Wines in Niagara’s Most Thrilling Red and White Wines of 2024

By Rick VanSickle

There will come a day when the apparent ocean of Niagara wines from the unicorn 2020 vintage runs dry.

Until then, consumers can continue to confidently fill their cellars with wines from the warm, perfect in every regard, across all varieties, vintage that gave everything it had to create some of the most memorable wines ever made in Ontario.

This annual list, the 16^th consecutive Most Thrilling Niagara Wines compilation on Wines in Niagara, features 11 wines from 2020, including both the red and white wines of the year. That comes on the heels of the 2023 list that featured 15 wines from 2020 and the 2022 list that had 10 wines from that vintage.

It certainly appeared another “2020” was on the horizon with the 2024 growing season, and some are touting the new vintage as the next “great” one, but it appears it won’t be as generous to all varieties as 2020 was. Some early fall moisture hurt some of the more thin-skinned, early maturing varieties, but was kinder to thicker skinned late ripening grapes left to hang a bit longer in the drier, later stages of fall. At one point, the harvest was two weeks ahead of a normal vintage and many winemakers are confident of a stellar year, especially those growers who survived the wet fall. Time will tell.

For now, you can find some incredible wines from recent vintages and continue to buy the 2020s with confidence until we finally see the end of them. The average price of the 20 Most Thrilling wines is $65.45, down from $74.95 last year, while average scores are down only slightly from last year. And there are some bargains on the 2024 list.

As I remind readers every year, the Most Thrilling Niagara Wines of the Year list only represents a fraction of the wines released in 2024 in Niagara. While I prefer to taste wines in person with winemakers to get a feel for the people behind the wines, that isn’t always possible. Some of the wines tasted in 2024 were via sample or left at my front door for tasting and possible review. That is not how I prefer it, but sometimes it is necessary to gain a more complete grasp on what’s out there. It should also be noted, samples are sent unsolicited, and Wines in Niagara does not accept requests for paid-for reviews (you have a plenty of options for that). The revenue for Wines in Niagara is 100% derived from the support of our advertisers (thank you!), and not the Google kind, real advertisers, real people supporting real local journalism. It’s much appreciated.

If I had it my way, in a perfect world, I would taste all wines in a dimly lit barrel cellar, on a picnic table surrounded by grape vines with the people who made the wines, or on my back porch (or their’s) with the winemaker or principal from the winery, so I can get a better understanding of what they were trying to achieve with the wines. I crave the human connection to wine rather than the antiseptic nature of tasting wines alone in my living room with a spittoon and a very needy dog named Maisy vying for my attention.

I come from a history of loving annual best-of wine lists and chasing the wines that catch my eye. I like that they are varied, and no two lists ever the same. I think you will find that with the choices below.

This is the 16th consecutive year for this compilation. There is no other annual wine list in Canada that has that kind of continuous longevity. I laboured over it for weeks, adding, subtracting, and slashing the list down to the No. 1 red and white wines of the year and the rest of the 18 most thrilling wines of 2023, any one of which could have been the No. 1 wine.

This year, I have also added a few bonus wines that might grab your attention in categories such as value, most innovative and ones to watch for. While many on the list are repeat performers, simply because they represent the best of the best consistently from year to year, there are many projects just starting out that show great promise for a bright future. They should be recognized and a few of them are on this list.

Heavy on my mind when constructing a list like this are two crucial questions that need to be top of mind: Is the list representative of what Niagara does best? Does it fairly represent all Niagara wines?

I think that depends on what you like to drink. The list is once again liberally sprinkled with the Big Four Niagara varieties — Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc — but there is also a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend, a Marsanne blend, and two Syrahs, which just goes to show you how deep Niagara is with the varieties it can grow successfully.

There are more than a few repeat wineries on this list, partially a reflection of where I go and taste in my travels around Niagara, but also because they are consistent vintage to vintage at the top end. And, let’s face it, many wineries in Niagara don’t appreciate having critics sniffing around their wines, or look to other sources who appeal to an audience they prefer to target. An increasing number of wineries pay influencers to “review” or “promote” their wines. And that’s fair. Wines in Niagara won’t deal with wineries that pay for reviews; I just can’t help them and won’t ever accept money for reviews.

This “best of” list is garnered from the hundreds of wines tasted and reviewed on this website since last January right up to Dec. 25 in over 120 separate posts. It’s a subjective list that is culled from the wines that I have tasted, some re-tasted, and others even re-evaluated. It is based on the thrill factor and not necessarily on points given. I realize that not all palates align with mine and there will be some wines that might raise an eyebrow or two. That is exactly what makes wine enjoyment so fascinating.

I have also a few self-imposed rules for the list (this is not a democracy over here!).

