By Rick VanSickle
It’s a grape that’s fallen so far out of favour you can’t even whisper its name anymore — but let us spell it out for you, backwards, so as not to frighten you: GNILSEIR.
Also in this Niagara Wine Report: Six Dobbin Estate wines plus 12 other Rieslings from Niagara to go get now.
This much-maligned grape has had its moments in history but certainly not in recent times. Gnilseir has never been so polarizing, so wrongly misunderstood and has paid the price, at least in Niagara, with vines being ripped out and replaced with the likes of — gasp! — Vidal and Pinot Grigio, among other less noble varieties.
The reasons are myriad, and I’m not here to take your through the litany of excuses consumers espouse for shunning this grape in all its iterations. I can only reiterate my own undying love for Gnilseir, the hell with it, let’s call it what it is: RIESLING!
So (OMG!) this is another kick at the can to convince someone, anyone, to just give Riesling a chance. Even one single convert would be a big win before we witness this once proud grape being relegated to the annals of wine history. So, hear me out, if I haven’t lost you already.
Riesling was one of the grapes that helped launch the modern wine industry in Canada in 1974 when Inniskillin owners Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser were granted the first new winery licence since Prohibition in 1916. Inniskillin, Chateau des Charmes and Cave Spring Vineyard all factored Riesling into their early VQA portfolios. And so impressed with the early Rieslings being made in Niagara, successful German vintner Herman Weis bought 50 acres of land on Niagara’s Twenty Mile Bench in 1979 and planted Riesling to close 21b in what is now the St. Urban Vineyard at Vineland Estates where Riesling still enjoys top billing right there along with Cabernet Franc.
Riesling has had its moments in Niagara. It has enjoyed popularity, and it has seen consumers, or at least recent consumers, turn their noses up at anything Riesling for whatever reason, usually along the lines of sugar levels and not knowing what they are buying.
It’s too late to preach to you about all the reasons Riesling is such a magnificent grape. No one cares. It’s too late to berate people for not enjoying Riesling. The “If you don’t like Riesling, you’re a f—ing idiot” T-shirts just don’t cut it anymore. It’s too late to try and explain to people why Riesling can be enjoyable at less than 9 g/l of residual sugar and also as a sweet wine at more than 45 g/l and, of course, as an icewine well north of that. It’s just too late for all that.
It’s why I so appreciate the efforts of winemakers who are quietly trying to take Riesling back to its former elite status and beyond. The likes of the Vineland Estates, Hidden Bench, Flat Rock, Henry of Pelham, Chateau des Charmes, Inniskillin, Charles Baker, 2027 Cellars, Leaning Post, Featherstone, Ravine, and Cave Springs are all finding new recruits willing to pick up the Riesling torch.
Say hello to Westcott, Fogolar, Liebling, Honsberger, King and Vic, and, of course, Dobbin Estate Winery on the Twenty Mile Bench. While many of the newcomers to Riesling are using unique expressions from their own estate vineyards or sourcing proven terroirs to impressive results, others such as Westcott and Dobbin (among others) are pushing the limits of what can be done with this grape and proving why we need to elevate its status to what it once was.
I was reminded of this at a tasting recently of all the Rieslings in bottle made to date at Dobbin Estate, a six-bottle retrospective from 2019 to 2021 evaluated side by side with assistant winemaker Dave Brennan (above) and consulting winemaker Peter Gamble (with Brennan in very top photo). It was a insightful look at how Riesling can be taken to new heights with attention to detail using myriad techniques in the vineyard.
The winemaking team of Gamble, his wife Ann Sperling and Brennan ensure that they utilize all the tools necessary to ensure a consistent style from vintage to vintage, yet true to what the terroir dictates. Multiple picks, low yields, organic farming and a quality-first approach no matter the cost is a philosophy that has elevated this new project to elite status right out of the gate. Riesling alone can get up to seven separate picks that all bring different flavours to the finished wine.
The different methods for farming the estate grapes (and some sourced from trusted growers) can produce Rieslings with varying abv, residual sugars and acid levels and level of botrytis grapes used.
