Cellar Profile
Region
Nestled on a peninsula on the north shore of Lake Ontario, a short drive from Kingston, the Prince Edward County wine region sits on a bed of porous limestone. This is crucial for creating the mineral, brightly acidic wines the region is known for. The vineyards benefit from breezes off of Lake Ontario, keeping the temperature down on hot summer days and cool at night. "The County" was first settled in the late 18th Century and, after years of farmland agriculture, began growing grapes in earnest by the early 2000s.
Vineyard
Dan Sullivan and his family selected the location of Rosehall Run winery in the early 2000s because of its proximity to Lake Ontario and the remarkable Hillier clay soil, which is scattered with numerous rock and shale fragments on a limestone base. This soil is similar in composition to the soils of the Champagne region in France, so it is no wonder that the vineyards yield grapes that make beautiful cool climate wines. As luck would have it, Rosehall Run has taken full advantage of the similarities of its terroir to Champagne…to produce their first traditional method sparkling wine!
Winemaking
Tasting Notes
Varieties
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular white wine grapes and is often used in the production of sparkling wine. Its origins come from France, where it has been growing for centuries. It can now be found in winemaking regions across the world, including wonderful examples from Prince Edward County. Typically, Chardonnay wines exhibit fruit flavours ranging from tropical and stone fruits to citrus and apple. Styles can range from heavily oaked and toasty to light and unoaked. Oaked version have buttery, vanilla, spice and creamy flavours whereas unoaked Chardonnay tends to be more crisp and fresh.