• Spread out the love, which means only one appearance on the list per winery (which I have done, however there is some repetitiveness with winemakers and consultants);
• 10 Chardonnays or 10 Rieslings or 10 Pinot Noirs or 10 Cabernet Francs would be boring, think outside the box (that being said, the list is dominated somewhat by Cabernet Franc, Riesling and Chardonnay, sorry);
• The 10 Most Thrilling Niagara Red and White wines of 2024 are listed by score, then alphabetical order with the original scores and prices included).
• Not all these wines are likely to be available, but no wines were eliminated due to being sold out.

Fun with numbers

• Total price of white wines on this list: $559 (down from $651 last year);
• Total price of red wines on this list: $750, (down dramatically from $848 last year);
• Most expensive white: $90, Eagle Eye 2020;
• Least expensive white: $25, Fogolar Picone Vineyard Riesling 2022;
• Most expensive red: $125, Rennie Estate The Colleen Cabernet Franc 2020;
• Least expensive red: $48, Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2020;
• Average price for all wines on both lists: $65.45, down from $74.95 last year.
• Average score Wines in Niagara awarded the red wines: 94.5, down slightly from 95.0 last year.
• Average score Wines in Niagara awarded the white wines: 94.8, up slightly from 94.6 last year.
• What it would cost for you to buy them all 20 of these wines: $1,309.00, a big drop form $1,499.00 last year
• Number of Chardonnays on the list: 4 (there were 7 last year);
• Number of Rieslings on the list: 4 (there were 2 last year);
• Number of Pinot Noirs on the list: 2 (same as last year);
• Number of Bdx red blends on the list: 2 (compared to 7 last year);
• Number of Cabernet Francs on the list: 4;
• 14 of the wines are from west of the canal, and 6 are from east of the canal (last year 11 of the wines were from the west of the canal, and nine were from east of the canal);
• Number of wines from the 2020 vintage: 11. There were 15 from 2020 on last year’s list and 10 on the list from 2022;
• Number of wineries on this list who are currently or past advertisers on Wines in Niagara: 4. Just being totally transparent. Don’t want you to be confused by other lists out there driven by favours or paid influence.

Note: All prices listed in this report are from the original reviews. If you plan on purchasing any of these wines, remember to factor in the discount from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tax holiday on wines until February 15,

So, without further ado …

The Most Thrilling Niagara Red
and White Wines of the Year are …

The Most Thrilling Niagara White Wine for 2024 is the Eagle Eye 2020 and the Most Thrilling Red Wine for 2024 is the Hidden Bench La Brunante 2020.

The Most Thrilling Niagara
White Wine of 2024

While Chardonnays and Rieslings have traditionally risen to the top of this list over the 16 years we’ve been publishing it, the Eagle Eye white wine, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, was the standout in 2024. Consumers can finally buy this wine at Two Sisters in advance of the sister winery, Stone Eagle, opening on Niagara Stone Road late coming this summer or early fall.

Stone Eagle is the high-end version of Two Sisters, if that’s even possible, and will showcase the top tier reds under the Stone Eagle (for the reds) and the Eagle Eye (for the only white) label. The 2020 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is the current vintage of Eagle Eye and the 2021 will likely follow in the fall at Stone Eagle. The 2022 version is also being held for the new winery. The 2019 vintage was named to Wines in Niagara’s Most Thrilling wines of 2021 list. Here’s our review for the Most Thrilling White Wine of the Year.

Eagle Eye 2020 ($90, 96 points) — Eagle Eye is the top tier white wine made at Two Sisters and will be the only still white wine available at the Stone Eagle Winery when it opens likely this coming late this summer or fall. It’s an extraordinary wine, a tour de force blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon reminiscent of the very best white wines from Bordeaux. The blend for the 2020 vintage is 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon. Both varieties are barrel fermented and aged on the lees separately for 14 months and the final blend is a result of rigorous barrel tasting by the winemaking team. It’s a stunning wine from the opening notes of penetrating poached pear, baked apple, exotic tropical fruits, juicy grapefruit, lemon tart, savoury accents, mulled minty herbs and fine oak spices. It has weight and an oily, unctuous texture on the palate with ripe, harmonic stone fruits, lemon curd, grapefruit, minty herbaceous/chamomile notes, guava and a lifted, long, luxurious finish that lingers forever, or so it seems. A super-luxe, hedonistic white wine that will reward with 10 more years in the cellar.

Thrill factor: Make no mistake, Adam Pearce is one of Niagara’s top winemakers and has built the top-notch portfolio at Two Sisters and now Eagle Eye from the very beginning. Now working with almost 100% estate fruit and waiting on the Stone Eagle vineyard to mature, we are getting a true sense of what the vineyards can deliver in the hands of one of Canada’s most talented winemakers.

