OUR Alberta 2018 - Page 16

SHADY LANE ESTATE
Like all great winery stories , this one begins with alpacas . That ’ s right . Daniel and Edith Zdrodowski ’ s path to owning one of Alberta ’ s first cottage wineries began when they opened an alpaca farm and U-pick fruit orchard on their 160-acre farm in Barrhead . As hard work and luck would have it , their expertly tended soil was ideal for growing high-quality fruit , and with that , the family ’ s dream of producing artisan wine became reality . Since then , the winery has become a family affair and multi-generational business . Most recently , it ’ s also become home to the Zdrodowski ’ s distillery , West of the 5th , which produces small-batch spirits made from the farm ’ s berries and fruit , all grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides .
Specialty of the House : You ’ ll definitely want to pick up some wine to take home , but while visiting the taproom , be sure to order one of the hard lemonade cocktails , made with the distillery ’ s West of 5th Strawberry Rhubarb Shine . It just might be summer in a glass .
times . 58029 Range Rd 44 , Barrhead , 780-282-0128 . shadylaneestate . com , westofthe5th . com
EAU CLAIRE DISTILLERY
Alberta ’ s first craft distillery opened in 2014 and has been going strong ever since in a ’ 20s-era theatre in the bucolic hamlet of Turner Valley . Coming from farming families , founders David Farran and Larry Kerwin had a vision to use Alberta ’ s bountiful resources to create excellent artisanal spirits , and the distillery prides itself on sourcing locally farmed ingredients , including grains and potatoes from neighbouring farms . Three Point Vodka and
Parlour Gin were the first bottles offered , quickly followed by a raft of creative options such as Christmas Gin , Prickly Pear EquineOx and Single Malt Whisky .
Specialty of the House : Eau Claire ’ s Parlour Gin is a Londondry gin with traditional botanicals alongside hints of rosehip , saskatoon berry , coriander , citrus , and mint . It has won numerous international awards , including Gold in the 2018 Berlin International Spirits Competition .
Perfect Pairing : Not content to rest on their laurels , Eau Claire created their own bespoke tonic water , Eau Claire Soda Company Original Tonic , which — of course — is a perfect match for Parlour Gin .
Tours & Tastings : Tours of the distillery and warehouse , as well as tastings , are available year-round . Visit their website for dates and times . Large groups should book online or by phone . 113 Sunset Blvd , Turner Valley . 403-933-5408 . eauclairedistillery . ca
most award-winning winery , offering five table wines and five dessert wines , all crafted from fruit grown in their own orchards — there ’ s nearly a pound of fruit in every bottle !
Specialty of the House : Saskatoon berries , raspberries , strawberries and rhubarb are combined to create Bumble Berry Fruit Wine , a medium-dry table wine with a flavour all its own . “ I have a special place in my heart for the Bumble Berry because it was our first ,” says Marvin Gill .
Perfect Pairing : Break out the barbeque ! Bumble Berry Fruit Wine makes an excellent pairing for grilled meat , though it ’ s also great with pizza or Asian food .
PHOTOGRAPHS : COURTESY STRATHCONA SPIRITS ; YELLOWHEAD BREWERY
Perfect Pairing : The café ’ s house-made dumplings and paninis go with everything on the taproom menu , but the ultimate pairing for any bottle of Shady Lane Estate wine is a pitcher and sangria fixings . Visit the website for the winery ’ s Prairie Peach Cobbler Sangria recipe .