Dobbin is located just south-east of The Farm Wines off King St. and the team has chosen to champion four Niagara-centric grapes — Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir — that do well in the vineyards’ calcium-rich soils. All but the most westerly vineyard at the former Laura Sabourin farm were selected specifically to maximize their site and are tightly planted, grown organically, and cropped for low yields.
It’s a beautiful site, punctuated by an ornate, grand tower that offers near panoramic views of the freshly replanted north-sloping, south-sloping and western Charlene vineyards that are bordered by forests and separated by a stunning seven-acre pond.
In this report, we taste two new upcoming Dobbin Rieslings and compare previously reviewed Rieslings that are still aging nicely in bottle. Here’s what I liked (tasted from dry to off dry):
Dobbin Estate Dry Riesling 2019 ($60, re-tasted, 93 points) — The grapes were manually harvested in four different picks over a period of nearly a month to provide some additional complexity through the varied acidities, ripeness, and flavour profiles from the grapes. There were short portions of skin-contact and extended fermentations in primarily stainless-steel barrels. About 12% of the fruit was botrytised. This “dry” Riesling is noted only by its black capsule in a throwback to the winemaking in Alsace, which influenced the motivation behind this wine. It has finished at 8.7 g/L of residual sugar and only 176 cases were produced. This is a very different style of Riesling for Niagara. It’s racy and open knit on the nose and starts with a pure mineral bath of saline, chalky notes and emerging petrol followed by lime, quince, white flowers, and subtle savoury notes. Wonderful concentration on the palate showing fleshy orchard fruits, zesty lime, saline, wet stones, and a long, vibrant finish. On re-tasting last week, this was still in prime time with a highly aromatic nose and ripe, layered fruits on the palate. The sizzling acidity suggests a long life in the cellar if you want to push those contrasting petrol and mineral notes. Can cellar through 2035.
Dobbin Estate Riesling Black Cap 2021 ($60 when released, new review, 92 points) — The 2021 Black Cap was hand-picked over three dates between Oct. 15 and Nov. 2. Up to 20% of the fruit was botrytised and the wine spent 18 months on the lees. It was finished at 9 g/L of RS. At this very early stage, the nose is quite tight, youthful and waiting to open up. It starts with pure saline/mineral notes followed by citrus, nectarine, apple skin, white peach and lanolin. It’s more giving on the palate with rich and savoury orchard fruits in a textured and nuanced style that shows some fleshy notes, a touch of honey, ginger and racy minerality on a lifted finish. Can cellar through 2037.
Dobbin Estate White Cap Dry Riesling 2020 ($65, re-tasted, 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’s a beautifully aromatic Riesling that 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, a touch of reduction, 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 2038 and beyond.
Dobbin Estate Riesling 2019 ($65, re-tasted, 95 points) — This shows the kind of serious style of Riesling Gamble, Sperling and Brennan are zeroing in on from estate vineyards, in this case, the small Charlene Vineyard on the western part of the property nestled in the heart of the Twenty Mile Bench. It’s the result of five different harvest dates, which Gamble says they pick based on flavours, and collecting portions of botrytis affected grapes (20%) during the harvest for separate vinification in a mix of stainless steel and neutral larger format oak barrels. The RS is a modest 10.5 g/L, and 107 cases were made. This was chosen as Wines in Niagara’s Most Thrilling White Wine in 2023, and it was a real treat to retaste for this report to reaffirm our original assessment. This is incredibly complex and keeps changing on the nose and palate as you go back to it. It’s slightly less open knit on the nose than the last time it was tasted, suggesting a dumb phase. But swirl (or decant) and the lemon-lime emerges on top then wild alfalfa honey, green apples, pears, fuzzy peach skin, subtle apricots and stony minerality. It’s more open on the palate and has a fine mineral edge with flint and lanolin followed by fresh apples, peach tart, zesty lemon-lime, a hint of wild honey (not sweet), ginger and a racy, lingering, electric finish that will keep this seductive Riesling in fine form for a decade or more.
