Potter Settlement Vineyard and Winery

Rotarian Maggie Norris introduced Mr. Sandor Johnson as the Quinte-ssential Renaissance man of Hastings County.  Born in Hornpayne, Ontario, Mr. Johnson has started the only winery in Hastings County with his brother Robin.  His background is in journalism where he worked in television as a news reporter and a financial correspondent for CNN news in Tokyo, Japan.  Sandor is also a much sought after model who has done promotional campaigns for Versace, Armani and others . He also has a recurring role on the soap opera All My Children . He has also been a Special Assistant to the Executive of the Arcus Foundation which promotes harmony between people and the natural world.  He lives between New York City and Tweed.

 

Sandor established Potter Settlement Wines on the family farm together with his parents and brother, who is a chemist with a background in wine making with some  large established wineries with huge volumes of production.  The farm is located north of Tweed and has been in the family since 1886.  Sandor described his own journey to become a wine maker that included trying several varieties of grapes which all died.  He settled on a variety of grape from the Pyrenees which grows well in the cold climate of Quebec.  He has been working with and aging his wine for ten years before he sold a bottle.  The wine he produces is called Marguette.  Sandor comes by his craft honestly because his grandfather was well known in the area for the fine moonshine he used to make.  Sandor sells his wine directly to the public because the LCBO charges too much to display wine in their stores.  He said also large wineries add bleach and a product called tannin plus to sanitize and improve the flavours of their wines . He has spent $1,200,000. of his money to start the winery and has served his wine to President Obama.

 

Potter Settlement Vineyard and Winery is located on the very edge of the Canadian Shield.  The sandy, highly mineral terroir and organically grown grapes offer a unique selection of delicious and intensely flavourful wines found nowhere else in the world.  Sandor described the soil of Hastings County as full of super minerals.  Canadian soil is great for white wine but bad for red.  He  has also blasted out of solid rock  a wine cellar of sorts to store his products because the underground storage provides a steady temperature in all seasons.  You can visit Potter Settlement Winery located north of Tweed on 1445 Potter Settlement Road.  Once there, you will see the forged gates and stone walls made by Sandor himself along with a fountain from Florence and an aerator from Italy.  You will be able to try the Marguette, ice wine and 11 other varieties of his family made  wines. Sandor knew their wine couldn't just be about quantity but also about the quality, not just good or great.  They had to be excellent. Come out and see for yourself!

 

Rotarians are invited to an exclusive winery tour and tasting on Saturday, May 28th at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.   Please let Maggie Norris know by May 18th if you are able to attend.  Maggie's email is maggienorris@sympatico.ca.