced.

Only two years ago, the total County harvest was only 90 tonnes of grapes.
Last year its vineyards produced over 470 tonnes and, that increase led to
the achievement of DVA status. A 2007 harvest estimated at 679 tonnes could
translate into as approximately 600,000 bottles of Prince Edward
County-grown wine.

"We are delighted to see this significant increase in grape tonnage from the
County," said Debbie Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Grape Growers of
Ontario (GGO). "We have watched the region grow in acreage and tonnage, and
now this year's harvest is a clear indication that we now have four strong
DVA's in the province. Continuous growth within our industry will depend on
increased and ongoing support of 100% Ontario-grown wines." Ms. Zimmerman
added that the final tonnage and varietal breakdowns for Prince Edward
County and other DVA's will be available in the next few weeks.

"It may well be a once-in-a-decade quality vintage," said Seaton McLean,
Chair of the Prince Edward County Wine Growers Association (PECWA).
"Although part of the increase is reflected in new vineyards having first
harvests, some existing wineries had to scramble to find additional tanks
and barrels to accommodate the bounty."

Although the County has been experiencing a regular increase in the number
of wine purchasing visitors it will now require an exponential rise in
customers to move the 2007 harvest.









"We need new distribution opportunities, like greater and more affordable
access to LCBO shelves, the right to sell wine at farmers' markets and the
legal authority to have co-operative wine stores, if w are going to be able
to sell the wine we are growing," suggested Richard Johnston, past Chair of
PECWA.

In 2006, many PEC wineries had to purchase Niagara grapes in order to make
up for an increased, but inadequate, local harvest. One year later, only a
handful of the County's 15 wineries will be purchasing grapes from Niagara,
because with new Prince Edward growers adding their first vintages into the
mix, there is enough local product available to meet most wineries' business
plans.

"This was indeed our break out year," PECWA executive member Grant Howes
elaborated. " It is just so appropriate that this is the year we launch
'Wassail'. We have reason to propose lots of toasts, with an historic
harvest of great quality followed by a November warm and dry enough to allow
us to bury our vines before winter."

Wassail, celebrated during the last weekend of November and the first
weekend of December, is a tour of 10 Prince Edward County wineries, cidery
and brewery where mulled beverages, comfort food, art and music will be
featured among seasonally festive décor. PECWA is reviving the English
Wassailing tradition because it fits so well with its wine growing
agricultural reality.

PECWA represents both growers and wineries in the county and predicts that
this break out season will encourage new growers to begin planting and
anticipates that 2 or 3 new wineries will begin operation in the County in
2008 with more expected to launch in 2009.  Established in 1999 PECWA may
well see 20 wineries open in less than ten years, effectively adding a vital
new patch to the mixed-agricultural quilt of Prince Edward County.

-30-

For further information contact Seaton McLean 416 727 1337, Richard Johnston
613 399 5128 or Debra Marshall, PECWA's Grape Growers of Ontario
representative. 613 476 4430.