The rest of the Most Thrilling
Niagara White Wines of the Year

Bachelder Wines Hill of Wingfield Chardonnay 2022 ($75, 96 points) — Thomas Bachelder sources the grapes for this single-block wine from seven rows of the Wismer-Wingfield Vineyard, at the south-west side of the vineyard, set aside for just him. What he doesn’t use ends up going into the other Wingfield bottling sourced from other rows in the block. Bachelder not so quietly refers to this as one of his “grand cru” parcels, even though it is a classification that still has no standing in Niagara (but should). The Chardonnay grapes grown in this parcel, which is at the highest elevation and furthest from Lake Ontario of all the Chards in his portfolio, are the latest ripening of all the white grapes Bachelder sources. Lovers of stony/mineral/saline-laced Chardonnays will always gravitate to this ultimate expression from the Bachelder family. It always reminds me of a pristine mountain stream with all those fresh salinity and wet stone notes on the nose followed by white flowers, lemon curd, bergamot, pear, fresh apples and just a hint of spice. It’s layered and textured on the palate with generous pear, lemon, yellow apple, that lovely melange of minerality and flint, vanilla toast, savoury spices, and then the feisty march through a long, long, tingly fresh and vibrant finish that echoes for minutes. Such a beautiful wine that will continue to improve in the cellar until 2030 and maybe beyond.

Thrill factor: No surprise here. Bachelder’s exploration of “cru” vineyards in Niagara has led to one of the most powerful and deepest portfolios of Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Gamays in Canada. His single-block Hill of Wingfield from seven rows of the Wismer-Wingfield Vineyard is simply one of the finest Chardonnays made year-in and year-out.

Dobbin Estate “White Cap” Dry Riesling 2020 ($65, 95 points) — This 100% estate sourced Riesling from the small Charlene Vineyard on the western part of the Dobbin property is the result of several different picks and collecting portions of botrytis affected grapes during the harvest. It spent 18 months on its lees and was finished with 9.5 g/l of RS and 7.2 g/ of TA. A more profoundly unique and enthralling Riesling you will not find in Niagara. It shows pretty floral notes with beeswax, lanolin, Bosc pear, apricot, yellow apple, river rock, and bergamot that’s persistent and penetrating. It’s nicely balanced on the palate with the full range of orchard fruits, chalky/stony minerality, grapefruit zest, lemon curd, gingerbread, and laser-focused acidity that carries through to a lifted and freshening finish. Wow, so much going on here. Can cellar to 2034 and beyond.

Thrill factor: Dobbin has come out of the gate with both guns blazing. The husband-and-wife winemaking team of Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling (above) have created a small but mighty portfolio of some of Niagara’s best wines. The Rieslings are some of the finest new examples of this grape in Niagara. The 2019 Riesling was named Most Thrilling White Wine in 2023. End of story.

Charles Baker Riesling Vinemount Ridge 2020 ($45, 94 points) — The warm 2020 vintage encouraged a much richer expression of the Picone Vineyard Riesling than the cooler 2009 version. It’s loud on the nose with a range of stony/flinty minerality, emerging petrol, poached pear, ginger, ripe apple, quince, and lemon curd. It’s highly extracted on the palate with honey and sweet petrol, flint and stones, pear, lime, apricot, lemon, lovely texture, and ginger spice with a lifted and somewhat fresh vein of acidity keeping it vibrant and fresh through a long and luxurious finish. It is an outlier compared to most other vintages in Niagara for Riesling, but brand owner Charles Baker and his winemakers from Stratus have created a beautifully expressive wine that is layered and succulent with enough finesse to age beautifully for 10 or so years. Hard to wait on it, though, as it’s really rocking right now.

Thrill factor: Charles Baker lives and breathes Riesling and the Picone Vineyard has always been his favourite muse in his small, tidy portfolio (available at Stratus). I’m happy to see this wine back on the Most Thrilling list.

Divergence MRV 2023 ($33, 94 points) — While Divergence brand owner and winemaker Jeff Moote waits for the provincial government to basically rubber stamp Roussanne as a VQA-eligible grape, which makes up 32% of this Rhone variety blend, this wine will just keep getting better in the bottle. There are exciting times ahead for fans of this style of wine that also includes 39% Marsanne and 29% Viognier from the Bock Vineyard on the St. David’s Bench. Black Bank Hill is also waiting on approval for Roussanne, which somehow wasn’t approved along with Marsanne years ago, and is part of a blend now waiting to be bottled. “It will be cool to be one of the first with a Roussanne containing wine in VQA, along with Black Bank Hill as likely the other that will have one ready to go as soon as we get the green light,” said Moote. The Viognier was pressed separately, while Marsanne and Roussanne were pressed together on top of the Viognier skins. It was all whole cluster pressed, juice was settled and racked to barrel for fermentation and aging for 10 months (no new oak) before blending and bottling. The Rhone Rangers in Niagara, small in number, but big on flavour, are sneaking up on us. This a more traditional three-variety Rhone blend that is just gorgeous, exciting even, with a generous, rich nose of apricots, guava, orange zest, saline minerality in spades, wild herbs, marzipan, lemon curd, and a touch of vanilla spice. It has a creamy texture on the palate with succulent tropical fruits, apricot tart, lemon squares, orange peel, cantaloupe, wild honey, saline freshness and a rounded, luxurious finish with mouth-watering acidity. These Rhone varieties are going to shake up the industry if this is any indication. Lovely wine.

