Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Day 7: Making memories (and wine!) at Montgras Estate

We started the day with the anticipation of our last stop of the day - wine tasting at Montgras Estates! Alas we had a few stops before getting to the winery. 

Our first stop was with a visit with a small vegetable and fruit producer. Luis Carrasco Saldana is a forward-thinking farmer who took the initiative three years ago to further educate himself and a small group of fellow farmers on upgrading their irrigation systems.  With a well only four meters deep he irrigates his cherries, onions, melons and beans for the local market. His advice to us was to do everything with love.  

With irrigation on our minds our next stop was with Graciela who oversees all of the water systems in the area.  In the past six years, due to climate change, Chile has lost 30% of its rain and the river water is down 40%.  The biggest challenge is trying to get the government to acknowledge the need for dams and policy and to act on getting those dams constructed. This would allow water to be distributed more efficiently and recharge aquifers used by wells in the regions.  

Our lunch was enjoyed overlooking a vineyard at Vino Bello on their outdoor terrace complete with horse and wagon. This offered several photo opportunities with the vineyard in the background and a warm breeze blowing around us.  We enjoyed some wine, the vista and great conversation. 

Little did we know that on our final stop of the day we would become Montgras Estates newest winemakers upon our arrival! Gonzalos Silva guided us on our adventure in harvesting and making wine.   He gave us a bucket and some shears and we each got to experience picking our bucket of grapes. Then came the fun part - we took off our shoes and rolled up our pants and savoured the adventure of crushing grapes and watching the juice fill our buckets. To feel the grapes squeeze between our toes and the sweet juice bursting out was a therapeutic experience.  We cleaned up and proceeded with our tour of how they make wine with today's technology. White wine is cool fermented with only the juice and red is warm fermented with the whole grape skin seeds and all.  

Gonzalos instructed us in the proper wine tasting technique to first smell then swirl and smell again and finally taste by swirling in our mouths before swallowing. As Gonzalos says, “a good wine is the one you like the taste of" – so find the one you like and enjoy.   

We returned to Rancagua to enjoy our final night in Chile! Tomorrow we depart for Argentina.

-Class 15

 

Views: 279

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

CAAIN receives $50 million from Ottawa

The federal government is investing in Canadian agriculture through technological innovation

Bunge to Present at Barclays Annual Global Consumer Conference

Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG) today announced that company management will participate in a fireside chat at the upcoming 2026 Barclays Annual Global Consumer Conference on  Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 3:00 p.m. ET. To listen to the live event, visit Bunge.com/events-and-presentations and click on the webcast link. A transcript and replay will be available for a limited time following the presentation. About Bunge At Bunge (NYSE: BG), our purpose is to connect farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world. As a premier agribusiness solutions provider, our dedicated employees partner with farmers across the globe to move agricultural commodities from where they’re grown to where they’re needed—in faster, smarter, and more efficient ways. We are a world leader in grain origination, storage, distribution, oilseed processing and refining, offering a broad portfolio of plant-based oils, fats, and proteins. We work alongside our customers at both ends of the value chain

Bunge Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG) today reported second quarter 2026 results Q2 GAAP diluted EPS of $3.47 vs. $2.61 in the prior year; $2.00 vs. $1.31 on an adjusted basis excluding certain gains/charges and mark-to-market timing differences Higher results primarily driven by strong performances in Soybean and Softseed Processing and Refining segments, supported by solid execution amid improving market conditions Repurchased ~$250 million of shares, completing the $2 billion program related to the Viterra transaction Increasing full-year adjusted EPS outlook range to $9.25 to $9.75 from $9.00 to $9.50 Overview Greg Heckman, Bunge’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Our team delivered another strong quarter, navigating a complex global environment with agility, focus and disciplined execution. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and shifting trade flows, our expanded global platform did exactly what it was designed to do — capture opportunities and deliver for customers at both

U.S. livestock groups oppose proposed beef import plan

Four major U.S. agricultural and livestock organizations are urging President Donald Trump to reconsider a proposed plan that would allow additional beef imports over a 90-day period. The American Farm Bureau Federation, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and United States Cattlemen’s Association said in a letter released August 25, 2026, that they are concerned the proposal could have negative implications for U.S. cattle producers and the broader livestock sector. The groups said they support efforts to keep food affordable for consumers but are calling on the administration to work with industry stakeholders on policies that balance affordability with long-term producer viability and domestic food production. In the letter, the organizations argued that increased imports could put pressure on cattle markets and influence producer decisions related to herd expansion and investment. They also expressed concerns about the potential impact on the l

Saskatchewan professor honoured for beef research contributions

University of Saskatchewan researcher Dr. Bart Lardner has received the 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Lardner, a professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and chair of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Strategic Research Program in Cow-Calf and Forage Systems, is being recognized for more than 20 years of research focused on beef cattle management and forage production. His work has examined areas including winter grazing, water quality, forage management and heifer development, helping producers improve profitability while managing production costs. “Dr. Lardner’s research has helped producers reduce costs while maintaining performance and profitability,” said Dean Manning, Chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council. Manning said Lardner’s commitment to ensuring producers benefit from research investments, while supporting the next generation of researchers, is widely respected. Lardner has also supervised more th

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service