Rush Creek Wines
You can definitely say Rush Creek Wines is the fruit of Wendy and Kim Flintoff’s labor. They devised a business plan that “life” put into motion sooner than the couple had intended; they made the most of uncontrollable setbacks, and ultimately produced award-winning wines, not from grapes, but from fruit—peaches, pears, apples, nectarines, and about any kind of berry you can imagine.
In fact, since the winery’s inception 13 years ago, they’ve won almost 200 awards. But it was a rocky start. The Flintoffs had always wanted to open a winery, and were prepared to nurture their business slowly. They even took courses on winemaking through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture. But in 1994, two years after buying 57 acres in Aylmer, Ontario, Wendy was downsized from her government job and the Flintoffs’ plan to open a winery kicked into high gear.
And then there was Mother Nature. Wendy, who was just learning about farming, found out firsthand the devastation of climate change when 2,000 fruit trees dotting their land were wiped out.
“These last couple years the winters have changed so much, with temperatures going down to -30 degrees Celsius [-28 degrees Fahrenheit]; our tender fruit trees died by the hundreds,” says Wendy, with a sad shake of her head.
“At first we tried replanting, but after cold winter after cold winter, we finally said, ‘Enough is enough.’ We bulldozed the trees, and that was the end of our tender fruits.”
It wasn’t the end, however, for Rush Creek Wines. The determined entrepreneurs went to Plan B, buying fruit from farms within the county, and continued to produce their signature peach, pear, apple, and maple wines. The other fruits—raspberries, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, currants and the like—are still grown on site.
Plan B Comes to Fruition
In 2008, Rush Creek produced 45,000 bottles of wines, dessert wines, and nonalcoholic sparkling wines. Some of its more popular offerings are Pearfection, a dry, subtle white made from Bartlett pears, which won a Double Gold Medal at the 2007 All Canadian Wine Championship; Maple Rush, a sassy dessert wine made from maple syrup—also a Double Gold Medal winner; and Decadence Strawberry Chocolate, a semisweet red with the smooth aftertaste of a chocolate-covered strawberry.
The retail and tasting area is small, but cozy. When weather permits, a picnic area that resembles an English garden is popular with families. Autumn features a two-acre corn maze with big yellow sunflowers everywhere you look.
“We’re really big into sunflowers,” Wendy says with a smile. “They’re nice, bright, and cheery.” And, no, she hasn’t considered making sunflower wine.
What the Flintoffs did consider early on, though, was to ask potential customers what they wanted. To market themselves, they gave away 900 wine bottles with a survey asking people what types of wines they’d be inclined to buy, and how far they’d drive to buy that bottle. About 75 percent of the surveys were returned.
With information gleaned from the survey, the Flintoffs began marketing Rush Creek as a day-trip destination by offering tours and various events throughout the year. Depending on what season you visit, the air will be sweet with the comfortable scent of ripening blueberries or wheat grass damp with dew.
In the fall, you’ll find the Flintoffs, their children, and grandchildren culling the bushes for berries, which will ferment on site over the winter. Coming up is the Halloween-themed Haunted Corn Maze October 23 and 24, and the Christmas Open House November 14 and 15.
Rush Creek’s Web site was also designed to respond to customers’ wants and needs. It features recipes for those who’d like to try cooking with fruit wines, and lists tips on tasting and storing wine. More helpful information, such as food pairing, can be found on the label of each bottle.
And speaking of the labels, greenconscious Rush Creek uses water-soluble glue to affix labels to their bottles. Doing so allows the labels to be peeled off more easily, so the bottles can be recycled more efficiently. Wendy estimates that over the past 13 years, the winery has recycled more than 60,000 bottles, making the Flintoffs’ business not only cost effective, but beneficial as well.
Perfect Pairs
Rush Creek Winery co-owner Wendy Flintoff recommends:
Blushing Heron ($8.02): This sweet wine, a blend of Concord and Niagara grapes, is a popular summer wine that matches well with picnic fare: hamburgers, hot dogs, and a lettuce salad. Or try it over ice cream!
Viognier ($16.98): This dry white wine, aged in French oak, finishes with aromas of tropical fruit and caramel. Try it with seafood or roasted chicken.
Dornfelder ($11.79): This medium-bodied red wine with wild floral notes recalls a Syrah—serve it with steak or a hearty fish like salmon.
Info to Go
Rush Creek Wines
48995 Jamestown Line
Aylmer, ON
(519) 773-5432
rushcreekwines.com
Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sun. Noon to 5 p.m.