"Wine is part of life, it reminds us of the past as we enjoy the present and think about the future."
- Keith Tyers, Winemaker
Terroir
Our Label
Sustainability
Media
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Head Winemaker
"I want to capture what Mother Nature grows in a bottle"
Keith Tyers grew up in Kingston, Ontario where he developed a keen interest in wine and food. A move to Toronto fueled his passion for wine and led him to take the International Sommelier Guild program at Humber College. After a few years as part of the big city restaurant scene, Keith decided he wanted to be closer to home and enjoy a quieter lifestyle. His journey took him to Prince Edward County where he settled on Closson Road with his wife Cassandra to raise their young family. Keith began his winemaking career as a Vineyard Hand in 2003, soon after his arrival in the County. This quickly led to an Assistant Winemaker position, where he worked under Deborah Paskus for several years. After a brief period in wine consulting and sales, Keith returned to Closson Chase and took over as Winemaker in 2015. Since then he has continued the tradition of excellence in Chardonnay and has also followed his passion of producing exceptional Pinot Noir. Keith’s philosophy is to capture what Mother Nature grows in a bottle, creating the best possible expression of local terroir.
About Us
Established In 1998
Closson Chase is a quality-driven winery that helped spearhead the birth of the Prince Edward County wine industry, using centuries-old European traditions & sustainable, innovative techniques to create world-class wines using only the finest Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris grapes.
An early advocate for sustainable practices, Closson Chase crafts fine wines that reflect each individual vintage, capturing the distinct qualities imparted by the soil and climatic variations of the year.
Our History
After two years spent analyzing County soils, Deborah Paskus settled upon Hillier Township, as the ideal location for her dream vineyard — south sloping at six degrees, good drainage, gravelly soil on a limestone base, approximately five kilometers inshore — land that was once the Closson family farm, early settlers to the County. Now the dream could take flight.
1998 - The Beginning
Deborah Paskus and partners decide to build a winery to craft world-class wines and purchase land in a yet unproven area.
1999 - First Vines Planted
Exploratory single acre is hand-planted, from which it is determined how best to approach the peculiarities of grape growing in the County.
2002 - Barn Restored
Century-old dairy barn is renovated to house the tasting bar and processing area.
2003 - First Harvest
First grapes are harvested but yields are of no real commercial value.
2004 - First Estate Vintage
First estate vintage release with a total production of 10 cases.
2006 - Churchside Vineyard Planted
The Churchside Vineyard is machine planted in under a week, a process that took seven years to complete by hand in the South Clos Vineyard.
2007 - The Ridge & The Church
The Ridge, a state-of-the-art processing facility and barrel cellar, is constructed under the guidance of structural engineer Ernie Margetson using sustainable technology – a true testament to Closson Chase’s long-term commitment to environmentally friendly production techniques.
The beautiful wooden church at Hillier built circa 1840 was struck by lightning in 1944. The reconstruction took place in 1947 and the new building served the community until 1969. Closson Chase acquired the structure, moved it to its current location, and remodeled it to house vineyard workers.
2010 - International Recognition & The Church Roof
Closson Chase wines are showcased in London, England and receive international recognition at the Seriously Cool Chardonnay Event.
The church roof, a custom design by Helga Boelen, in the style of the ‘Hospices de Beaune’ in Burgundy, is completed in asphalt shingles by A. Anthony Roofing of Consecon, ON.
2011 - Seriously Cool In Manhattan
Our wines are featured at the Seriously Cool Chardonnay tasting, held in Midtown Manhattan.
2012 - Going Global
The passing of Bill C-311 opens the possibility of shipping wine to individual buyers across Canada, and Heavenly Vines in Japan begins to stock our wine.
2015 - New Winemaker
Keith Tyers is appointed Closson Chase’s Head Winemaker in a challenging year when a late Spring frost reduced the crop by more than half.
2016 - The Ridge Vineyard
5-acres of Pinot Gris are planted at the new Ridge Vineyard site. Two new wines are also released: 2015 Closson Chase KJ Watson Pinot Gris and NV Mosaic Sparkling Wine.
2019 - International Publications
Closson Chase receives recognition and accolades in both the New York Times and Wine Spectator, earning 90 points on the first vintage of Grande Cuvée Chardonnay and Grande Cuvée Pinot Noir.
Bring your friends & family
Join us for a tasting in The Garden or a Curated Tasting at The Ridge with our in-house sommelier
We are currently offering seated tastings in our beautiful garden no reservations necessary; walk-ins welcome.
Curated tastings at The Ridge are available by reservation only Friday to Sunday throughout the summer.
Keith Tyers
"Wine is part of life, it reminds us of the past as we enjoy the present and think about the future. I am open to new ideas, new ways of doing things, and ultimately putting the summer in a glass for other wine lovers to enjoy. I hope others take as much pleasure in drinking our wines as we have in making them. "