Thrill factor: Young, daring, talented and innovative, Jeff Moote is turning heads with his growing virtual portfolio, part of the Collab collection of winemakers. I loved this Rhone style white blend and the courage it took to make a wine that can’t even be released until the Roussanne gets VQA approval.

Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2021 ($33, 94 points) — The Nadja’s Vineyard is one of Niagara’s most important vineyards for Riesling. It’s a three-acre block that was planted in 2001 with shallow clay loam soil and visible veins of glacial deposits resting on a thick layer of fractured dolomite limestone. Always one of the more minerally-laced Rieslings in Niagara, this is rife with stony/saline notes to go with lime, grapefruit, green apple, ginger and just a subtle note of petrol emerging. It’s juicy on the palate with a playful tug of sweet and tart and persistent notes of lime sorbet, green apple, lemon zest, white peach, wet stones, and lanolin that ends in a rush of mouth-watering acidity keeping everything balanced. A beauty of a Riesling that can age until 2032 if you prefer a bit more of that petrol note.

Thrill factor: It’s Nadja’s Vineyard. Enough said?

Fogolar Picone Vineyard Riesling 2022 ($25, 94 points) — Marc Pistor’s first vintage of Riesling was in 2014, sourced from the tiny Picone Vineyard in the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation made famous by the Charles Baker CB Riesling project (see above). It acts more like a Twenty Mile Bench expression than the sprawling Vinemount Ridge sub-app, which needs serious of rethinking, in my opinion. Making of this wine follows in line with the others above at 10% abv and slightly lower 23 g/l of RS. The fruit is hand-picked and whole cluster pressed. It’s quite interesting and different on the nose with subtle reductive notes and savoury/salty accents followed by sweet peach, lanolin, bergamot, quince, and apricot. It’s fleshy and rich on the palate with exotic flavours of pure lime, mulled peach and lemon pith, apricot tart, and brown honey that’s all impeccably balanced through a long finish. Can cellar 10+ years.

Thrill factor: Two Picone Vineyard Rieslings on this list? Crazy talk. Fogolar winemaker Marc Pistor has his hands in a lot of fun projects in Niagara, but his own wines are where he struts his stuff. This is a perfect example.

Kirby Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2021 ($65, 94 points) — The Reserve Chardo, only made in what the Kirbys, winemaker Matt Smith and consultant Peter Gamble believe are the best vintages, with the only difference in the two Chardonnays (estate and reserve) being barrel selection. The reserve is slightly more generous on the nose than the estate, more integrated with yellow apples, quince, lemon meringue, stony/flinty minerality with a touch of savouriness and elegant spice notes. It has a plush, creamy texture with flint and wet stones, ripe stone fruits, some tropical mango/guava, and toasted spice notes on a layered, long and finessed finish that goes on and on. A very fine Chardonnay.

Thrill factor: Great fruit, top vineyard management (Glen Elgin Vineyard Management), a talented winemaker in Matt Smith, engaged proprietors (Scott and Maria Kirby) and the result is this wonderful Chardonnay.

On Seven Devotion Chardonnay 2021 ($78, 94 points) — The top tier Devotion is a blend of Chardonnay from the finest barrels, the finest blocks, and made only in what oner Vittorio De Stefano and consulting winemaker Peter Gamble believe are the finest years. It was a touch tight on the nose when first reviewed, but with swirling, the aromas unfold to show pristine, elegant notes of perfumed pear, apple, apricot, bergamot, sea breeze salinity, elegant spices, and never-ending persistence. It’s much more open knit on the palate with ripe pear, lemon tart, quince, a creamy texture, saline freshness, toasted hazelnuts and spice in a layered, complex style highlight by freshness and finesse on a long, luxurious and lingering finish. A soulful Chardonnay that will reward with 3-5 years in the cellar.

Thrill factor: Like Kirby above, On Seven has found the magic in Niagara-on-the-Lake for Chardonnay. It hasn’t gone perfectly from a growing standpoint, but the results for both the Chards and Pinots, when the vines deliver, have been nothing short of spectacular.

Westcott Block 76 Chardonnay 2022 ($50, 94 points) — Block 76 is a special single block of Chardonnay that is less than an acre in size in a corner of the Home Farm Vineyard. In 2022, it produced only 120 cases. It spends 22 months in French oak (no new oak) and is bottled unfiltered. “It’s about place, not process,” said winemaker Casey Kulczyk. What makes Block 76 so special vintage to vintage is all about elegance, sense of place and freshness on the finish. The 2022 has a penetrating nose of bergamot, pear skin, yellow apple, lemon chiffon, toasted vanilla spices, pure saline and subtle savoury notes. The stony/saline notes lift the stone fruits on the palate with a creamy texture, lemon tart, flinty/savoury notes, toasted almonds and spice and a racy, persistent, finessed finish that echoes for minutes. A beautiful wine here.

