What: Angels Gate Winery
Where: 4260 Mountainview Road, Beamsville
Tastings: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Food: Angels Terrace, Thursday to Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Winemaker: Philip Dowell
Specialties: Dowell puts all his energy into what does best in a cool climate such as Niagara — Pinot Noir, Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay and, recently, an eclectic lineup of sparkling wines. Also a solid late harvest collection. The entire portfolio is reasonably priced for the quality you get.
Must try: Angels Gate Mountainview Merlot 2007, Angels Gate Riesling 2008, Angels Gate Snow Angel Late Harvest Cabernet 2007 (incredible value and not too sweet, $23 for full bottle), and the barrel fermented Angels Gate Cabernet Franc Icewine 2008.
Availability: Winery, web, and some LCBO/Vintages releases.
Website: Angels Gate
By Rick VanSickle
Angels Gate winemaker Philip Dowell may need a little divine intervention to achieve the winery’s goal of taking production from what was once 7,000 cases of wine in 2001 to a whopping 50,000 cases by 2012.
But that’s the plan for this little winery in Beamsville with big, big dreams.
Angels Gate has a solid reputation for making affordable wines at the highest levels of quality and wants to continue that plan on a much grander scale. And that means tripling its current production.
The winery has been busy purchasing vineyards around Niagara to bolster the roster and is dabbling in several new and innovative ideas.
Dowell has experimental plantings of the popular Rhone white varieties, including Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne, which he plans to make into wines at some point. He’s also establishing an organic vineyard and even looking at producing a selection of wines that are “vegan friendly,†which means no animal byproducts will be used in the winemaking process.
As Dowell says, Angels Gate is “still a work in progress.â€
The winery was founded by a group of wine loving friends on a property that was once owned by the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Christian Charity in Ontario. In 1995, the land was converted into a vineyard. Construction of the “mission style†building began in June of 2001 with the first wines being released the following year.
It’s located on Mountainview Rd. in Beamsville, one of the most exciting stretches of wineries in Niagara that includes 30 Bench, Rosewood, Hidden Bench, Organized Crime and Fielding Estate. The winery sources grapes from a collection of vineyards it owns around Niagara, mainly on the Beamsville Bench.
Growth has been steady but really shifted into high gear with the hiring of Dowell in 2007. When he arrived, Angels Gate had 36 acres under vine and now has grown to more than 180 acres spread over several vineyards.
Dowell says you can approach wine making in Niagara two ways: stay a small and make very expensive wines or grow your estate and your market with wines that are fairly priced and are of excellent quality.
The latter is where Angels Gate is headed in the very capable hands of Dowell.
The Aussie winemaker comes from an exceptional background, including a career in big-name Australian wineries Wirra Wirra, Domaine Chandon, Greenpoint, Cumulus, and Coldstream Hills, where he worked with the legendary James Halliday, and also a stint as general manager and winemaker at Inniskillin here in Niagara.
One of his newest projects at Angels Gate is establishing an interesting portfolio of sparkling wines, including a Pinot Noir Rose Brut, a Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc Brut and an unique Sauvignon Blanc Sec that all sell for less than $25. He calls them his Archangel Sparkling Series, reserved for “only the highest level of angel, in essence, the first of all angels,†which refers to the early harvesting of these grapes.
Here’s what I liked from the Angels Gate portfolio of wines.
Angels Gate Archangel Pinot Noir Rose 2008 ($25, winery only, 4 stars) — Made in the traditional Champagne method with a strawberry-cherry mousse nose with added yeast and freshness. Lovely berries on the palate, fresh and clean with a fine, vigorous bead of bubbles.
Angels Gate Archangel Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($20, winery only, 4 stars) — A bubbly this good for $20? Really? Wow. Very fine (and unique) nose of gooseberry, citrus and grapefruit. On the palate it has a note of sweetness but highly acidic to balance out the flavours and keep it crisp and fresh. A must-try sparkler.
Angels Gate Variety Pack ($33, includes four 375 Ml bottles, coming to the LCBO, winery) — This unique package of four half bottles includes Angels Gate Riesling 2008 (mineral, lime, citrus peel, 4 stars), Angels Gate Unoaked Chardonnay 2008 (fresh tropical fruit and pear, 3.5 stars), Angels Gate Merlot 2007 (wonderful and ripe notes of cassis, blueberry, spice, smoke, 4 stars) and Angels Gate Cabernet Merlot 2007 (restrained, elegant balance of fruits, spice and tannins, 4 stars). A great little package and the only way you can still buy those two ’07 reds that are just starting to come around.
Angels Gate Mountainview Chardonnay 2008 ($19, winery only, 4.5 stars) — Such a lovely Chardy with ripe tropical-pear fruit bolstered by vanilla bean, cream and spice. The buttery-creamy notes are sublime in the mouth and work beautifully with the rich fruits and spice. Well done at this price.
Angels Gate Mountainview Merlot 2007 ($19, winery only, 4.5 stars) — A heavenly good Merlot with ripe red fruits, light toast and interesting spices on the nose. It shows elegance and finesse on the palate with red fruits, spice and oak all working in harmony. Delicious.
Angels Gate Snow Angel Late Harvest Cabernet 2007 ($23 for 750 ml, winery only, 3.5 stars) — All the Angels Gate sweet wines are bottled in screwcap (bravo!). This semi-sweet late harvest is a bargain at this price and works as a nice little aperitif with strawberry-raspberry compote, bramble and candied fruit in a light, refreshing style.
Angels Gate Snow Angel Cabernet Franc 2008 ($50 for 375 Ml, winery only, 4.5 stars) — This is a barrel-fermented beauty that gets a nice toasty, earthy and spicy profile from the oak treatment that works well with the honey sweet red fruits. This is one big mouthful of pleasure for those seeking a little extra kick from a sweet wine.
Enjoy!
Great article. The idea of a four-pack of half bottles is terrific. I can only recall one other winery selling a package of half bottles. That was Thirty Bench before Peller took over. They did three half bottles of different oaking on the wine. I still have my package. Maybe time to drink up!
Great article. The idea of a four-pack of half bottles is terrific. I can only recall one other winery selling a package of half bottles. That was Thirty Bench before Peller took over. They did three half bottles of different oaking on the wine. I still have my package. Maybe time to drink up!
I think the idea could take off. Certainly a great little present for someone, also a neat way to sample different wines without paying a lot of money.
I think the idea could take off. Certainly a great little present for someone, also a neat way to sample different wines without paying a lot of money.
Pretty good post. I just tweeted and wanted to say that i have really enjoyed reading your blog posts………. I was not sure about which website to confirm and then I saw your blog and it really proved to be helpful to me.