Browsing Tag

cider

Back To The Start

New for 2017 we have added a great event to round out the programming for the weekend to ensure our runners are getting plenty to opportunities to enjoy a taste of Prince Edward County!

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Photo credit The Old Third

On Saturday, May 27, 2017 we’ll be hosting a Back To The Start Barn Party in partnership with The Old Third Winery and Chef Jamie Kennedy. Kicking off at 5pm at The Old Third we’ll being serving up Chef Kennedy famous frites with County burgers, a selection of wines from our run winery partners, craft beer and cider all paired with great music to dance, dance, dance! Tickets to the party are $115 and include your meal, 2 drinks of your choice* and live music.  This is an intimate event for 100pp so be sure to buy well in advance here

jamie_grill

Photo credit Jo Dickins

2016 Run Recap

Terroir_Run_2016_228May 28, 2016 was a fabulous day for a run in Prince Edward County! We had the most runners to date (125pp) and despite the hotter than usual weather (we peaked over 28 degrees at 10:00am) we had success right through to the finish line!

Our gracious hosts Bruno Francois and Jens Korberg of The Old Third Vineyard started our run off with a BANG! Elvis, a giraffe, Duff Beer lady, 2 students from Hogwarts Academy and 5 folks in wool kilts (hot, hot, hot) added some great ZEST to our run. We had two German Pointers go the distance with their owners, several pregnant runners (4 and 6 months along) make it to Norman Hardie Winery with the promise of pizza for lunch AND we saw a personal record for Malcolm Jolley of Good Food Revolution who completed his first ever 10km in 63 minutes!

Congrats to our Top 3 Female and Top 3 Male runners who will join us as our guests in 2017. You can read more about them here. Many thanks to Jo Dickins of Jo Dickins Photography and Joanne Welch for the great photos capturing the day! Visit Jo Dickins Gallery here and Joanne’s Gallery here.

Runners, their families and friends enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by the staff at Norman Hardie Winery, the volunteers of Slow Food the County and Andrew Hunter of Buddha Dog. Non-alcoholic refreshments were prepared by Propeller Coffee & Pluck Teas served with a smile by the Tethong family. All of our winery and cidery partners provided an array of their terroir to compliment the pizza’s and salads.

We’d like to thank our runners who helped us donate $500 to Slow Food the County Seed Fund to support good, clean and fair food production in the County, as well as, $500 to the Quinte Humane Society to support animals in need in the Quinte region.

We’re already planning for May 27, 2017 when our 7th annual Terroir Run will take place. Tickets will go live shortly (but not before our 2016 runners get advanced registration notice). We will be hosting a Pre-Run Buffet BBQ at County Road 33 Beer Co. on May 26th and a Back To The Start Barn Party at The Old Third Vineyard with Chef Jamie Kennedy and some stellar live entertainment on the evening of May 27th. Make sure to SAVE THE DATE and book your accommodations now!

 

The County Cider Company & Estate Winery

Terroir Run: Meet the Wineries by Hannah Stein

The County Cider Company & Estate Winery is a family-operated estate winery, specializing in mouth-watering hard ciders. Carefully crafted from the best apples, grown on their family farm and nearby orchards, the ciders are made with 100% pure apple juice. Located on the picturesque island of Prince Edward County, in Southeastern Ontario, their tasting room and retail store welcome visitors from May to November. Visitors are also encouraged to take advantage of the establishment’s dramatic view from its patio, perched high above Lake Ontario — the perfect place to enjoy a glass of cider, or wine, with lunch al fresco.

Photo courtesy of the County Cider Co

Photo courtesy of the County Cider Co

We spoke to Grant Howes, owner and cider-maker of County Cider Company & Estate Winery, about all they have to offer…  

What sets your winery apart from others?

We were the first winery in Prince Edward County, but our biggest difference is that we’ve always specialized in hard apple cider. Our farm has been growing apples for over 150 years, and we also now have one of the largest plantings of tradition european cider apples in North America. Our ciders are Prince Edward County based, while carrying a history of traditions from as far as England and Normandy. Our family of ciders ranges from traditional English-style ciders to flavoured ciders such as, pear and blood-orange; all sweeter ciders that tend to be more attractive to our younger customers. Our main focus is, however, and will continue to be, traditional ciders, made from our own apples.

Which of your ciders is your personal favourite and why?

They’re all my favourites! Right now, I would say that our Tortured Path, which we’ll be releasing this late spring, is my favourite, because it’s a culmination of over 20 years of experimentation with growing different apple varieties from from traditional cider growing areas such as, Somerset and Normandy. We’ve proven that, not only can grow these apples incredibly well, but also, we can make ciders that are exceptionally flavourful and consistently receive positive consumer responses.

