Most visitors to Strathcona County probably don’t have visits to wineries on their minds. But Rick and Amy Barr may have recently changed all that.
The Barrs have used their scientific training and more than 20 years of heart research at the University of Alberta to create fruit wines at the Barr Estate Winery.
Their farm has thousands of raspberry plants and acres of rhubarb.
The raspberry plants used are second-generation heritage plants nurtured by business partners Mike and Jeanette Cholowsky (Amy’s parents).
Together they established the fruit using raspberries grown by Jeanette’s father who also homesteaded in the County of Strathcona many years ago.
“We have about 20 acres out here and we thought it would be fun to have a winemaking business,” Rick Barr told Metro.
Using raspberry and rhubarb also means the Barr Estate Winery puts forth some off-dry offerings with the “Other Red” and the “Barb” brands.
“For a food-friendly wine, you don’t want it overly sweet,” she said.
The Barr Estate Winery is located in Strathcona County.
For more information call 780-819-WINE (9463) or email the winery at wine@barr.ca.