Thrill factor: Husband and wife owners Grant Westcott and Carolyn Hurst discovered this tiny block within a block, above, and it has proven to be one of the top Chardonnays every year it has been bottled.

One to watch for …

Sempre Mio Marsanne 2023 ($33, 93 points) — The blend for this debut wine from Sempre Mio is 87% Marsanne and 13% Viognier and it’s crafted by Jeff Moote at Collab Wine and Beverage. The Marsanne was co-fermented with the Viognier, whole cluster pressed straight to barrel on hard lees, with bâtonnage until primary ferment was done (all wild primary and malo) in 2nd fill and neutral barriques. It was then aged for 11 months before bottling. Aside from sulphur additions and yeast nutrient, there were no other additions. It’s a beautiful wine for a first effort from a grape made famous in the Northern Rhone (think of the legendary white wines of Hermitage) but rarely grown or made in Niagara. The nose is rich and perfumed with beeswax, honeysuckle, dried apricots, candied lemons, peach, subtle notes of almonds, spice and hinting at reduction that tapers off on the palate. In fact, we tasted two versions of this wine, one was opened right away and another that was decanted. The decanted version had nearly zero reduction. It has an oily, beeswax texture on the palate with persistent notes of ripe peach, apricot tart, honey, lanolin, toasty spice notes, marzipan and a fair amount of tingly acidity for a variety that often lacks freshness. The finish is long and luxurious. This is a remarkable wine that will be interesting to watch as it ages gracefully in your cellar.

Thrill factor: Everything you need to know about Corey Mio, above, and his amazing new project and the story of how they got there is in this story posted a couple of months ago. Read it here (https://winesinniagara.com/2024/11/beamsville-property-transforming-into-couples-dream-for-an-estate-winery/).

Best value white wine of the year …

MW Chardonnay 2022 ($18, 93 points) — The grapes for this little gem were sourced by brand owner Martin Werner from a St. David’s vineyard planted to Clone 76. It’s rich and generous on the nose with baked pear, lemon cream, white flowers, yellow apple, a touch of freshening salinity and just enough oak spice to bring depth and complexity. On the palate, it’s concentrated and creamy with flinty notes and then persistent, elevated orchard fruits, bergamot, elegant spices and wonderful salinity and freshness on a finessed finish. Quite the wine for $18, the kind you buy by the case, which is exactly what my wife did about a second after first tasting it. Hint, hint. There is a “reserve” edition of this Chardonnay, and it’s a stunner as well, with more elegance and finesse and costs $26.

Thrill factor: Who makes Chardonnay this good at this price? Marty Werner does, and it caught the full attention of my wife who stocked our cellar with a case of it. By the way, that was the first case of wine Maureen has ever purchased in her life.

The Most Thrilling Niagara
Red Wine of 2024

In many ways, it was destiny that the 2020 version of La Brunante would emerge on top of the Most Thrilling Red Wines of 2024 list. In 2013, the 2010 vintage of the same Bordeaux variety blend also took top billing. 2010 was very similar to 2020 in that it was hot, and it was dry, and winemakers could let those grapes hang for as long as they wanted to achieve a style rarely seen in Niagara. The Brunante is proprietor Harald Thiel’s “grand cru” red blend, and it’s only made when the vintage dictates. This is definitely that, and Thiel and winemaker Alex Baines have made the most of it.

Hidden Bench La Brunante 2020 ($90, 97 points) — This signature red blend from Hidden Bench is only produced in years when the estate believes that optimal vintage conditions have resulted in exceptional grapes. It’s a blend of 50% Merlot, 33% Malbec, and 17% Cabernet Franc with barrel aging in a combination of new and used French oak for 20 months and bottled unfiltered and unfined. After tasting this with proprietor Harald Thiel and winemaker Alex Baines a word comes to mind: blockbuster. It is that and more. It’s not so much that this is a “big bruiser” typical of say, Napa Valley, rather, it shows far more elegance and finesse than that, along with perfectly ripened cassis, plums, blackberries, black cherries, sun-drenched black raspberries, graphite, leather, mocha and generously sprinkled with toasty vanilla bean and baking spices. The fine-grained tannins on the palate are evident in spades, but not over-powering, allowing the concentrated red and black berries to share the spotlight with tertiary notes of anise, pencil shavings, smoky cedar, leather and toasted spices. All of that and an exceptionally long finish, bolstered by mouth-watering acidity, that seems to last for minutes and longer. This is a unicorn wine that we will be still talking about 20 years from now. As I said, a blockbuster that will live happily in your cellar until 2040 and beyond. If you just can’t wait, decant overnight and serve with a big, juicy, rare hunk of beef, and save a bottle or two for down the road.