What should people most look forward to, when visiting your winery during this year’s Terroir Run?

It’s a very laid-back place; we have an outdoor restaurant and offer over six different types of ciders on tap as well as beer and wine. We’re always promoting local wineries as well, probably many of which will also be a part of Terroir Run. Overall, it’s just a nice place to kick back — and we’re dog friendly!

It’s a wrap!

DSC06225It’s all over but the aches and pains! We had 88 runners join us on the most perfect of sunny spring days to run 11.4km. We were “off with a bang” at The Old Third Vineyard, hydrated at Closson Chase Winery, The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery, at the junction of Benway and Greer with the help of our friends from Karlo Estates Winery, and a final H20 stop at Greer Rd and Highway 33 care of the folks from By Chadsey’s Cairns Winery.

DSC06333Our first runner to the finish -Tommy Ferris – blew through the course in 42 minutes and 20 seconds. Close on his heels were Neil Dowson (53.38) followed by Mike MacKenzie (55.45). The top three ladies to the finish line were Isabelle MacKenzie (56.45), Lea Amaral (58.00) and Glennis Walsh (58.50). All six of them will run as our guests in 2015!

DSC06323Runners and their companions (an additional 40 people) indulged in delicious food prepared by the team from Slow Food the County and Norman Hardie Winery. We enjoyed spring salads and wood-fired pizzas. We hydrated with PEC wines, beers and cider, not to mention, PEC Lavender iced-tea from Pluck Teas. Children played. Dogs frolicked. Overall – it was a pretty magical day!

DSC06342The folks from Zest Kitchen Shop gave out prizes to our runners who added #zesttoyourrun. First place (who won an awesome picnic prize from Zest) went to Karin Desveaux (aka Beautiful Bubbles). Way to go K for running 11.4km with 2 champagne glasses strapped to you and your bubble machine going the whole way! Second place (an awesome gift from Green Peach) went to the Cabernet Couple and Third place (4 tickets to the Great Canadian Cheese Festival) went to Yo Gabba Gabba! Thanks for showing great spirit!

DSC06362We finished off by donating $500 to Slow Food the County to assist them in supporting good, clean and fair awareness and education in the community.

Thanks to all of our supporters, partners and runners. Save May 23rd, 2015 to run with us for our 5th Anniversary run!

May the 24th be with you!

On May 24th, one hundred brave souls will embark on a journey. They will encounter fields of vineyards, lavender and freshly planted crops. They will endure paved and gravel roads. They may be forced to dance along the route. Before they reach the finish line they will have to run around an old rusty tractor. It will all be worth it once the reach the new frontier-Norman Hardie Winery. They will be rewarded. The are no medals of honour in this run but rather glasses of wine, cider and beer that will celebrate their achievements! Our small group of Star Wars friends took to the run route today to see what the 2014 Terroir Run runners will face… this is their journey.

Distracted by the statue at The Old Third, the commander had to have a glass of Cider to settle him before heading to battle

Distracted by the statue at The Old Third, the commander had to have a glass of Cider to settle him before heading to battle

 

Found this guy at Broken Stone Winery - he was trying to refuel on Pinot Noir

Found this guy at Broken Stone Winery – he was trying to refuel on Pinot Noir

Yoda has a zen moment at Closson Chase Vineryards

Yoda has a zen moment at Closson Chase Vineryards

Over and out from Lacey Estates. Vineyard in good shape? Check. Wine chilled? Check.

Over and out from Lacey Estates. Vineyard in good shape? Check. Wine chilled? Check.

This droid decided to make a pit stop and recharge at The Grange Winery water station

This droid decided to make a pit stop and recharge at The Grange Winery water station

The battle at Hinterland was fierce to protect all of their bottles of bubbly!

The battle at Hinterland was fierce to protect all of their bottles of bubbly!

Our troopers couldn't get in to explore this new found star - Trail Estate Winery. Word is the runners will!

Our troopers couldn’t get in to explore this new found star – Trail Estate Winery. Word is the runners will!

Karlo Estates is not on the route but they refuel the force at Benway Road and Greer Road

Karlo Estates is not on the route but they refuel the force at Benway Road and Greer Road

Luke - your father is not here - keep running!

Luke – your father is not here at By Chadsey’s Carins – keep running!

Just when he thought he was done, he came across the tractor at Rosehall Run and new...it was almost over

Just when he thought he was done, he came across the tractor at Rosehall Run and new…it was almost over

Can you see the force amongst the sign? Norman Hardie Winery - the finish line!

Can you see the force amongst the sign? Norman Hardie Winery – the finish line!