By Rick VanSickle
For lovers of top-tier Niagara wines, Christmas is coming to you early at LCBO stores.
The release on Nov. 16 features an eye-popping array of some of Niagara’s most sought-after wines spread across the spectrum of red, white and sparkling. And the best news of all? The wines are coming to you at hundreds of Ontario Vintages stores.
In this Ontario Wine Report, we offer our recommendations for the Ontario VQA wines from the release, including Stratus Red 2021, Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2022, Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2020 (maybe the bargain of the release), Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Estate Blanc de Blancs 2017, Two Sisters Blanc de Franc Sparkling 2020 (a Cellar Selection, online only), King and Victoria Riesling 2019, On Seven The Pursuit Chardonnay 2020, Bachelder Hanck Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 and Domaine Clos Jordan Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2020.
As well, we review new wines from Stratus, Peninsula Ridge and Westcott, and provide a call out for wine and experience donations for the April Grapes for Humanity Charity Wine Auction. We begin with Stratus.
A trio from Stratus Vineyards
Stratus Red 2021 ($55, winery, plus select Vintages stores on Nov. 16, 93 points) — The Stratus Red, along with its sister wine, the Stratus White, are iconic wines from Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Stratus Vineyards. Both are assemblages from a wide variety of grapes grown at the estate and chosen during extensive blending sessions with winemakers Dean Stoyka and J-L Groux. The 2021 Red consists of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Tannat, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in various proportions and numerous picking times in the vineyard. The finished wine spends 653 days in French oak barrels, with only 4% new oak. I tasted all three of these Stratus wines with Stoyka and estate director Suzanne Janke at the winery this week. This is a beautiful expression of the Stratus Red blend that leads with Cabernet Franc. The nose is rich and perfumed with notes of black raspberries, cassis, currants, floral accents, anise, subtle earthy/savoury notes with herbs, dried tobacco and integrated spices. As with most every wine made at Stratus, it’s largely about the texture, and this one is elegantly plush from start to finish with a lovely red-berry melange, black currants and anise followed by minty herbs, savoury accents and a super long and finessed finish. It has a beautiful, long life ahead in the cellar, say until 2034.
Stratus White 2022 ($49, winery, 94 points) — The blend for this white assemblage consists of 63% Chardonnay, 17% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Sémillon, and a bit of Viognier. It’s aged for 348 days in a combination of barrels and amphora. The blending process, sourced from a dizzying array of white grape varieties grown at the estate, ensures a unique wine every vintage. The 2022 doesn’t disappoint with a vivid nose of concentrated pear, apricot, lemon verbena, lanolin, some tropical accents, nectarine, herbs and just a hint of spice. It has lovely texture on the palate with a mélange of juicy and rich nectarine, melon, guava, pear, lemon zest, apricot, herbaceous notes and all leading to a long, luxurious finish with mouth-watering acidity keeping it all fresh and finessed. Lovely drop.
Stratus Syrah 2020 ($55, winery, 93 points) — The Stratus Vineyard sits on 55 acres near the southeastern border of the Niagara Lakeshore sub-appellation. The vineyard is divided into 44 blocks and features a diverse mix of 16 grape varieties: 10 red and six white, giving Stratus winemakers a lot to work with. This Syrah is an explosion of cherries and campfire on the nose with supporting black currants, wild Muskoka blueberries, purple plums, brambly raspberries, black cracked peppercorns, and a range of herbs and spices. It’s plush on the palate with ripe tannins lending structure followed by forest berries, darker fruits of blueberries, plums and black currants, cured meats, minty herbs, pepper, black olives, savoury spices and a long, lifted finish. Can cellar until 2031.
A duet from Westcott Vineyards
Both of these upcoming Vintages releases from Westcott Vineyards have been reviewed previously and are now re-tasted for this report.
Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2022 ($32, winery now, Vintages Nov. 16, 93 points) — This ended up as a blend of mostly the Westcott Home Farm and a bit of Butlers’ Grant fruit. It was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed with no sulphur added at time of crushing and aged in 100% French oak (20% new) barrels for 10 months. This Chardonnay, like almost all wines at Westcott, is wild fermented. Such freshness on the nose with stony minerality, pear, bergamot, yellow apples and gentle spice notes. With a bit of age on the bottle, it’s now perfectly integrated and much more opulent on the nose and palate. Turns richer on the palate with quince, lemon tart, wet stones, subtle spices and a long, echoing, crisp finish. Drinking beautifully right now but can cellar to 2027.
