Gary May article - Grape Expectations

Grape expectations

A new winery has leaped the Prince Edward County barrier and
headed for the hills of Northumberland

By Gary May

It was bound to happen: Prince Edward County’s wine district has popped its buttons.

At the turn of the millennium, the county boasted one winery; today there are about a dozen, with more planned. But hop across the Bay of Quinte to “the mainland” and you’ll see the first signs that the romance of the vine respects no boundaries.

Oak Heights Estate Winery began as a glimmer in the eye of Ian Fraser, founder and owner of Pro-Pharma, a contract pharmaceutical sales firm in Brampton. A few years ago he bought a farm in the rolling hills of Northumberland County east of Toronto, near Lake Ontario’s north shore. Last year Mr. Fraser opened Oak Heights and since then has sold about 16,000 bottles from his boutique and through about 50 area restaurants.

Being the new kid on the block, with no other winery yet in sight, Mr. Fraser knew he needed something more than nice wine to attract customers. So he set up an “experiential” facility, a place where people could enjoy a day in the sunshine, a picnic at the edge of a pond and a walk in the woods. It would be a family entertainment place.

Owner Ian Fraser built Oak Heights Winery in Northumberland County, some distance from existing winery districts in Prince Edward County and Niagara.

At the centre of the site is a refurbished post-and-beam barn, which serves as the winery on the lower level, and the tasting hall, restaurant and kitchen upstairs. The tasting room opens up to a deck that overlooks the property and the hills beyond. The lounge’s dominant feature is a nine-metre-long bar of Douglas fir. The whole facility is a striking mix of historic and modern. This year he’s added a full-service restaurant to an extensive wine pairings menu and plans a banquet hall, a garden deck and a gazebo from which visitors can sip a glass of wine while enjoying the pastoral view. On weekends he offers horse-drawn wagon rides. “People aren’t going to come here as part of a wine tour of three or four wineries,” says Mr. Fraser. It’s 45 minutes to Prince Edward County. You’ve got to have more than just the wine.”
	To help with his plan, he hired winemaker Mike Traynor, who had been through Algonquin College’s sommelier program, then winery technology and vineyard operation, before working for two other wineries. To help salvage the barn, Mr. Fraser hired a Port Hope contractor who introduced sleek, modern features, including a stunning spiral staircase that leads to the winery. As he sought to carve out a niche for Oak Heights, Mr. Traynor introduced Canadian oak barrels in which to store the wine (most oak barrels are made from American and French wood). And he insisted on keeping the production as pure and unobtrusive as possible, selecting a pump that’s so gentle, “I can put a berry in there without breaking it.” It’s the same theory used in kidney dialysis, he says.
Winemaker Mike Traynor tests one of the vintages aging in Oak Heights Winery's cellar.

Mr. Fraser has been busy expanding his vineyards to keep up with his production schedule and now has 26 acres planted. That’s still not enough to satisfy all his needs, and last year he had to buy half his grapes from Niagara growers. So far, with just one small producer nearby, there aren’t sufficient Northumberland-grown grapes to meet his demand, he says.

Mr. Traynor expects the winery’s portfolio to top out at 10 or 11 varieties, which he feels will offer a broad range. Right now it sells a meritage (a blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon), two chardonnays, cabernet franc and two house wines — a white vidal and a red blend of baco noir, marachal foch and chambourcin. Prices range from $12.95 for the house wines, to $29.95 for the meritage and chardonnay reserve. Mr. Traynor’s personal favourite is the meritage.

Will Oak Heights spark a Prince Edward-style winery boom in Northumberland? A Toronto man already has plans for a vineyard/winery near Cobourg and an estate homes developer has teamed up with a vintner to propose a boutique winery near Brighton. Robert Humphrey of Northumberland’s economic development office says the county plans to focus on attracting wineries as part of its tourism development plan.

Citizen wine reviewer Rod Phillips points out that a decade ago there was just one winery in the County, too. Since then, the industry has mushroomed.

Mr. Phillips says it takes at least three years for a new grapery to begin producing a decent harvest of wine-worthy grapes. He says they need well-drained soil and often do very well in soil that’s too poor for other crops.

“It’s an expensive proposition to build a winery,” he says. “The old cliché holds true: If you want to make a small fortune, invest a big fortune in a winery.”

In the meantime, Oak Heights is trying hard to make the trip worthwhile. Here are some highlights:

Education: Oak Heights offers wine tastings, tours and seminars. Details of the seminars are still being worked out. Tastings range from $1.50 to $10 (this one includes a glass of three premium wines and three paired appetizers.)

Gourmet picnics: You can always bring your own picnic. But if you like, you can order baskets with items such as apple wood-smoked salmon, brandade of smoked trout and caper berries with red onion horseradish and sour cream, baguette, beet salad, a variety of cheeses and chutneys, fresh fruit, paté, bison salami and other cold cuts, roast beef and cookies. Baskets are priced individually in the $25 to $30 range for two people. Wine is extra.

Restaurant: An extensive menu includes mille feuille ratatouille oven roasted with Buffalo mozzarella, parmesan & pecans, grilled salmon, grilled beef with Portobello mushrooms, panini and flatbreads with artisan cheeses. Many ingredients are local.

Other activities: Fish in the trout-stocked pond; hike in the area hills along the Russ Creek Trail or through a rare old-growth forest; or indulge your artistic side by photographing or painting the rolling scenery.

If you go
For more information: On the net: www.oakheights.ca/ or phone: 1-866-OAK-6051 or 705-924-9625.
How to get there: Take Highway 401 exit 497 at Colborne. North on County Rd. 25 to Warkworth. West on County Rd. 29 to Oak Heights.
Nearby accommodation: B&Bs in Warkworth include Old Country Rose (705-653-0281); Thornton Inn (705-924-3980); and Adam Farm (705-696-3800). At Roseneath Landing on Rice Lake is Clearstone Lodge (705-342-9470).
Dining: Several area restaurants feature Oak Heights Estate wines, including the Woodlawn Inn (www.woodlawninn.com; 905-372-2235) and the North Side Grill (905-377-9710) in Cobourg.

Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 2008