For over 10 years I have been a big supporter and proponent of Ontario wines. It’s almost the only kind of wine I buy. When I go to a restaurant I will always look to see what wines they have from Ontario, because I would much rather support a local winemaker.
This past weekend I was in Prince Edward County visiting Norman Hardie. They are one of my favorite wineries in Ontario and if you haven’t yet tried their wines, I would encourage you to give them a go. They also have a great wood pizza oven if you decide to visit them in person.
One of the things I appreciate about Norman Hardie’s wines – besides obviously the wines themselves, though the two aren’t mutually exclusive – is his philosophy behind the wines. Here’s a snippet from the website:
I’ve chosen Southern Ontario to grow and vinify cool climate varietals, because I truly feel that these soils are unlike any other in the New World. As the worldwide market grows, the majority of wines available to us have been carefully manufactured to fit a flavour profile as opposed to smell and taste like the region they came from. I strongly believe in the importance of crafting wines that tastes of the place they came from. The French know this notion as “terroir”. Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator) calls it “Somewhereness”.
I like this approach because I feel exactly the same way about architecture and cities. Who wants a city that looks and feels like every other city in the world? That’s boring, bland, and banal (couldn’t resist the alliteration).
In my opinion, the best buildings respond to their local context and the best cities create a unique sense of place. They create somewhereness.
I just checked into the Chateau Laurier Quebec after a busy day touring the city. I don’t have a ton of time to write this post before dinner (though I have a few post ideas brewing). I did however want to share some of the day’s events and some of my photos.
After I landed I went straight to Île d'Orléans. I had never been there before so I’m glad I got the opportunity. It’s about twice the size of Manhattan and it has a population that hovers somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 people depending on the season.
The first stop was a “sugar shack”, which is apparently a big deal in Quebec and in the springtime. The place was packed. Here I had a traditional Quebec lunch (which was great) and I learned that all of the Canadian stereotypes are actually true. We really do put maple syrup on everything.
After lunch I then asked if we could stop at a few of the local wineries. I love wine and I love wine culture.
I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake last night for Stratus’ annual Harvest Party. It’s my second year going. But aside from their annual party, I probably visit the region a couple times a year.
I like wine and I like supporting our local wine industry. I shop almost exclusively Ontario. I think a lot of people don’t realize how good our wines have become. The other reason I like going is because of the food. Good wine and good food go hand in hand. Stone Road Grille is one of my favourites.
But Niagara-on-the-Lake is not a place where you’ll hear a lot of young people from Toronto going to frequently. And if you look at the town’s demographics, people over 65 years old make up about a 1/4 of the population. It’s growing as a place to retire.
However, as Niagara’s prominence as a wine region grows, so will the town. Every time I go, I think about what could be done to improve the experience and attract a greater number of visitors.
One thing I think would be a great addition is a well designed bike network. Wineries are of course very spread out, but wine tasting and driving make for an awkward mix. Let’s make it easier for people to get around on bicycle.
I also think there’s an opportunity to brand the region as a food destination. Whenever you go to an event in Niagara, you discover all kinds of great local restaurants producing spectacular food, often using local ingredients. That should be promoted more.
I’m sure many people like Niagara-on-the-Lake just the way it is. And it’s certainly a beautiful and enjoyable place. But I always like to think about how something could be made even better.
For over 10 years I have been a big supporter and proponent of Ontario wines. It’s almost the only kind of wine I buy. When I go to a restaurant I will always look to see what wines they have from Ontario, because I would much rather support a local winemaker.
This past weekend I was in Prince Edward County visiting Norman Hardie. They are one of my favorite wineries in Ontario and if you haven’t yet tried their wines, I would encourage you to give them a go. They also have a great wood pizza oven if you decide to visit them in person.
One of the things I appreciate about Norman Hardie’s wines – besides obviously the wines themselves, though the two aren’t mutually exclusive – is his philosophy behind the wines. Here’s a snippet from the website:
I’ve chosen Southern Ontario to grow and vinify cool climate varietals, because I truly feel that these soils are unlike any other in the New World. As the worldwide market grows, the majority of wines available to us have been carefully manufactured to fit a flavour profile as opposed to smell and taste like the region they came from. I strongly believe in the importance of crafting wines that tastes of the place they came from. The French know this notion as “terroir”. Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator) calls it “Somewhereness”.