Westcott Estate Pinot Noir 2020 ($32, winery now and Vintages Nov. 30, 92 points) — The fruit is 30% whole cluster fermented with 100% wild malolactic fermentation. It’s aged in 100% French oak, all used barrels, for 22 months. There is a lovely, perfumed note on the nose with generous Morello cherries, black raspberries, cassis, forest floor, subtle savouriness and spice. It’s silky smooth on the palate and loaded with ripe red berries, a touch of aniseed and red currants with earthy notes, spice, and a lifted, finessed finish. Drinking really nice right now but can cellar to 2028.
A quartet from Peninsula Ridge
Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2020 ($22, winery now, Vintages Nov. 16, 93 points) — This beguiling, nicely aged estate Merlot was aged up to 18 months in 1st and 2nd fill French and American barrels. It’s a real treat to see this smartly priced top Merlot from the near perfect 2020 vintage in Niagara make it to Vintages stores. It’s a great opportunity to see how well this grape performs in perfect conditions on the Beamsville Bench. It starts with an inviting nose of dark cherries, cassis, purple plums, toasted vanilla bean and nicely integrated spice notes. It’s rich, generous and loaded with earth red berries on the palate with anise, black currants, grippy tannins, dark chocolate, spice box and a long, spirited finish. It’s drinking quite well now but can age gracefully for another three years. Great value for this top Merlot.
Peninsula Ridge Tiny Bubbles ($19, LCBO, 88 points) — This charmat style sparkling wine shows a pale salmon colour and a vigorous bead of bubbles in the glass. The nose shows fresh pear, raspberries, citrus zest and floral notes. It’s lively, bright and shows robust bubbles on the palate with notes of red berries, citrus and apples and a pleasing sweetness through a vibrant finish. An all-occasion sparkling wine for the holidays.
Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 ($27, winery now, Vintages Nov. 30, 90 points) — This Beamsville Bench estate Chardonnay was aged sur lies in select French and American oak barrels for 15 months. It has a rich and savoury nose that highlights creamy pear, yellow apple, quince, lemon curd, caramel and robust spice notes. It shows more concentration on the creamy palate with the full range of orchard fruits, lemon tart, toasty vanilla and lavish spice notes with a rounded, long finish. For lovers of full-bodied Chardonnays.
Peninsula Ridge Falcon’s Rest Pinot Noir 2021 ($22, winery now, Vintages Jan. 4, 90 points) — This estate Pinot from the McNally Vineyard spent 12 months in French and American oak barriques. It shows a lighter colour in the glass but has a vivid nose of Morello cherries, stewed strawberries and raspberries, with a touch of red currants and lightly toasted spice notes. The melange of red berries on the palate takes on a more earthy/savoury profile with smooth tannins, a touch of anise and spice with a lifted, long finish.
Stock up for the holidays with these
Niagara wines released at Vintages Nov. 16
• Stratus Red 2021 (review above)
• Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2022 (review above)
• Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2020 (review above)
Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Estate Blanc de Blancs 2017 ($50, 95+ points) — The 2017 vintage of Carte Blanche is easily among the best sparkling wines made in Ontario that I have tasted. It’s made from 100% estate grown Chardonnay from the Short Hills Bench with 20% of the fruit barrel fermented. Secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle (traditionally made) and is followed by a further 54 months of aging on the lees. Such an intriguing nose of lemon tart, brioche/autolytic notes, apple/quince fruit, poached pear, pie crust and showing a light golden colour in the glass. It’s pure hedonistic pleasure on the palate with a soft(ish) but elegant bead, ripe stone fruits, baked bread/biscuit notes, lemon, fresh saline/flinty minerality, and mouth-watering acidity keeping it clean and fresh through a lifted finish. Such depth and verve. Wow, just beautiful!
