Calvin, Dylan, and Debbie at Kew Vineyards
I know this is going to see strange, but Calvin and I first met through Twitter (yes, there is a trend here). I was happy to find out Calvin lived in Ottawa, and had a keen interest in wines from Canada. His frequent trips to Prince Edward County and his connections with winemakers there meant he was a great source of information about what was going on in the region. Given that our palate preferences seem similar, he’s also got great recommendations in wine.
Calvin and his wife Dylan have since become good friends with Debbie and I. Calvin
Kudos to Calvin’s son Matt!
and I founded that crazy year of drinking nothing but Canadian wine (“The Great Canadian Wine Challenge”) and we’ve done some fun wine events together. When he’s not checking out PEC, or Twitter, Calvin is usually toiling on his latest cured meat or sausage recipe, so I was happy he could squeeze in the Q&A (below) and a guest post which will be up tomorrow!
(p.s. he has the best answer to Q7 yet! :-))
Q1: How and when did you first get interested in Ontario wine?
A1: If you count the Baby Duck I drank as a kid…. Otherwise, it would be after relocating to Ottawa from the West.
Q2: What do you find most interesting about the Ontario wine industry?
A2: Most interesting? I guess that it exists despite what the Ontario government does to it. Hey, Queen’s Park, the 1920s are over.
Q3: Which Ontario wine regions have you visited?
A3: Prince Edward County and Niagara.
Q4: Any favourite wineries? If so, what makes them your favourite?
A4: Too many favourites to name. But what makes my favourites my favourites is when a winery treats me as a guest (or, even better, a friend or part of the family), not as a commodity.
Q5: What do you see in the future for the Ontario wine industry?
A5: Growth. Lots of growth.
Q6: If you had any advice to give Ontario wineries, what is it?
A6: I’m in no position to offer advice. On second thought: More Gamay and Syrah!
Q7: What’s your social media channel (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, 
Instagram, etc.) of choice?
A7: Twitter. I can’t concentrate past 140 characters anymore.
Q8: What was the last bottle of Ontario wine you opened?
A8: Rosehall Run Rosehall Vineyard Chardonnay 2010.