If you don’t consider winter the right time to celebrate wine, the winegrowers of Prince Edward County want you to think again. Join them, as well as other wine enthusiasts, celebrated chefs, and more, at the inaugural Élevage: PEC Winter Wine Festival. Named for the ageing process that wines go through between fermentation and bottling — which typically takes place during the winter months — Élevage: PEC Winter Wine Festival is an event that honours wine in all its stages, and through all seasons. With food pairings to discover throughout, the festival also celebrates the region’s rich culinary history.
Taking place on March 11 and 12, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Élevage: PEC Winter Wine Festival includes more than 20 producers sampling their wares in seven venues. Each venue will feature a selection of wines and/or ciders from three different producers along with a food pairing. Guests are invited to tour each winter-themed spot to sip on samples from the county’s best bottles — including those from Closson Chase Vineyards, Huff Estates Winery, Rosehall Run Winery, The County Cider Company, and more — and sup on a range of culinary delights.
Prepared by local chefs, each food pairing highlights traditional techniques used in colder months, as well as Canada’s rich food culture. “We acknowledge that our wine is grown and produced on the traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg, Wendat and Haudenosaunee Peoples and adjacent to the Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) community of Tyendinaga,” reads a press release. “We're delighted that over half of our participating Chefs are of Indigenous descent, including four Mohawk Chefs from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.”
Event director, Kirstyn Mayers, explains that “the winter months have historically been the slowest time of year in the County, but winter is a very special time of year for winemaking. Harvest is done, the wines are put into barrels to age, and we take a pause to prepare for bottling and the busy summer season.” The idea for the festival, she adds, was to “take advantage of this quiet time of year to come together as a community and celebrate. This is the first time wineries have partnered in this way, and we’re so excited to be able to offer this experience to wine lovers.”
Tickets to the Élevage: PEC Winter Wine Festival can be purchased here. For more information, visit the Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association website.