Thrill factor: The best expression of a Bdx red blend made in Ontario in 2024. Fight me.

The rest of the Most
Thrilling Red Wines of 2024

Cloudsley Cellars Barrel Thirty-Six Pinot Noir 2020 ($100, 96 points) — From the opening notes of this exquisite wine, you know something special is happening here. So much Pinot perfume wafts from the glass with violets and roses, Morello cherries, wild raspberries, blueberries, red currants and fine oak spices in an opulent, pure and ethereal (yes, I said ethereal) style. Reminiscent of Volnay, with its velvety, satin-laced entry on the palate, it turns more concentrated on the palate with the full melange of red berries, subtle earthy/savoury notes, and just a touch reductive with perfumed spice notes and then the grand finale, a pristine, lifted finish that echoes for minutes. I wanted to make sure I was doing this wine justice, so I came back to it 24 hours later. My notes the day after focused on the melt-in-your-mouth chewiness of this beautiful wine. I revelled in sloshing it around in my mouth for minutes before swallowing, appreciating the pure red berries, silky tannins, seductive purity and that trademark Niagara finesse and finish that lasts and lasts. My final notes: Pretty meets chiselled, meets pure, meets ethereal (there, I said again, dammit!).

Thrill factor: Proprietor Adam Lowy and winemaker Matt Smith discovered this single barrel of Pinot Noir during their blending trials and thought they had something special. How right they were.

Creekside Broken Press Syrah Reserve 2020 ($55, 95 points) — The Broken Press Syrah has been an integral part of Niagara wine lore since the first vintage in 2004. It has been fawned over, debated, sought after and found its way into many cellars since that first vintage. And then … along comes 2020, debatably the finest vintage for red wines ever in the history of the modern wine industry in Ontario, and the debates will be hotly contested all over again. Does the 2020 Broken Press Syrah have the potential to be the best ever? If you ask winemakers Rob Power and Yvonne Irvine, they both prefer the cooler vintages for Broken Press, which, of course, 2020 was not. If you lean in the direction of bigger is better in red wines, the 2020 version will be your jam, even if you do have to hide it in the cellar for five or 10 years. I love a big, bold red with layers of pleasure that will improve with time, and by that measure, this 2020 is the highest score I’ve attached to this wine since I have rated it beginning with the 2007 vintage. The blend is about 3-4% Viognier and the rest Syrah that spends 22 months in older (neutral), mostly French barriques with the alcohol clocking in at 14.5%. The nose is a highly fragrant array of black currants, anise, kirsch, black raspberries, saddle leather, bacon fat, smoky cedar notes, eucalypt, black peppercorns, toasted vanilla, spice and a subtle floral lift. On the palate, this blockbuster is shrouded in firm tannic structure and will need either time in the cellar or lots of decanting if you are opening soon. Swirling, swishing and returning to this Syrah will show you layer upon layer of rich and ripe dark berries, black licorice, peppery spices, dried herbs, gamey/smoky notes and blueberry pie that all leads to a long, long finish with racy acidity that will reward with 10-15 years in the cellar.

Thrill factor: The Broken Press is legendary in Niagara, racking up awards since its inception many years ago. It put winemakers (at the time) Rob Power and Craig McDonald (now at Peller with Yvonne Irvine at Creekside) on everyone’s radar. This is the finest expression to date, even though Power might disagree.

Leaning Post Senchuk Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020 ($75, 95 points) — Ilya and Nadia Senchuk had no clue what their land would yield when they purchased the property in 2011 and planted grapes. It took four years to find out what they had and a few vintages after that before they knew they had found something special. This was aged in French oak barrels (25% new, 25% 1-year-old, 50% older) for 15 months. This Pinot continues to write the book on what the Senchuk Vineyard is all about, a unique expression that shows concentration on the palate with super ripe black cherries, wild raspberries, a touch of blueberry and cassis, woodsy/earthy notes, subtle floral notes and spice. It has backbone on the palate with ripe tannins then dense red berries, anise, earthy/savoury notes, beetroot and herbs, fine oak spices and a long, long, lifted and finessed finish. Can cellar through 2032.

Thrill factor: Can you imagine starting a winery from scratch with your own money and not knowing if the fallow ground you purchased would yield grapes worth making into wine? The Senchuks, above, took a huge gamble and, boy, did it pay off. We are now seeing now what they imaged it could be.

