The old world notion that local conditions of soil and microclimate can have a subtle, yet profound, impact on the taste of wines is animatedly debated among winemakers.  Prince Edward County will no doubt add to the discussion.  With 15 different soil types that have been farmed for two centuries and a myriad of microclimates, county terroirs will be a winemaking and marketing focus for vintners.

Especially in France, local soil composition, aeration, water retention and distribution, rock and gravel impacts on drainage, mineral uptake and heat dispersion, along with microclimatic elements such as air drainage, topography and rain patterns are all considered to be recognizable in the character of great wines.

SOILS

At By Chadsey’s Cairns, three vineyards stretch across our property along Lake Ontario, each one based in limestone soil, the holy grail element in cool viticulture regions.  However, it’s the extra push of warmth from the lake that allows this parcel of land to transcend the region’s marginal grape growing status and take advantage of the unique soils.

The original Applehouse and Wellington Bay Vineyards, about 12 acres, share a deep sandy loam known as Brighton Gravel.  The remains of an ancient beach, it is relatively rare (perhaps as little as 200 acres in the county soil constellation), and has produced a complex minerality and clean finish in our first whites, making a bracing traditional Mosel-styled Riesling and a silky Gewürztraminer.

Our King Eddie Vineyard contains three soil types:  Brighton Gravel at the north end of the eight-acre field, Ameliasburgh Clay with its fieldstone litter on a south slope, and the heavier Hillier Clay peppered with crushed limestone fragments at the southern foot.  The Hillier Clay releases its moisture with measured consistency to the Chardonany and Pinot Noir vines, while its limestone not only maximizes crucial heat units, but has us all dreaming of being Burgundy West.  Indeed, comfort is drawn by county winemaking aspirants from simply sharing the same latitude with this celebrated wine region of France, let alone its limestone soils.

HEAT

Unless we encounter freak climatic changes, we will never be challenged by flabby wines; our slow springs and cooler falls produce the freshest wines with an energizing level of acidity, perfect imbibing on a hot day.  If anything we will have to learn to tame the bouncy vigour.  The lower heat units will mean a sweet Loire-styled Chenin won’t occur more than twice a decade, but in other years it will be an interesting taste comparator with our tarter Riesling.

LAKE EFFECT

Much can be said about lake effect, particularly in the county with its numerous inlets and bays.  Because our vineyards are within a few hundred metres of a large ocean-like view of Lake Ontario, we stay frost-free a little longer than inland vineyards, but are slower to heat up in the spring.  As with all farming, each variable has advantages and disadvantages.  A sudden cold snap in the spring of 2001 caused bud damage in Niagara, but spared our late budding vines.  On the other hand, the warmer temperatures that hover above our deep lake water at the south end of our property cannot mitigate winter winds that usually blow from the north.

DROUGHTS

Droughts, which tend to be plentiful in the county, particularly in our area of Hiller, are generally beneficial for grapes.  As cash crop farmers, we sometimes spent weeks praying for dew, and watched with dreaded amazement the passing of heavy storm clouds to the north of us, somehow unable to cross the Bay of Quinte to quench the county’s parched fields.  Far better to work with a problem and plant something drought resistant. We now look forward to reduced growth, concentrated flavour in berries and higher sugars, particularly in our red varietals such as Pinot Noir and its related grape, St. Laurent.