Dobbin Estate Riesling White Cap 2021 ($65 when released, new review, 94 points) — This is also sourced 100% from the estate Charlene Vineyard. It was hand-picked over three days in late October with 12% of the fruit botrytised. It spent 18 months on the lees and was finished with 11 g/L of RS. Such a lovely, inviting nose of fresh florals, peach tart, bergamot, apricot, lime/citrus, ginger and a subtle note of petrol in the background. It’s rich and powerful on the palate with a melange of citrus and orchard fruits, highlighted by apricots, nectarines and lemon curd all nicely joined by stony/saline minerality, savoury notes, ginger and a long, vibrant finish. Gorgeous Riesling with a bright future ahead. Can cellar through 2036.
Dobbin Riesling 2020 ($60, re-tasted, 93 points) — The fruit for this Riesling was sourced from the estate, another vineyard on the Twenty Mile Bench and a vineyard in the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation. It was harvested over several picks late in October, wild fermented, partially wild malo, and spent 18 months on its lees. It was finished at 15 g/L RS with 8 g/l of TA. It has a pretty, floral nose with pear, yellow apple, waxy/lanolin notes, stony minerality and lemon zest in a complex and intriguing style that is just now coming into harmony. It’s a showy Riesling with opulence on the palate, generous helpings of baked apple and pear, grapefruit/citrus, lime zest, honeycomb, and ginger in a textured style that finishes fresh and finessed. Just a beautifully luxurious and minerally driven Riesling that you can cellar to 2035 and beyond.
Note: Dobbin has several different tasting experiences consumers can choose from. To book a tasting or to buy the wines online, go here.
A dozen Niagara Rieslings you’ll love
Wines in Niagara has gone into our data base of Rieslings reviewed on this site in the last year to help you experience the best this grape has to offer. We start with a fresh review of the Westcott Butlers’ Grant Old Riesling.
Westcott Butlers’ Grant Old Vine Riesling 2023 ($22, Vintages stores in June, 93 points) — This wild fermented Riesling from the oldest vines planted in 1980 at the Butlers’ Grant Vineyard is aged on its lees for six months and undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation. It’s finished at 7 g/L of RS and 9.5% abv. This is a personable and minerally laced Riesling that shows a nose of lemon-lime, white peach, apricot, floral notes, saline and trademark ginger notes. There’s subtle flintiness on the palate with lovely texture, ripe orchard fruits, zingy citrus, that trademark ginger note, a touch of honey and mouth-watering acidity through a lifted, fresh finish. Can cellar through 2035.
Fogolar Picone Vineyard 2022 ($25, 94 points) — 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. It acts more like a Twenty Mile Bench wine 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 notes 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.
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 previous, cooler vintage. 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 to most other vintages in Niagara for Riesling, but 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.
Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling 2023 ($23, 94 points) — One of Niagara’s benchmark Rieslings made in an off-dry style, the Elevation, rarely disappoints — with its profile and attractive price. The 2023 is another fine example of Bench Riesling with its exuberant nose of gushing lime, stony minerality, white peach, ginger notes, lemon zest, and crisp apple. It’s juicy and balanced on the palate with notes of peach, honeycomb, zippy lime, quince, ginger and stony/saline minerality with that yin-yang thing of sweet/tartness that builds in intensity through the vibrant finish. Can cellar through 2034.
2027 Cellars Wismer Vineyard Foxcroft Block Riesling 2023 ($25, 93 points) — Wismer Fox Croft tends to be slightly warmer than other sites on the Twenty Mile Bench, due to the lower elevation, and yields a riper style of Riesling. This is bright and overt on the nose with green apples, lime-citrus, wet-stone minerality, and grapefruit zest. It has lovely texture and energy on the palate with saline/chalky notes, lanolin, grapefruit, fresh apple, a touch of ginger and a vibrant, freshening finish.
