Grape Varieties

Fresh, Organic (But Not Certified Organic), Hand Picked, Locally Grown by Scotch Mountain Vineyard, Meaford, Ontario.

Frontenac (Red)

Introduced in 1995, Frontenac is the first in a series of new wine grape varieties developed by the University of Minnesota for Upper Midwest conditions. A cross of V. riparia 89 with the French hybrid Landot 4511, Frontenac combines many of the best characteristics of each parent.  Small black berries are produced on medium to large clusters that are usually slightly loose.  Maturity is mid-season with high sugar content (24-24 brix not uncommon).  Initially acids are high, but often drop dramatically later in the season if the berries are left on the vine long enough to mature fully.   Frontenac wine is complex and full but lacking tannin.  It is usually a garnet red with a pleasant cherry aroma with berry and plum evident in many cases.  If required, malolactic fermentation will reduce the wine’s high acidity.

Sabrevois (Red)

Sabrevois is the name given to Elmer Swenson’s ES 2-1-9 in August 2001. It was named after the village near the Richeliu River in southern Quebec where Gilles Benoit of Vignoble des Pins first made high quality wine from the variety. More than 100,000 vines are now planted in Quebec.  It produces bunches of small to medium size, with moderate sugars rarely exceeding 20 Brix (when very ripe) and slightly high acids. It can yield wines with good fruit and deep colour, and, if fully ripened, be quite aromatic in character. It responds well to oak treatments, and would be quite useful served with foods made with tomatoes. Wines from Sabrevois have a pleasant berry-like fruitiness in the nose and mouth.  The grapes make a highly aromatic rose if pressed very early, or by using carbonic maceration.  Dry red varietal Sabrevois should age well and may require two years in bottle to round off the rough edges.  It is probably best as part of a blend with other red hybrid varieties known for higher sugars (say maybe Frontenac or Landot Noir).  Primary Use: Red Wine & Rose, possibly jelly.  Long skin-contact should be avoided when fermenting wine.

Louise Swensen (White)

This selection was bred from a cross of E.S. 2-3-17 x Kay Gray. However, as a wine grape, it will never be confused with Kay Gray. Berries average around 3 g and clusters are small to medium, conical, somewhat compact, and average 105 g (range 70-130 g). In five years of trials, the wine from Louise Swenson has been outstanding for its quality and consistency from year to year. The wine is without any negative hybrid characteristics, and has a typical delicate aroma of flowers and honey. This wine’s only significant fault is that it is rather light in body. Blending with a variety such as Prairie Star makes it a more complete wine. Louise Swenson rarely exceeds 20 Brix, even if left to hang past midseason. Acidity is moderate and needs no reduction.

Baco Noir (Red)

The purple people maker, Baco Noir was created from hybrid grapes and has heft to it – very complex flavours, with wood, spice, richness, texture. Definitely a long finish, something that can go with a rich BBQ ribs dish.  Best of all, there’s the infamous Purple Mouth that results!  You can offer this wine to unsuspecting friends and see if they notice each others tongues. They probably won’t, since they’ll be too enraptured by the wine’s flavour.

Chardonnay (White)

These Burgundy wines are highly enjoyable, and the grape is also used in sparkling wines and Champagne.  Its popularity has grown immensely in the past forty years, to where it is now the most popular white wine available. Winemakers love Chardonnay because the vines are easy to grow (except maybe in areas like this), and have a high yield. Wine drinkers love Chardonnay because of the wide variety of flavours it can take on.  Depending on where it’s grown and how it’s fermented, Chardonnay can taste semi-sweet or sour, heady or light. Typical flavours are apple, tangerine, lemon, lime, melon, and oak.  Cool-climate Chardonnays get longer growing times, and end up with subtle overtones.  Chardonnay is usually dry, and goes best with poultry or seafood, like lobster or scallops. It can even go well with a light red meat dish. Good cheeses for Chardonnay include Gruyere, Provolone, and Brie.

Future Varieties

Each subsequent year additional varieties may be planted and at the earliest will become available in the 3rd year of their maturity.  Some varieties are in the process of being replaced as they have suffered too much from our harsh winters as of late..

Notice to Consumer

All of our grapes have been grown locally in a natural environment; hand picked and delivered fresh as is.  We highly recommended that they be washed thoroughly before being consumed.