Rennie Estate Winery The Colleen Cabernet Franc 2020 ($125, 95 points) — In the Graham Rennie world of his appassimento wines, the Super G, made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines located on a select, west-facing shelf at the estate’s Heron Pond Vineyard, is his flagship wine for this style. The Colleen, which debuted with the 2016 vintage, now shares the spotlight (in my opinion), expressing itself from a Cabernet Franc point of view. Both are fabulous, benchmark wines made from grapes that spend 82 days on drying racks and 29 months in French oak barrels. The grapes are picked at 25.5 brix and come out of the drying chamber at 29.2 brix with a maximum abv of 17.5%. So, yes, these are big wines for those with big appetites and shining examples of the Amarone style. The wine is named after Colleen Rennie, the daughter of Graham and Christine. I tasted this wine with Rennie at The Crush and retasted it a day later at home. It is a marvel on the nose with incredibly rich, powerful notes of blueberry compote, cassis jam, raspberry/cherry tart, campfire and tar notes, sweet herbs and perfumed spice box. On the palate, it’s highly concentrated, layered and structured with ample tannins followed by a rich mix of compoted dark berries, jammy/ripe red berries, espresso bean, dark chocolate, touches of herbs and eucalypt, fine oak spices and a long, luxurious finish that lasts for minutes. This extraordinary wine should improve for a decade, and maybe even fit nicely in the cellar to 2039.

Thrill factor: Big red wines have their place in a wine region as versatile as Niagara. Graham Rennie has unabashedly been turning out these beefy appassimento wines made from grapes grown at his stunning Beamsville Bench vineyard since he started his Rennie Vineyard project and he has established a dedicated following.

Stonebridge Cabernet Franc Reserve 2020 ($95, 95 points) — This was a late entry to the Thrilling list, only tasted a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I was shocked by the quality and depth of this Cabernet Franc from the Stonebridge team of winemaker/consultant Peter Gamble, and owner Faik Turkmen (who also owns Lailey). The single-vineyard Creek Shores wine from the Schenck Vineyard was wild fermented and aged in French oak barrels (40% new) for 22 months and the reserve was selected from the best of the best barrels. It was finished at 14.6% abv. It’s youthful and brooding on the nose with dense, concentrated floral notes, blackberries, Morello cherries, mulberries and cassis that comes at you in waves before the savoury/minty notes, cigar box, toasted vanilla bean, and all-spice aromas kick in. All that follows to the palate in an attractive display of pure red and dark berries, anise/licorice, mulled herbs, subtle pepper and mint notes, velvety, fine-grained tannins give this thrilling red wine its structure and grace, and then the fine French oak barrel influence kicks in, offering an elegant and seamless array of spices that are integrated and supportive of this fruit-laden beauty. The finish is remarkably fresh and shows youthful energy on an echoing finish. I get the feeling this is just getting started and will continue to bring immense pleasure for the next 15 years.

Thrill factor: This is Cabernet Franc flexing its muscles by using every ounce of what Mother Nature gave it in 2020. It would be easy to take this wine over the top, but that is not the style of wine Gamble wants out of Stonebridge’s top expressions. He has achieved balance and finesse here in a wine that will improve in the cellar for a very long time.

Black Bank Hill Syrah 2021 ($50, 94 points) — This brilliant Syrah was wild fermented and sent to multi-use French oak barrels for 17 months of aging. Beginning with the 2022 vintage and going forward, a little Viognier will be blended. The barrel sample of the blend I tasted gets a lovely floral lift for added dimension and complexity. The 2021 Syrah shows a dense red velvet colour in the glass and has a meaty nose of dark berries, wild black raspberries, anise, black and red peppercorns, cedar plank and savoury spice notes. Such a beautiful Syrah on the palate, with concentrated blackberries, black currants, sour cherries, roasted meats, umami, generous pepper, anise, grippy tannins and structure all leading to a juicy, long, vibrant finish. “It’s a very cool wine from a difficult vintage,” notes winemaker Emerson McLean. Only two barrels were made (47 cases). Can cellar to 2030.

Thrill factor: Another new(ish) winery that came charging out of the gate quickly. Owner Taylor Emerson and winemaker McLean have already established a deep portfolio of wines as this wonderful Syrah speaks to.

Henry of Pelham Speck Family Cabernet-Merlot Reserve 2020 ($48, 94 points) — In many ways, the 2020 version echoes the 2007 vintage, which were both near perfect, warm vintages in Niagara. The wine was aged in French and American oak barrels, 40% new, for 18 months. What a beautiful, full-bodied red from the 2020 vintage. It has an inviting, expressive nose of black raspberries, dark cherries, ripe plums, cocoa, cassis, and cedary/perfume notes with rich spice box accents. It’s dense and juicy on the palate with a firm tannic backbone that displays an array of mature red berries, blackberry preserves, anise, smoky cedar plank, mulled herbs and toasty spices that are all carried through the long, finessed finish. This is still evolving and cellaring is recommended. It will keep improving through 2039, if the 2007 is any indication. Buy, hold and be blown away!

Thrill factor: Henry of Pelham makes various iterations of the Cabernet-Merlot, from entry level to this top expression. At $48, it’s the least expensive wine on the red list and offers incredible value for what you get. A candidate for long-term cellaring to drink like a pro over the next decade.

Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc Reserve 2022 ($60, 94 points) — If you could build a quintessential Niagara Cabernet Franc each vintage, this reserve could be your prototype. Winemaker Brian Schmidt has an affinity for this grape and makes it in several levels and styles from the popular entry level wine to the Legacy, the top bottling that consists of several vintages of CF. The reserve spends 12 months in oak and is finished with 14% abv and comes from the estate’s Bo-Teek Vineyard. It has a floral nose with persistent notes of forest floor, brambly raspberries, Morello cherries, black currants, anise, subtle/integrated herbaceous notes, and lifted oak spice accents. It all ties together on the palate with grippy tannins hugging an ocean of red and dark berries, licorice, aniseed, dried herbs and earthy/savoury notes and then a long, echoing and polished finish. Such a fascinating Cabernet Franc that will improve and impress for another decade in the decade.

Thrill factor: Winemaker Brian Schmidt is the king of Cabernet Franc. No one experiments more with clones, block expressions and styles. This is the best of the best, a pure example of textbook Cabernet Franc.

Liebling Wines Family Select Cabernet Franc 2022 ($52, 93 points) — The first “Family Select” tier wine displays a graphic of a bouquet of all the flowers featured on all the Liebling bottles representing everyone “coming together for our Family Select line.” The difference between the Family Select and regular Cabernet Franc, according to Jess Solanki (Oppenlaender), the winemaker along with Jeff Moote, is barrel selection. The Family Select contains Cab Franc from the oldest vines in the family vineyard. “This barrel also happened to be the one that had a little more lees in it,” said Solanki, “So, it just had this roundness that we loved. I think all that together really made this one stand out. That’s why we pulled it out — it was so vastly different from the other barrels.” And Solanki is right. This version has a contrasting style with a nose of dark cherries, more concentration of fruits, floral accents, ripe raspberries, herbs, savoury notes, a touch of cassis and spice. It’s mouth-filling on the palate, a real cracker, with red berries, anise, savoury herbs, plush tannins, pepper, spice and a luxurious finish that’s long and lifted. A beauty! Can cellar to 2032.

Thrill factor: This new family winery, run by the second generation of the Oppenlaender winegrowing family, hit the ground running with their modest collection of wines made from grapes grown in their vineyards. Operations like this are the future of Niagara and that future looks bright.

Most innovative wine of the year …

Stratus PVMT Field Blend 2021 ($75, 93 points) — Stratus chose a crazy vintage to launch this innovative “field blend” in what is believed to be the first re-used wine bottles in Canada. The vintage was frustrating for winemakers, who had to wait on most red grapes to ripen after a gloomy, wet August. Winemaker Dean Stoyka said that of the 16 varieties planted at Stratus, the three grapes in this blend — Petit Verdot, Malbec and Tannat — are the least impacted by wet, cool weather. “They are kind of a hedge on climate vulnerability,” said Stoyka. The rare blend was co-fermented in a nod to ancient winemaking. Unlike the winery’s flagship “assemblage,” in a field blend, it is the grapes that are picked and blended on the same date before fermentation, not the finished wines. No one knows the exact percentage of each variety other than Petit Verdot has the larger share and Tannat the least. It has an attractive nose of wildflowers, brambly raspberries, blackberries, sweet cherries, purple plums, and subtle spice notes. That floral note carries to the palate offering complexity, some structure from the ripe tannins and layers of brambly red and dark berries, anise/licorice, herbaceous notes, spice box and a bright, lifted finish. Very cool wine with an even cooler story.

Thrill factor: Innovation, attention to detail, an eye on environmental responsibility. What’s not to like here?

Best value red wine of the year …

Honsberger Cabernet Franc 2022 ($39, 93 points) — This is a blend of estate fruit and grapes sourced from Niagara-on-the-Lake and made by prolific winemaker Matt Smith, who also crafts wine for Kirby Estates and Cloudsley. At less than $40 a bottle, the most inexpensive red wine on the Thrilling list, it tastes like a lot more. It was aged for 18 months in neutral French oak barriques. It is loaded with powerful, classic aromas of concentrated dark cherries, raspberry compote, cassis, anise, spice and lovely underlying herbaceous notes. The palate highlights savoury red berries, anise, some chalky/earthy notes, medium+ tannins, licorice, a touch of pepper, light tannins and a big, juicy finish. Lovely wine that will offer reward through 2030.

Thrill factor: Winemaker Matt Smith’s name is sprinkled throughout this list. It is here at Honsberger where he has total control over the winemaking, and if this CF is any indication, he’s just getting started.

For the Most Thrilling White and Red Wines of the Year for 2023 (and all years), go here.

Note: Thank you to Bolete for providing a nice backdrop for the feature photos of our wines of the year. Cheers!