King and Victoria Riesling 2019 ($25, 92 points) — Made from 15-year-old vines grown in the home vineyard on the Twenty Mile Bench, this Riesling is classic Bench with a fresh, saline nose of lemon-lime, green apple, pear, and nectarine. It’s dry and fresh with stony minerality, some fleshy notes, citrus, ripe pear, subtle savoury notes, and a bright, lip-smacking-good finish. Can cellar 7+ years.
On Seven The Pursuit Chardonnay 2020 ($48, online and flagship stores only, 93 points) — The Pursuit is a blend of Chardonnay from distinct French barrels. This blending allows its expression to be greater than its individual parts, says consultant Peter Gamble. There is a richness and density to the fruit on the nose, but also a lovely saline/chalky note that highlights the pear, white peach, lemon blossoms, crunchy apple, and bergamot. It’s rich and textured on the palate with layers of pear, quince and lemon tart and then more tertiary notes of stony minerality, hazelnuts and ever-so-subtle oak spice with a long, finessed finish. There is a lot like to here, right from the beginning, but more will be revealed with a bit of time in the cellar, say 3+ years
Bachelder Hanck Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 ($55, 93 points) — Across the canal and onto the Twenty Mile Bench, the Hanck parcel is located just 10 metres across the headland from Wismer-Parke’s Wild West-End parcel. It shares a similar aspect and soil profile to Wismer-Parke, however, it is a little lower in altitude, and a little closer to the lake. This is so pretty on the nose with a floral/lilac note, fresh red berries, some undergrowth, damp forest floor notes and lingering fine oak spice. It all integrates nicely on the palate with the red cherries and raspberries joining the anise and woodsy spice notes for a lifted, long, and finessed finish. Can cellar 4+ years.
Le Clos Jordan Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2020 ($52, 93 points) — Compared to the Claystone single vineyard bottling, this shows more elegance and less muscular qualities with a more delicate, perfumed nose of wild red berries, rose petals, mulberries, seamless spice notes and subtle earthiness. The black raspberries, dark cherries, mulberries, and rhubarb fruit are bolstered by fine grained tannins on the palate providing an elegant structure, integrated woodsy/spicy notes with a long, finessed finish. This should cellar well to 2030.
Other Niagara wines released but not reviewed by Wines in Niagara:
• Southbrook Triomphe Organic Chardonnay 2020 ($27)
• Magnotta Venture Series Starlight Sparkling Riesling/Vidal ($30)
• Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal Icewine 2022 ($90 for 375 mL)
• Stratus Riesling Icewine 2023 ($45 for 200 mL)
A Vintages Cellar Collection wine from Niagara
Order for this wine began yesterday (Nov. 7). You can order it here.
Two Sisters Blanc de Franc Sparkling 2020 ($64, 93 points) — This first disgorgement begins a new iteration of the Blanc de Franc. It’s made the same way as the initial versions, but this has 24 months of lees aging. It has an elegant nose with a vigorous bubble in the glass, and shows fresh berries, red currants, subtle herbs, lemon/citrus, and brioche accents. It’s fresh on the palate with lively bubbles and notes of apple, red currants, subtle creamy/brioche notes, lemon oil, raspberries, lovely texture and finessed through the bright finish.
Call out to support Grapes for Humanity
Grapes for Humanity (Canada) is celebrating 25 years of global service in 2025 and is kicking off its anniversary season with the upcoming charity wine auction, in partnership with Waddingtons and the Fine Wine Reserve, from April 12 to 22, 2025.
Over the past four auctions, Grapes for Humanity has raised more than $1.8 million to benefit communities and environmental causes.
As Grapes for Humanity prepares to celebrate its milestone 25th anniversary in 2025, the group is inviting wine lovers to support it auction by donating wine or unique experiences—such as vineyard tours with accommodation, private dinners, or other one-of-a-kind offerings. “This is an opportunity to contribute to critically needed humanitarian efforts in the battle against climate change and its devastating impacts that disproportionately affect the global poor,” said Steven Campbell, a board member for Grapes for Humanity.
Charitable tax receipts will be issued for the appraised value of contributed wines or wine experiences (below are examples of recent wine appraisals).
Campbell is urging supporters to “be part of the solution to the global challenges of climate change. Thank you in advance for your generosity by donating classic wines, accommodation or unique experiences.”
To donate, go here.
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