By Rick VanSickle
Seemingly out of nowhere, Prince Edward County’s newest winery has unveiled its debut wines and ambitious plans for a dazzling state-of-the-art facility.
The Volta Estate Winery has an eye-popping (at least for PEC) 30 acres under vine, spread across three vineyards and planted to one of the largest selections of grapes I have seen in the County. And the estate design, with work beginning next summer, is spectacular and destined to be a popular destination draw for the region.
Volta is a family-owned (family above) winery “with a passion and mission to create premium quality, terroir-driven wines,” according to its mission statement. “We have an unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, sustainability, and the intersection of art, agriculture, gastronomy, and culture.”
While the first four County-centric wines are now available for purchase, and we taste them below, the stunning net zero estate winery isn’t expected to open until 2028.
“Sustainable, low environmental-impact strategies will define the wine process and facility where the seeming disadvantages of flat terrain, low water, high limestone, and strong wind are harnessed to shape both the site plan and the wine production,” the mission statement says. “The architecture will reflect the wine in its quiet grandness and unexpected beauty while embracing and warming the palate. Volta is inspired by the informality of Ontario farms now infused with an agrarian sublime that magnetically draws each shed across a covered courtyard. Details of the design are mined from the particulars of its rich site and an inventive approach to the contemporary winery program laden with the passion and hospitality of our clients.”
The new project’s 30 acres of grapes under vine is spread over three sites in the County. The Volta Estate Vineyard, where the main estate will be built, is planted to 20 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Marquette. The Familia Ramirez Vineyard has six acres planted to Chardonnay, Marquette and La Crescent, while the Knotty Vines Vineyard has four acres planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The winery’s vineyard priorities lean toward sustainable farming with data-driven winemaking using modern technology.
Vineyard Priorities:
• 100% hand-harvested grapes;
• Geotextiles for winter protection to avoid vine damage and tilling;
• Single guyot — one cane tied to fruiting wire;
• Ensure plant health, grape maturity, wine quality, yield, sustainability;
• Yearly applications of compost manure + foliar nutrients;
• Inter-row cover cropping: mix of clover, daikon, alfalfa, and more;
• Focus of sustainability around farming decisions, watershed management, delicate ecosystems, and land stewardship;
• Organic treatments used wherever possible.
• Integrated use of hybrid varieties through a premium quality lens for improved crop diversity, disease resistance, and yield reliability.
The long-range plan is to max out at 12,000 cases of wines annually that concentrates its efforts on terroir-focused, single vineyard County wines and sparkling made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Wines in Niagara hosted Volta operations manager Steven Del Degan (above with Thompson), whose family owns and designed the winery, and winemaker of the new project, Chris Thompson, for a back porch tasting while they were here for i4C.
Del Degan paused his architecture career with the family firm and went to Niagara College to receive his diploma from the viticulture and wine program prior to moving full-time to the County and oversee the project.
Thompson, previously the winemaker at Lighthall Vineyards in PEC, jumped at the chance to be the first to craft the new Volta wines. “These guys check all the boxes,” Thompson told Wines in Niagara. “They have a clear vision of what the County should be doing, expressing that terroir story (with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines) and not restrained by anything. That’s exciting for me.”
Another key aspect for Volta was bringing Edgar Ramirez (above), a well-respected grape grower in the County since 2002, into the fold as the vineyard manager. “If you’ve ever enjoyed a glass of wine in Prince Edward County, there’s a good chance Edgar Ramirez has had a hand in it,” Del Degan said in an Instagram post. “Edgar is a true legend — one of the most knowledgeable and respected vineyard managers, and an all-around stand-up guy. With over two decades of experience tending to vines, he knows every detail it takes to grow exceptional grapes.”
The three Chardonnays in this tasting report are all sourced from Familia Ramirez Vineyard and all winemaking for the debut 2023 vintage took place at Rosehall Run. As for availability, the LCBO will be listing both the unoaked Chardonnay and amphora aged Chardonnay. The other wines can be found at restaurants and bottle shops. Go to the website here and signup for updates for future availability.
Here’s what I liked at our back porch tasting with Del Degan and Thompson.
Volta Estate Familia Ramirez Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay 2023 ($25, 91 points) — This unoaked version from the Volta debut portfolio was cold fermented in stainless steel aged for eight months in tank on its fine lees, no stirring. A lovely fresh nose of Bosc pear, green apples, lemon tart and saline/stony minerality. It shows more concentration of orchard fruits, a touch of apricots, wet stones and a bright, lifted finish.
Volta Estate Familia Ramirez Vineyard Chardonnay Amphora 2023 ($30, 92 points) — This second Chardonnay in the portfolio was fermented and aged in sandstone amphora for eight months while on its lees with occasional stirring. Shows a bit more ripeness on the nose than the wine above, but still that nice vein of fresh salinity and seashells to go with pear, quince, bergamot in an elegant style. It has gorgeous texture with just a hint of reduction adding complexity to the ripe melange of orchard fruits, citrus zest and crushed stones through a lively, lifted finish.
Volta Estate Familia Ramirez Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 ($36, 93 points) — This was barrel fermented and aged in 100% French puncheons with eight different yeast strains for 12 months. It also was aged on its fine lees in barrel. It has an elegant and poised nose of pure golden apples, pear, apricot tart, wet stones and saline minerality, lifted citrus zest and integrated spice notes. It has lovely silky texture, a melange of orchard fruits, juicy apricot, flint and saline minerality, fresh-squeezed lemon, and a pinch of spice on a luxurious, long and lifted finish. Lovely County Chardonnay with a bright future ahead.
Volta Estate Knotty Vines Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023 ($45, 93 points) — The Pinot was 100% de-stemmed and fermented in stainless steel before aging in French oak barriques for 12 months (20% new oak). A beguiling nose of savoury black raspberries, Morello cherries, cranberries, violets, earthy/savoury notes, chalky/crushed stone minerality and integrated spice notes. It has lovely texture on the palate with silky smooth tannins followed by a melange of red berries, red currants, subtle anise, savoury notes, a bit of reduction, spice and a lifted, long finish. Tension, length and County minerality in spades here. A beauty. Can cellar this through 2032.
Uh oh….there goes the County.
The best part of the area was the ambiance and lack of this kind winery.
“Don’t it always seem to go
You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a winery.”
This proposed winery design does not seem to fit into the Country at all. Then again, the same could be said of a few Niagara wineries.
Progress, right???
Some people don’t like change, but I’m excited to see what Volta can do. Love seeing this kind of ambition and artistry in the County. Cheers!
I’m with you. If someone wants to invest that kind money on the County and draw more people there, what is the downside. Progress is good and it looks like a lot of thought went into the design and vineyard while surrounding themselves with County people. Go for it! Rick