Note: This is an excerpt from my Blog #4 Prince Edward County Published October 2009
Very much off the beaten path is Long Dog Vineyard and Winery in one of the southern-most parts of the County. Down several small winding country roads we arrived to a small house and barn on one side of the road and a small “tasting” building on the other side. We parked the car walked up to the little building only to find it locked. On the door was a little printed sign claiming that they have the tasting bar open on weekends, but there was usually someone around to help if you knocked on the door of the house across the road.
Outside Long Dog’s Tasting Room
Feeling disappointed, as we did not want to go an knock on the door of the house, we decided to take a few pictures around the property as it was very quaint. Just as we were about to start taking pictures a bearded man in a grey hoody and grape stained jeans came walking down the path across the road waving and saying “hello”. We met up at the road and he asked if we were interested in tasting some wine, obviously the answer was yes. As we began talking we soon discovered that this man was actually owner and winemaker of Long Dog Winery, James Lahti.
James and his wife Victoria both worked in film business for years and decided in 1997 to look for a country vacation home in the County. They bought a 300 acre farm property founded in the 1840s from an acquaintance thinking it would be a nice place to get away. Pretty soon James, an already avid wine lover, noticed some small vineyards growing in the County and began to wonder if perhaps grapes could be grown on their property. After several soil samples and many consultations it was concluded that their soil and climate was remarkably similar to that of Burgundy. In 1999 James decided to import Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir and Pinot Blanc from France and planted 1200 vines altogether with the help of Victoria and their close friend Steven. To the surprise of everyone the vines began to thrive in the limestone rich soils and summers in the southern tip of PEC. In 2000 they decided to plant a further 3700 vines and in 2001 7000 more including some Pinot Gris.
In 2002 their oldest planted vines produced a good size crop and so they decided it was time to make wine and converted the farmstead’s pig barn into a winery. James who had never gone to school for viticulture read as much as he could on wine making and applied some of his own ideas on how wine should be made and set to work. Encouraged by their initial results and realizing that this really could be a great winery they planted 8000 more vines in 2003 and in 2004 began selling their wines. Long Dog Winery is now in its 7th vintage and from what I have tasted they are creating absolutely amazing stuff.
As James invited us into his little tasting room we began talking about how common interests, the fact that we both have Finnish heritage, about how he remember my good friend Drew who had recommended visiting the winery, and of course wine. As we talked he poured us a sample of his 2007 Bella Riserva Chardonnay. This was one big Chard with notes of butterscotch and tropical fruits on the nose a creamy mouth feel with a mineral driven finish. As we tasted the wine his wife Victoria came in and we started talking to her as well. James said he had to step out as he had some work to do, but if we wanted to see what he was doing after we finished tasting to come over to the barn. He left and Victoria poured us a sample of their 2007 Otto Riserva Pinot Noir. The nose on this wine was out of this world, just pure brilliance. So complex, so floral, pinot fruit, spice, and that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that Pinot Noir exhibits when it is at the top of its game. In the mouth it was just as beautiful with tons of ultra smooth pinot fruit and pure County minerality, it culminated with a finish that just went on and on. We bought a bottle and are putting it away for a bit so when I do open it up I will publish the full tasting notes as I think it is going to end up absolutely amazing.
After we finished tasting the wines we went to see what James was up to. He was in the midst of destemming his 2009 crop of Chardonnay. He gave us a bunch of the grapes to taste which were beautifully ripe and just delicious. As we ate his grapes we began talking more about his wines. He said that great wine is not made in the cellar but in the vineyard and that the key to making great wine is by growing great fruit. All his wines are made from grapes 100% from his own vineyards that he has grown and if they are not the quality he wants he will sell them to other wineries in the County. He uses indigenous yeasts and strives to make his wines as pure expressions of his land in South Marysburgh, Prince Edward County. Furthermore everything is done by hand from the vines they originally planted, to pruning and picking. He does bring in workers to help him pick, but all are from the area as James believes in supporting the local economy.
As James finished destemming his Chardonnay he asked if we wanted to see the rest of the winery. He lead us into the barn which they converted into the winery. On one side are all his oak barrels in which he was barrel fermenting his 2008 crop and on the other side of the barn was his recently picked (14 days prior) 2009 Pinot Noir grapes undergoing fermentation. As he stirred the must to keep it from burning as fermentation was kicking into high gear at this point he spoke more about wine. He said he wasn’t interested in making McWine and that wine makers should be striving to create something that is an expression of its place not something that is made to suit mass tastes. Personally I am glad he has this philosophy on wine it is very refreshing in a time when a lot of wine is just manipulated to make it uniform and drinkable.
James also gave us an opportunity to taste the fermenting must, which was delicious and gave an idea as to how his 2009′s will be. It was a wet summer in most of Ontario, but James said he was very happy with his harvest. He said that most of the rain in their South Marysburgh microclimate came in the evenings and that they had sun in the days. Also September and October were quite dry and really helped to ripen the grapes. Overall he said the 2009s should turn out to be excellent. After that we shook hands and headed out as James had to get back to work. I would highly recommend visiting Long Dog Winery if you get a chance. Their wines are really only available at the winery or a few select restaurants and more people need to try these wines because they are awesome. On top of that James and Victoria are so personable, passionate, and committed to wine that it is a pleasure just meeting them.
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