|
Visit to Rodrigues Winery in Newfoundland |
|
|
Monday, 02 November 2009 |
By Brian Preston, Guild Trade Member and Certified Sommelier
I was fortunate enough to be in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on business and, having a day to kill, I ventured an hour and a half out of town to Markland, home of the Rodrigues family winery, which many of us know for their blueberry wine. They have specialized in wild berry and fruit wines since they opened in 1993, and since 2001 they also produce a line of liqueurs and brandies from their own distillery! A story not unlike our John Hall here in Niagara Peninsula at Kittling Ridge/Forty Mile Creek.
Dr. Hilary Rodrigues, a native of Goa, India, travelled to Canada and started a dentistry practice in Newfoundland and so liked the area that he, and his Burgundian-born wife, Marie-France, started the first winery in the province because of the natural abundance of fresh, pure fruit and an artesian well source for pure water that is used in the distillation process.
Their son Lionel gave my colleague and me one of the most complete tours that I have ever experienced, answering a myriad of questions, and giving generously of this time and product line. Along with Clive Cooper who manned the tasting bar, I think we tasted virtually everything they produce! I had no idea about the extensive product range until I visited the winery. Check it out on the Web site: www.rodrigueswinery.com! I think they rank second in volume production behind Jost Wines of Nova Scotia. The family is ably assisted by a Bulgarian winemaker, Iliyan Staykov.
We started with the Wild Barren’s Blend, consisting of lingonberry (partridge berry) and blueberry. It was a delightfully refreshing and fruit-driven wine that would pair well with fruit-glazed poultry or Cornish Hen stuffed with a pecan dressing. Next we had the classic blueberry wine, which we in Ontario are familiar with, followed by the cranberry wine (10% abv) with its distinct acidity but with a residual sweetness that I find more palatable than the sometimes almost astringent Ontario versions. It is well matched with stuffed turkey or a fruit glazed Toupie ham this time of year.
We tried a range of liqueurs including their black currant which won Silver at the All Canadian Wine Awards; cloudberry, much of which is also brought in from Labrador; cranberry, which is medium sweet with a hint of spice but with a seam of balancing acidity; and my favourite, apple schnapps which was “yummy” (the descriptor I use when all words fail to measure up). It had a lovely fresh apple nose with a sweet, ripe Anjou pear scent and is made from Nova Scotia apple concentrate.
They have the only legal stills in Newfoundland! They found a complete distillery in St. Pierre et Miquelon (remember the Prohibition days and rum running!) and they set up the ‘Slivovitz’ European copper pot still from Condon-France, along with the Triple Distiller to produce alcohol. The production process is fascinating but would be the subject of another article. Suffice to say that the pear and plum brandies that I tried were a perfect ending to a great day and visit. Next time you are in St. John’s, remember that you now have an alternative to the pub crawl along George Street!
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 02 November 2009 )
|
