Calamus Estate Winery
About
We produce beautifully crafted artisanal wines made with care beneath the stars. Our name CALAMUS is the Latin word for arrow. When the land was being prepared for the planting of our vineyards, fragments of rock used by First Nation inhabitants were discovered. These fragments of the local rock "chert" were used to fashion stone tools, implements and arrowheads. The 20-acre ravine behind the winery is a scenic spot for hikes, picnics and outdoor functions. We are a stone's throw from the magnificent Bruce Trail. With our new event space and multi-level outdoor decks, we can host small events in a spectacular setting.
Location Description
Located in the heart of Niagara Wine country. Calamus Estate Winery is easily accessed from Victoria Ave. in Vineland and is right next door to the Balls Falls Conservation Area. We are also only a five minute drive from the lovely town of Jordan.
Features
- An Intervin Top Ten Winery!
Additional Information
- Meeting / Conference Facilities:
- Caves:
- Wedding Facilities:
- Picnic Facilities:
- Dog Friendly:
- Winery Tours:
- Wine Tasting:
- Art or Architecture:
- Organic / Biodynamic:
- Awards:
- Wine Club:
- Lodging / Bed & Breakfast:
Winemaker
Harder chose a professional road soon after, with a degree in chemistry from Ryerson University (Toronto, ON), and in Oenology and Viticulture at the famed Geisenheim University (Geisenheim, Germany).
In the 20 plus years since, Harder has worked to produce excellent grapes and great wines in both Canada and Germany. He has worked with Barnes Wines (St. Catharines), Inniskillin Wines (Niagara-on-the-Lake), and Hillebrand Estates Winery (Virgil) in Canada, and the Institute for Grape Breeding and Grafting (Geisenheim), Asbach-Kretschmar (Rüdesheim), and the Klostermuehle Winery (Odernheim/Nahe) in Germany.
Now focusing on his roots in Vineland he continues to craft fine wines, which express the quality grapes grown in the Estate vineyards. The wines while approachable in their youth also have the ability to age gracefully for many years.
History
The Team
After more than 20 years in broadcasting working with CBC and recently CTV National News, Calamus has its first true full time employee.
Beginning in university as an amateur winemaker, then managing several retail stores in the home wine and brewing industry; Derek has continued to learn the business from the ground up. He currently holds two diplomas from the International Wine Education Guild, is a long standing member of the Noble Rotters wine tasting group and a member of the Ontario Wine Society. Since he and his wife Pat purchased the first of two vineyard properties in 1999 through opening the winery in 2006, he has developed his winemaking and business skills and knowledge through experience, experimentation, courses, endless reading and hands on experience at a number of Niagara wineries.
Pat Latin - General Manager, Owner
Pat is not new to the General Manager role. For more than 20 years Pat held senior management roles in the women's fashion industry. She was general manager of two different large retail chains and had her own entrepreneurial business in medical uniforms. Pat has a great deal of buying, forecasting, budgeting and customer service experience that transition to any industry. This experience is invaluable for both wine production and retail sales at Calamus.
Since 2005, Pat has been in sales of premium, custom designed cedar shed, gazebos, back yard studios, cottage bunkies and cabins that are shipped in kit form all over North America. This position is sharpening her sales skills and allows for a more flexible schedule to accommodate her true passion: the vineyard and winery.
Larry Horne - Sales Manager
After an extensive career in Media Sales and Management with the CBC, Larry decided to take on a new challenge as Sales Manager for Calamus Estate Winery. To enhance his already broad knowledge of wine and the wine industry Larry has completed the "Winery Business Operations" course at Niagara College.
Larry co-founded the Noble Rotters Tasting Club in 1989 (still active today) and has been a member of the Ontario Wine Society for over 10 years. He has attended countless industry seminars and tastings and has a unique ability to develop great contacts at these events.
He consulted on the New World Wine Tour, a 130 episode TV series produced by Forevergreen Productions.
Larry has traveled to most of the world's important wine regions. A story on his recent trip to New Zealand wineries appeared in the 2007 issue of Vines Magazine.
Practices & Techniques
Estate Vineyards / AVA
This vineyard, located in the Vinemount Ridge Appellation is the site of the winery operation and 20 acres of premium vinifera grapes. This appellation is quickly gaining recognition as a highly coveted location for producing Riesling in particular. Our single vineyard Riesling comes from this site.
Purchased in August 2001, the 42 acre property was once a small dairy farm where feed crops were grown on the 22 arable acres of gently sloping fields. The original barns have been renovated to house the winery and retail facility. Bisecting the property and cutting through the site's 20 acre ravine, is 18 Mile Creek. In June 2002, the land was shaped, tile drainage installed, soil amended and 27,200 vines (20 acres) were planted. The final 1.5 acres were planted June 2004.
The Bartlett Creek Vineyard Site - Lincoln Lakeshore Appellation
In September 1999 a 14 acres farm on Greenlane Rd on the eastern edge of the town of Beamsville below the Niagara Escarpment was purchased. The property was an overgrown orchard and vineyard that required clearing, land shaping, tile drainage and soil nutrients prior to planting. By early summer 2000, the land was prepared and 14,280 vines (10.5 acres) of vinifera and hybrid varieties planted.