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2/July 2023 The South Marysburgh Mirror Bringing Home the Gold! ¥Exultet Estates Making First-in-Class Wines (Continued from page 1) chardonnay. In 2013, the then Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David Onley, along with two dozen ambassadors from various countries came to visit the Exultet operation when it was awarded its first Lieutenant Governor’s gold prize for excellence in Ontar- io wine. What's remarkable for such a successful foray into wine making is Gerry’s sub- dued, even humble, attitude toward the awards. Nice to have but the real focus of his efforts is on making wine that reflects the heritage of the land—soil, climate and geog- raphy. Exultet is a family owned and operated winery tucked into the pastoral serenity of Royal Road (1112 Royal Road), south of Milford. Except for the occasional car, the only sounds are nature. Pride of place is central to Gerry’s presence on this land which he and Lia bought in 2003. He talks about it with a deep respect for the history of the farm and his connection with it. Originally owned by the Striker family who as United Empire Loyalists (UELs) settled there in the late 1790s after their forced departure from the United States following the 1776 rebellion against England. For centuries the Striker family made their living off the land operating at various times a dairy farm, apple orchard and cheese making operation. The original cheese shed, lovingly restored from its di- lapidated state by Gerry and his family, serves as the loca- tion on the farm where the 10 acres of Chardonnay, Pi- not Noir, Pinot Gris and Vidal grapes make their way from the vineyards to the bottle. The remaining 190 acres are leased to local farmers. The Spinosas had the cheese fac- tory building, which had been abandoned in 1954, designat- ed a heritage site. The farm had long been abandoned and the buildings, including the house, were barely standing. “It was worse than a disas- ter,” Gerry said, but the land drew him here. Vernon Striker, well known in South Marysburgh families with deep roots and now de- ceased, heard about the revi- talization of his farm and its new lease on life long after it had been abandoned. He said, “| don’t care what they’re growing, as long as they keep at it.” Gerry sees that as his mis- sion, for as long as he is able. “The place has an influence on me,” he said. He points to the unique combination of the soil, limestone, wind and se- vere winter weather and the impact of these on the vines that result in grapes that are different from other wineries in the County. Buying an abandoned farm and nurturing a winery was a new beginning for the Spi- nosas. Gerry’s first career fol- (Continued on page 3) <I Lia Spinosa explains the characteristics of Exultet wines to visi- tors at the Royal Road winery. - Mirror Photo July 2023 Volume 38 Number 06 Published monthly by Barbara McConnell, 41 St. Philip Street, PO Box 131, Milford, ON KOK 2P0 ISSN Number 1181-6333 (Print Edition) ISSN Number 2292-5708 (Online Edition) The South Marysburgh Mirror gratefully acknowledges the support of the South Marysburgh Recreation Committee and St. Philip’s Church The South Marysburgh Mirror T: 613.471.1816 — E: themirror@kos.net