I like this approach because I feel exactly the same way about architecture and cities. Who wants a city that looks and feels like every other city in the world? That’s boring, bland, and banal (couldn’t resist the alliteration).
In my opinion, the best buildings respond to their local context and the best cities create a unique sense of place. They create somewhereness.
I just checked into the Chateau Laurier Quebec after a busy day touring the city. I don’t have a ton of time to write this post before dinner (though I have a few post ideas brewing). I did however want to share some of the day’s events and some of my photos.
After I landed I went straight to Île d'Orléans. I had never been there before so I’m glad I got the opportunity. It’s about twice the size of Manhattan and it has a population that hovers somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 people depending on the season.
The first stop was a “sugar shack”, which is apparently a big deal in Quebec and in the springtime. The place was packed. Here I had a traditional Quebec lunch (which was great) and I learned that all of the Canadian stereotypes are actually true. We really do put maple syrup on everything.
After lunch I then asked if we could stop at a few of the local wineries. I love wine and I love wine culture.
I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake last night for Stratus’ annual Harvest Party. It’s my second year going. But aside from their annual party, I probably visit the region a couple times a year.
I like wine and I like supporting our local wine industry. I shop almost exclusively Ontario. I think a lot of people don’t realize how good our wines have become. The other reason I like going is because of the food. Good wine and good food go hand in hand. Stone Road Grille is one of my favourites.
But Niagara-on-the-Lake is not a place where you’ll hear a lot of young people from Toronto going to frequently. And if you look at the town’s demographics, people over 65 years old make up about a 1/4 of the population. It’s growing as a place to retire.
However, as Niagara’s prominence as a wine region grows, so will the town. Every time I go, I think about what could be done to improve the experience and attract a greater number of visitors.
One thing I think would be a great addition is a well designed bike network. Wineries are of course very spread out, but wine tasting and driving make for an awkward mix. Let’s make it easier for people to get around on bicycle.
I also think there’s an opportunity to brand the region as a food destination. Whenever you go to an event in Niagara, you discover all kinds of great local restaurants producing spectacular food, often using local ingredients. That should be promoted more.
I’m sure many people like Niagara-on-the-Lake just the way it is. And it’s certainly a beautiful and enjoyable place. But I always like to think about how something could be made even better.
I picked up one bottle of “wine” from Cassis Monna & Filles. It’s actually made from black currants though, which I was told was illegal to grow in North America for a long time. It’s far more popular in Europe.
The winery is run by a father and his two daughters. And I thought they did a great job with their brand story and their overall identity.
After leaving the island, I then went to the Montmorency Falls. I had no idea Quebec had falls, but they do. And the vertical drop is bigger than that of Niagara Falls.
Finally, I finished the afternoon with a quick tour of downtown and the OMA designed expansion to the fine arts museums. It has one aggressive cantilever.
Here’s a video of the project. Click here if you can’t see it below.
[vimeo 111133943 w=500 h=281]
If you’re interested, you can also follow my social posts on the Porter Escapes website by clicking here.
I picked up one bottle of “wine” from Cassis Monna & Filles. It’s actually made from black currants though, which I was told was illegal to grow in North America for a long time. It’s far more popular in Europe.
The winery is run by a father and his two daughters. And I thought they did a great job with their brand story and their overall identity.
After leaving the island, I then went to the Montmorency Falls. I had no idea Quebec had falls, but they do. And the vertical drop is bigger than that of Niagara Falls.
Finally, I finished the afternoon with a quick tour of downtown and the OMA designed expansion to the fine arts museums. It has one aggressive cantilever.
Here’s a video of the project. Click here if you can’t see it below.
[vimeo 111133943 w=500 h=281]
If you’re interested, you can also follow my social posts on the Porter Escapes website by clicking here.
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog