LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

IN GOOD COMPANY

Pelee Island Winery

VegeCert Is wine vegan? It depends on whether the fining agents used during winemak- ing include animal products, such as egg white, gelatin, isinglass or milk protein— not information you’ll find on a label. Pelee Island Winery uses none of the above and, just to be crystal clear, all its wines are certified as vegan through VegeCert—and that logo does appear on the bottle! Now vegan wine lovers can be certain of what they’re drinking.

Pelee Island is a remarkable place. Lapped by the waters of Lake Erie, it’s the south- ernmost inhabited part of Canada and home to flora and fauna found nowhere else in the country. The first Canadian estate winery was built here in the 1860s, and today Pelee Island Winery farms 750 acres of vineyards. It takes its stewardship of the land very seriously. As well as having SWO winery and vineyard certification, it meets 57% of its energy needs through solar energy. Meanwhile, the company benefits the community in a host of ways, supporting local causes from food banks to health to the arts.

Pelee Island wetland

Nature Conservancy The winery has often been involved in long-term projects of natural resto- ration, donating a tract of farmland that has now been rehabilitated as endan- gered Red Cedar Savannah Forest hab- itat. More recently, it has been working closely with Nature Conservancy of Canada to restore a massive 62-acre wetland on Pelee Island through sales of its core line of VQA wines. Look for Pelee Island’s Lighthouse Riesling VQA ( LCBO 145417, $13.45) and Pelee Pink VQA ( LCBO 529354, $12.95) on special display tables at LCBO stores this fall.

Shop the issue at lcbo.com/ fdautumn21

GOOD PARTNERS

Through its ongoing contri- butions to Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation’s Care4 program, Vineland Estates Winery benefits front-line health-care workers and overall public health. Look for Vineland’s

In 2009, John Howard cre- ated Megalomaniac win- ery to raise funds for Kids’ Health Links Foundation; the work goes on through sales of such wines as Homegrown Riesling VQA

In memory of family mem- ber Michèle Bosc, sales of Château des Charmes Cuvée Michèle Aligoté VQA ( LCBO 296848, $15.95) and Pinot Noir VQA ( LCBO 454967, $16.95) benefit the Camp Kerry Society’s programs in support of the bereaved.

( LCBO 183061, $14.95). Other proceeds go to Food Banks Canada.

Cabernet Franc VQA ( LCBO 594127, $14.95).

PELEE ISLAND IMAGE BY IAN VIRTUE

60

AUTUMN 2021 FOOD & DRINK