Tours & Tastings : Stroll through the cherry orchard , tour the winery and distillery , and taste five wines and a selection of spirits for $ 10 . Taproom hours : Fridays 4-8 pm , Saturdays 7 am - 6 pm , Sundays 1-6 pm . The venue also hosts summer concerts , weddings , and corporate events . Visit the website to book dates and
FIELD STONE FRUIT WINES
In 2005 , Field Stone Fruit Wines broke new ground as the first business to be granted a licence under Alberta ’ s new cottage winery regulations , allowing growers to manufacture and sell fruit wines . The winery is a labour of love for the Gill family , who have come a long way since the early years when five partners were forced to weed a 30-acre berry field by hand in an effort to farm without chemicals . Today it ’ s Alberta ’ s largest and
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EAU CLAIRE DISTILLERY SHADY LANE ESTATE Like all great winery stories, this one begins with alpacas. That’s right. Daniel and Edith Zdrodowski’s path to owning one of Alberta’s first cottage wineries began when they opened an alpaca farm and U-pick fruit orchard on their 160-acre farm in Barrhead. As hard work and luck would have it, their expertly tended soil was ideal for growing high-quality fruit, and with that, the family’s dream of producing artisan wine became reality. Since then, the winery has become a family affair and multi-generational business. Most recently, it’s also become home to the Zdrodowski’s distillery, West of the 5th, which produces small-batch spirits made from the farm’s berries and fruit, all grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides. Specialty of the House: You’ll definitely want to pick up some wine to take home, but while visiting the taproom, be sure to order one of the hard lemonade cocktails, made with the distillery’s West of 5th Strawberry Rhubarb Shine. It just might be summer in a glass. Perfect Pairing: The café’s house-made dumplings and paninis go with everything on the taproom menu, but the ultimate pairing for any bottle of Shady Lane Estate wine is a pitcher and sangria fixings. Visit the website for the winery’s Prairie Peach Cobbler Sangria recipe. Tours & Tastings: Stroll through the cherry orchard, tour the winery and distillery, and taste five wines and a selection of spirits for $10. Taproom hours: Fridays 4-8 pm, Saturdays 7 am - 6 pm, Sundays 1-6 pm. The venue also hosts summer concerts, weddings, and corporate events. Visit the website to book dates and 16 Alberta’s first craft distillery opened in 2014 and has been going strong ever since in a ’20s-era theatre in the bucolic hamlet of Turner Valley. Coming from farming families, founders David Farran and Larry Kerwin had a vision to use Alberta’s bountiful resources to create excellent artisanal spirits, and the distillery prides itself on sourcing locally farmed ingredients, including grains and potatoes from neighbouring farms. Three Point Vodka and Parlour Gin were the first bottles offered, quickly followed by a raft of creative options such as Christmas Gin, Prickly Pear EquineOx and Single Malt Whisky. Specialty of the House: Eau Claire’s Parlour Gin is a London- dry gin with traditional botanicals alongside hints of rosehip, saskatoon berry, coriander, citrus, and mint. It has won numerous international awards, including Gold in the 2018 Berlin International Spirits Competition. Perfect Pairing: Not content to rest on their laurels, Eau Claire created their own bespoke tonic water, Eau Claire Soda Company Original Tonic, which — of course — is a perfect match for Parlour Gin. Tours & Tastings: Tours of the distillery and warehouse, as well as tastings, are available year-round. Visit their website for dates and times. Large groups should book online or by phone. 113 Sunset Blvd, Turner Valley. 403-933-5408. eauclairedistillery.ca FIELD STONE FRUIT WINES In 2005, Field Stone Fruit Wines broke new ground as the first business to be granted a licence under Alberta’s new cottage winery regulations, allowing growers to manufacture and sell fruit wines. The winery is a labour of love for the Gill family, who have come a long way since the early years when five partners were forced to weed a 30-acre berry field by hand in an effort to farm without chemicals. Today it’s Alberta’s largest and most award-winning winery, offering five table wines and five dessert wines, all crafted from եЁɽݸѡȁݸɍɑ̃Pѡɗe)ɱ䁄չեЁٕ䁉ѱ)M䁽ѡ!͔Mͭѽɥ̰)Ʌɥ̰Ʌ݉ɥ́ɡՉɈɔ)Ѽɕє յ եЁ])մхݥݥѠٽȁ)ݸq$ٔ䁡Ёȁѡ) յ 䁉͔Ё݅́ȁгtͅ)5٥)AəЁAɥ ɕЁѡɉՔ յ) եЁ]́ፕЁɥ)ɥаѡ՝ӊéͼɕЁݥѠ鄁)ͥ)ѥ̸IIа ɡ(ȴก͡居хє)ݕѽѡѠ