OUR VINEYARD
Our vineyard was planted in 2000 with hybrids and vinifera. We chose hybrids simply because they ripen early to obtain the desired sugar levels, even in colder years, and was therefore a perfect choice to handle the tough Canadian winters. Here at Sandbanks, we practice sustainable farming and we do not use any herbicides or pesticides on our estate.
Self-Guided Tour: Feel free to wander amongst the vines and learn about the varieties here at Sandbanks. Self-Guided Tour maps are available in-store and provide a wonderful description of the different types of grapes grown in the Sandbanks vineyard.
Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape. We use our Vidal grapes for our Dunes and Winter Harvest wines. The Vidal ripens in mid-October and is then harvested for our Dunes. Later in the fall, after the grape has been hit with frost, it is harvested for our Winter Harvest Dessert Wine.
The wine produced from the Vidal grape is fruity, with grapefruit and pineapple notes. Due to its high acidity and fruitiness, it is notably suited to sweeter dessert wines. In particular, because of the thick skin, it is well adapted for the production of our winter harvest.
Marechal Foch (pronounced “mar-esh-shall-fosh”) is an inter-specific hybrid red wine grape variety, and is a cross of a Vinifera grape. Due to the small size of the grape, there is more skin than pulp producing a dark, full-bodied red. This rustic red is mellow and charming, with a notes of spice and oak. People everywhere are seeking out the few producers of Foch across the country, since it has adapted very well in our area.
Giesenhiem is a white hybrid developed by the Giesenhiem Institute in Germany. It requires very little tucking and tending through out the growing season, as it tends to grow fairly straight up.
We use our Giesenhiem in our Rosé, which with a splash of our Cabernet Franc gives the wine the pink color. The Rosé has notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine and raspberry.
Fun Fact: The training system that we use here at Sandbanks is called the vertical shoot positioning, or VSP, meaning the shoots or canes are trained to grow straight up through the wires. The Gisenhiem is a perfect example of this training system. This system is practical to fully ripen our grapes as it maximizes sunshine exposure and air circulation.
Riesling is a white Vinifera grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. We harvest the Riesling about mid-October, and blend some into our Dunes, as well as our stand-alone dry Riesling.
Cabernet Franc is one of the major red grape varieties worldwide and perhaps the best adapted red vinifera in Ontario. It is originally from the Bordeaux area of France. The Cabernet Franc ripens around mid-October and has beautiful cassis, current and raspberry flavors. We make our award winning Cabernet Franc with these grapes.
“The best way to explain Cabernet Franc versus Cabernet Sauvignon is Cabernet Franc is like the little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon; not as handsome but way more charming.” – Catherine
Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for the purpose of making wine and is recognized worldwide as a great wine grape. Ancient Romans knew this grape as Helvenacia Minor and vinified it as early as the first century AD. Baco Noir is a hybrid red wine grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var. (Folle Blanche, a French wine grape) and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia (an indigenous North American grape species).
Baco Noir has become our signature wine here at Sandbanks Winery. It produces a full bodied, deeply tinted red wine which is fruit forward and often carries aromas of cherry and plum. It is the major varietal that we have planted, taking up nearly half of our vineyard. This is why we have the big harvest party in September!
Self-Guided Tour: Feel free to wander amongst the vines and learn about the varieties here at Sandbanks. Self-Guided Tour maps are available in-store and provide a wonderful description of the different types of grapes grown in the Sandbanks vineyard.
Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape. We use our Vidal grapes for our Dunes and Winter Harvest wines. The Vidal ripens in mid-October and is then harvested for our Dunes. Later in the fall, after the grape has been hit with frost, it is harvested for our Winter Harvest Dessert Wine.
The wine produced from the Vidal grape is fruity, with grapefruit and pineapple notes. Due to its high acidity and fruitiness, it is notably suited to sweeter dessert wines. In particular, because of the thick skin, it is well adapted for the production of our winter harvest.
Marechal Foch (pronounced “mar-esh-shall-fosh”) is an inter-specific hybrid red wine grape variety, and is a cross of a Vinifera grape. Due to the small size of the grape, there is more skin than pulp producing a dark, full-bodied red. This rustic red is mellow and charming, with a notes of spice and oak. People everywhere are seeking out the few producers of Foch across the country, since it has adapted very well in our area.
Giesenhiem is a white hybrid developed by the Giesenhiem Institute in Germany. It requires very little tucking and tending through out the growing season, as it tends to grow fairly straight up.
We use our Giesenhiem in our Rosé, which with a splash of our Cabernet Franc gives the wine the pink color. The Rosé has notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine and raspberry.
Fun Fact: The training system that we use here at Sandbanks is called the vertical shoot positioning, or VSP, meaning the shoots or canes are trained to grow straight up through the wires. The Gisenhiem is a perfect example of this training system. This system is practical to fully ripen our grapes as it maximizes sunshine exposure and air circulation.
Riesling is a white Vinifera grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. We harvest the Riesling about mid-October, and blend some into our Dunes, as well as our stand-alone dry Riesling.
Cabernet Franc is one of the major red grape varieties worldwide and perhaps the best adapted red vinifera in Ontario. It is originally from the Bordeaux area of France. The Cabernet Franc ripens around mid-October and has beautiful cassis, current and raspberry flavors. We make our award winning Cabernet Franc with these grapes.
“The best way to explain Cabernet Franc versus Cabernet Sauvignon is Cabernet Franc is like the little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon; not as handsome but way more charming.” – Catherine
Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for the purpose of making wine and is recognized worldwide as a great wine grape. Ancient Romans knew this grape as Helvenacia Minor and vinified it as early as the first century AD. Baco Noir is a hybrid red wine grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var. (Folle Blanche, a French wine grape) and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia (an indigenous North American grape species).
Baco Noir has become our signature wine here at Sandbanks Winery. It produces a full bodied, deeply tinted red wine which is fruit forward and often carries aromas of cherry and plum. It is the major varietal that we have planted, taking up nearly half of our vineyard. This is why we have the big harvest party in September!