Sad news for the Ontario wine industry. Richard Karlo, an esteemed Wine Judge of Canada, maverick winemaker and founder of Karlo Estates in Prince Edward County, passed away last night from complications after a recent spinal surgery.
I had the privilege of meeting Richard and his wife Sherry several times over the last 4 years both here in Toronto and in Prince Edward County. A jovial and passionate giant of a man who could easily pass for a left tackle on a football team, Richard was a self-taught winemaker who despite no formal training was skilled enough to have achieved both the designation of Master Winemaker and official certification as a Wine Judge of Canada for professional wine competitions.
He had initially been looking in the Niagara area to establish his own winery. Then he was invited to view a friend’s winery out in Prince Edward County. There, he learned that the region’s cool climate coupled with the limestone base in its soil perfectly emulated the prestigious winegrowing region of Burgundy, France.
He then realized that he had the opportunity to to become a wine pioneer in the region, he jettisoned his initial Niagara plans, found and purchased the current property and planted his first vines in 2006. His first vintage was completed in 2008 and the winery opened its doors to the public in 2010.
Since then, Richard has been a long-time champion of the burgeoning Prince Edward County wine region and won a ton of awards and acclaim for his innovative wines including a Frontenac Gris based Rosé, a rare barrel-fermented Ontario Riesling, a Chardonnay aged in unique PEC coopered barrels made from cherry, hickory, oak and ash wood from the region and his Van Alstine port wines.
Before his passing this year, Richard and his wife Sherry had successfully introduced their wines into Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Centre, the Canadian Embassy in NYC, the Sandals line of resorts, the state of California and the country of Denmark and had begun an expansion of their winery.
Richard leaves behind his artist wife and definite soulmate Sherry Karlo nee Martin whom he had married just this summer. He was a great man, winemaker and PEC wine industry champion who will be sorely missed. I spoke to his staff this morning to give my condolences and they were choking back tears. I messaged Sherry as well but she was understandably not up to speaking with anyone over the phone for the time being. Prayers and thoughts with her and the winery staff at this sad time.