Leaning Post Grimsby Hillside Riesling 2021 ($27, 93 points) — It’s just so sad that Riesling has fallen so far from favour with consumers. Leaning Post co-owner and winemaker Ilya Senchuk has been a champion of this super-star grape in Niagara since the early days of what was at one time his virtual brand. And he’s never given up on it, no matter how difficult it can be to sell. This expression from nearby Grimsby Hillside Vineyard is world class and is everything I love about this grape in Niagara. Senchuk stopped fermentation at 11 g/l RS and allowed for 11 months of lees aging. The enticing nose shows the full range of saline minerality, lanoline, grapefruit, empire apple, honeysuckle, savoury notes and a touch of ginger. The fresh vein of saline continues on the palate with peach pit, lime citrus, crisp apples, a touch of honeycomb and a vibrant, juicy finish. Can age through 2030.
Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Riesling 2022 ($33, 94 points) — This top tier Riesling from HoP is always one of the best Rieslings made in Niagara from vintage to vintage. It’s from the estate’s Short Hills Bench vineyard, planted to the Weiss 21b clone in 1984. It has a beautiful nose of gushing lime, Meyer lemon, fresh salinity, wet stones, peaches, and apricots. It feels dry on the palate, despite over 10 g/L of RS, and shows fresh squeezed lime, grapefruit, peach tart, pears, chalky minerality, razor-sharp acidity and a bright, lifted finish. Can age through 2034.
Honsberger Riesling 2023 ($24, 92 points) — “It’s a shame Niagara can’t sell more Riesling,” winemaker Matt Smith laments. “We can make a consistent style year after year.” I feel Smith’s pain; no other variety performs better than Riesling from vintage to vintage throughout Niagara. It rarely disappoints as long as you know what you are buying and the style you want to buy. This Riesling from the farm’s Creek Shores sub-appellation is my kind of Riesling at only 4 g/l of residual sugar and 12% abv with a beautiful floral, stony nose of lemon-lime zip, grapefruit, yellow apples, touch of peach and freshening saline. The full range of bright citrus is the first note on the palate followed by pear, apple and juicy acidity keeping it all fresh and vibrant on the back end. You can comfortably cellar to 2030.
Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2022 ($20, 91 points) — Named after the sheep from St. Anns that Featherstone “employs” to help with leaf thinning in the vineyard later in the season. “It’s adult lemonade,” former co-owner Louise Engel said. “It just tastes like another sip.” The grapes were hand harvested and whole berry pressed. It has enticing notes of lime, lemon, green apple, saline minerality, green apples and peach pit. There is some sweetness on the palate but tempered nicely by the racy acidity. It sings with bright lime/lemon, fresh apples, subtle flintiness, and a playful yin-yang of sweet-tart fruit with a fresh finish. Consistently delicious Riesling.
Liebling Riesling 2022 ($22, 90 points) — The flagship Riesling grapes from Liebling were born in the Lingard Vineyard on the St. David’s Bench from vines planted in 2006 by Matthias Oppenlaender’s vineyard team. Aging was in stainless steel and the grapes were planted to the 21b clone. The fresh nose shows a lovely melange of white peach, lime, candied citrus, pear, jasmine. and stony minerality. There is a subtle note of sweetness on the palate with a juicy array of peach, apple, citrus and wet stones that’s all nicely balanced by the racy acidity through the bright finish. A joyous Riesling for everyday sipping.
Hidden Bench Roman’s Block Rosomel Vineyard Riesling 2019 ($34, 94 points) — If single-vineyard Beamsville Bench Rieslings are your jam (and they should be), you might want to stock up on the 2019 and 2020 vintages. No single-vineyard Rieslings are being made from the 2021 vintage, owner Harald Thiel said, as the harvest wasn’t kind to this variety. The estate wine, however, will benefit from the de-classified top grapes. The vines in the famed Rosomel Vineyard are nearly 50 years old, and the older vines only yield about 2.5 tonnes/acre. The grapes are handpicked, sorted, and pressed as whole bunches. It has a delicate, elegant nose of honeysuckle, grapefruit, lime, and prevailing chalky/stony notes. It was a touch shy when first tasted but opened up to show a richer profile on the palate with ripe apple, gushing grapefruit and lime, stony minerality and a racy spine of acidity driving the backend and balancing modest sweetness on the long, lingering finish. You will be rewarded with 5+ years of cellaring.
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.
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