Rosewood Estates Winery has always kept its focus on its core varieties of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Semillon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.
And there are no grandiose plans to change that or to significantly increase the amount of wine being crafted at the Beamsville Bench property that’s situated along that magnificent Mountainview Road stretch of wineries.
The small-batch, artisanal, family-run operation is happy making 4,000 cases of premium wine and an even smaller production of mead (honey) wines.
“Our wines are honest,” says Krystina Roman. “They are representative of what they are, no gimmicks and no tricks.”
The winery and meadery is owned by Eugene (a second generation apiarist) and Renata Roman and sits on a 40-acre vineyard of prime Beamsville Bench soil. Just over 15 acres is planted to grapes while two acres are dedicated to the apiary and the rest left as a forested area on the beautiful Niagara Escarpment. The family also owns vineyards in Jordan along the 20 Mile Bench.
It is a family operation with daughter Krystina, above, handling marketing and son William involved in all aspects of the vineyards, wine and mead production.
The wines are made by Natalie Spykowsky who has given the portfolio a style all her own. Some of the most exciting wines are crafted using natural (native yeasts) fermentation, a practice that’s being employed more frequently as Spykowsky learns to master this risky style of winemaking.
The winery is slowly releasing the new 2011 whites and 2010 reds beginning this weekend. A new Riesling has been added to the portfolio, Mima’s Block, from the new Jordan vineyard, and William, along with Luke Orwinski, who tends to the vineyards, have come up with a standalone meritage they plan to bottle under their own, as yet unnamed, label.
Here’s what’s being released at Rosewood in the coming months with many of them available Saturday and Sunday at the Graze the Bench event.
Rosewood Süssreserve Riesling 2010 ($15, this weekend only, September after that, 90 points) — This is a signature style of Riesling for Rosewood and Spykowksy. Riesling juice is added back to the wine before bottling to add complexity, natural acidity and sweetness. The 2010 version shows an attractive nose of lime cordial, sweet ginger, apricots and peach. It’s off-dry on the palate with lovely, honey-sweet fruits, juicy apricot and mango with a ginger accent. Delicious stuff.
Rosewood Mima’s Block Riesling 2011 ($20, this weekend or mid-summer, 88 points) — This is the first vintage of this wine from the 21st Street Vineyard on the 20-Mile Bench and it’s a great effort and a nice partner for the Süssreserve. A nose of tropical fruits, peach, honey, lanolin and apple with slate minerality. The sweet notes on the palate are balanced out with refreshing acidity to go with a range of citrus and stone fruit through the finish.
Rosewood Semillon 2011 ($18, end of the year, 89 points) — One of my favourite Semillons made in Niagara and the closest that can be compared to the great Hunter Valley Semillons that age so well. A fabulous nose of grapefruit, bees wax, honeycomb, zesty citrus and just a whiff of stone fruit. A lovely bead of minerality runs through the core of his wine with delicious notes of citrus, pear, melon and a kiss of honey. Would love to see this wine in a few years as it evolves further.
Rosewood Gewurztraminer 2011 ($18, end of September, 87 points) — Also made from fruit grown at Rosewood’s 21st Street Vineyard. The nose shows rose petals, cloves, grapefruit, sweet lychee and honey. Great texture in the mouth with ripe fruits mingling with ginger and clove spice with just a hint of honey sweetness.
Rosewood Chardonnay Reserve 2010 ($28, July release at the Cool Chardonnay I4C event, 90 points) — Quite an interesting Chardonnay that was naturally fermented for four weeks in new and seasoned French oak and then aged sur lie for 10 months. It also underwent full malolactic fermentation. Only four barrels were made. There is a lot happening in this complex offering. The nose starts with ripe apple tart and poachedpear with strong vanilla-oak-spice accents. It’s bold and textured on the palate with Beamsville Bench personality, lovely mouthfeel, juicy fruits and surprisingly sharp acidity that puts it all into balance. One to buy and hold for a few years.
Rosewood Pinot Noir 2010 ($20, available this weekend and again in the fall, 87 points) — This regular cuvee Pinot is made from a combination of Wismer Vineyard (Balls Falls) and estate Renaceau Vineyard fruit. It sees 11 months of oak aging in new and seasoned barrels. The nose shows black cherry, a touch of cassis, mulberries, cedar and spice. It’s quite juicy on the palate with savoury red fruits, baking spices and wood notes delivered on a smooth finish.
Rosewood Merlot 2010 ($22, September release, 90 points) — This recently won a gold medal at the Decanter wine awards, and it’s very well deserved. The 2010 vintage for Bordeaux varieties is proving to be a benchmark for Niagara reds. Such a gorgeous nose of black cherry, currants, anise, oak spices and touches of tobacco leaf, licorice and kirsch. It is rich, concentrated and structured in the mouth with perfectly ripe red fruits, a balanced spice profile and length through the finish. Buy, hold and enjoy this for a few years.
Rosewood Merlot Reserve 2010 ($36, end of the year, 91 points) — This was naturally fermented for 22 days and shows beefy-meaty red and dark fruits, lavish spices and swirling cocoa and smoky cedar notes. The fruits are perfectly ripe in the mouth with concentrated kirsch and blackberry-currants to go with an array of tasty spices. It shows heft on the palate with firm tannins and structure. Will improve for 10 years or more. Very nice Merlot.
Rosewood Cabernet Franc 2010 ($22, September, 88 points) — Made from estate fruit, the nose displays cherry, tobacco, raspberry, integrated spice and subtle bell pepper notes. It comes together beautifully in the mouth with red fruits, a touch of currants, lightly spiced and soft and juicy through the finish.
Rosewood Cabernet Franc Barrel #67 2010 ($32, October, 93 points) — This is definitely destined for the Wines In Niagara top wines of the year list for 2012. As the name implies, only one barrel, 20 cases, are available of this naturally fermented (30 days) beauty that was aged for 15 months in a Billon French oak barrel. There’s a whole lot of awesomeness going on in this benchmark Cab Franc. Gorgeous, ripe, bold and thick red fruits with the emphasis on raspberry and bramble, generously spiced, with dark chocolate, leather and cigar box cedar. The red and dark fruit flavours and wild spices are persistent on the palate and through the long, long finish. This is Cab Franc with attitude and power yet shows remarkable poise in the mouth. It is evolving and still and needs time but hard to resist this wonderful wine. A long life awaits this Cab Franc and a lot of pleasure awaits those who snag a bottle or two.
Note: William Roman and Luke Orwinski are making an as-yet unnamed Meritage 2011 from 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot. The wine is made entirely from free-run juice, dual fermentation, with no pumping whatsoever and an exaggerated cold soak. The barrel sample I tasted was interesting, to say the least, with a dark fruit and wild spice nose. I like where this wine is headed on the palate. A highly structured red with grip and power in the mouth and a bed of firm tannins. A serious wine in the making.
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