The French connection

Think of an iconic white French wine and, most likely, the purity and sublime delight found in a glass of Chablis will come to mind.

Chablis vines are grown on the extreme edge of vine cultivation. Their vineyards are located in the most northern area of Burgundy. They have more in common with the neighbouring vineyards of Champagne to the north, than with other Burgundian vineyards located almost 100 kilometers farther south. The soil is a combination of ancient oyster beds, clay and limestone. The winters are bitterly cold and harsh, which means there is always the danger of killer frosts — right up to early May. Smudge pots are commonly seen arrayed throughout the vineyards to ward off these late frosts. Summers, on the other hand, are normally hot. As with all farming, each harvest’s vintage is highly dependent on the region’s weather: too much rain and not enough sunshine produce highly acidic wines; too much heat produces fat and flabby wines. When you have a Goldilocks year (“weather just right”) however, the result is a flawless dry white wine with layers of fruit, steely minerality and the distinctive hint of gunflint. Almost all of the white wine of this region is unoaked and vinified in stainless steel tanks. If oak is used for the Cru wines, a neutral barrel is preferred. Because of location, soil type, climate and method of vinification, the Chablis region produces a unique style of Chardonnay.

Now, compare Prince Edward County and Chablis. Even though we are located nearly four degrees south of Chablis (at 44° north), we enjoy comparable benefits and suffer similar tribulations. We have matching soil types, although the limestone of Chablis is composed of fossilized oyster beds while the bedrock limestone of the County displays much earlier fossil types. We suffer a similarly unpredictable climate that is subject to late frosts. We, however, enjoy the moderating effects of Lake Ontario. The major difference between the wines of the two regions therefore depends on how winemakers work with the Chardonnay grape. Although local Chardonnays have been favorably compared with the wines of Burgundy, the Prince Edward County wine is unique and such comparisons do a disservice to the talents of our winemakers.

THIS WEEK’S PICKS
This week’s dish would go well with a selection of County grown-and-produced Rieslings. Consider the delightful Fieldstone 2007 Riesling from Rosehall Run. This wine, a steal at $11.95, is packed with Meyer lemon notes. You might also try the food-friendly Trumpour’s Mill Riesling from the Grange, which has lots of crisp citrus and minerality, and costs only $14.95. Another suggestion would be the 2009 Riesling from Casa-Dea at $16.95, which features a combined citrus and mango flavor with typical County mineral structure. Last, but not least, try to get your hands on a bottle of Karlo Estates 2010 Riesling, whose fruit was sourced from Paul Gallagher’s “Devil’s Wishbone” vineyard at Lake on the Mountain. Because of a unique soil composition, this wine expresses special terroir influences of pomegranate, lime and fresh clean mineral, for only $22