By Rick VanSickle
It’s a pretty simple recipe for success at Niagara’s Westcott Vineyards: “We’re working on how to make wines that people want to drink. We can do that.”
Those are the words of co-owner Carolyn Hurst, who along with husband Grant Westcott, have that part down pat, establishing Westcott as one of Ontario’s most exciting wineries for single-vineyard expressions from the grapes that work best in Niagara.
They’ve come a long way since gambling everything after selling their home in Toronto in 2008, trading business attire for Blundstones, and moving to Niagara to start a new chapter in their lives. It was a business they were unfamiliar with, but they were determined to create something special from the property they purchased high up on the Niagara Escarpment.
They surrounded themselves with key people, brought in their family, planted grapes with the help of their son Garett Westcott, which they, at first, sold to other wineries. It wasn’t long before they realized they wanted to create wines under their own name — wines that reflected their values, their land, and their passion. So, in 2012, they produced their first vintage in true “garagistes” style, making wine in their equipment barn while working through permits for their main winery building.
In the fall of 2012, construction began on the main winery — built from a reclaimed 200-year-old timber frame barn sourced just a few kilometres away. By July 2014, the Westcotts opened their tasting room and welcomed their daughter, Victoria Westcott, to lead customer experience.
Two key hires, Jessica Ramage in 2017 as director of sales, and Casey Kulczyk in 2018 as winemaker, completed the core of what Westcott is today. But they weren’t done yet.
Also in 2018, the Westcotts “bet the farm” to acquire the Butlers’ Grant Vineyard, a prestigious site on the Twenty Mile Bench. This expanded their offerings beyond the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Home Vineyard on the Vinemount Ridge to include single-vineyard expressions of Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
It has been nothing short of exciting to watch this winery blossom into the going concern it is today. Not only have the wines gained a reputation as some of the finest vineyard expressions in Niagara, but it’s also now a destination winery and estate set in a restored heritage barn with sweeping vineyard views, a vibrant tasting room with outdoor seating where you can enjoy a glass of wine or sit down for a chef inspired meal created by the team at Bolete.
It’s one thing to establish an exciting premium portfolio of wines that “people want to drink,” as Hurst says, but a totally different skill set to get consumers to buy them. This is where, in my opinion, Westcott has excelled.
A strong marketing game and dogged pursuit of getting Westcott wines into the province’s largest retailer — the LCBO — is one of the largest hurdles to overcome for success. Hurst has been masterful in learning the ropes in acquiring listings at the government monopoly. Not everyone makes the trek to Niagara to buy local wines or purchase online, so getting wines listed at the LCBO is crucial to survival.
With numerous listings throughout the year, via the bi-weekly Vintages release, Westcott has become a favourite for savvy wine buyers. Its Estate Chardonnay, at $32 a bottle, has just been listed as a Vintages Essential, which means it has a constant presence from vintage to vintage. This is a big deal for a small, quality-driven winery such as Westcott.
It has been a lot of hard work, a lot of pounding the pavement for Hurst and Westcott, doing much of the in-person LCBO visits themselves around the province, talking to product consultants and making sure their wines are getting the attention they deserve.
If you follow Westcott on Facebook or Instagram, you will have noticed how dedicated they are in promoting their own products. A month-long trip to the westcoast this summer saw the couple hit the road in an Airstream camper for a journey to not only see the country from a unique perspective but also to share their “passion” for Canadian wine along the way.
As they set up camp at stops along the way, the couple, above) handed out notes to other campers to stop by their Airstream for a taste of Westcott wines. I can imagine a lot of folks took them up on the offer and walked away with a new appreciation for VQA wines.
I tasted a healthy selection of current and upcoming Westcott wines with Hurst, Westcott, Ramage and Kulczyk recently at the winery. The tasting was focused primarily on estate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs but there were also sparkling wines and a Cabernet Franc in the tasting. I’ve also included winemaking notes from Kulczyk on a couple of wines to give you a feel for the thought that goes into each wine.
Here’s what I liked. Note: All wines are current releases and available at the winery or online unless otherwise noted.
The bubbles
Westcott Violette Sparkling Brut NV ($27, 89 points) — The is a “fresh, friendly and approachable” charmat style bubbly enhanced with six months of lees aging. It’s a non-vintage blend of Riesling (mostly), Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The nose is bright with green apples, lemon/citrus, peach and pear with freshening saline notes. The bubbles are subtle on the palate but perky enough to elevate the pear, quince and zesty citrus notes on a lifted finish.
Westcott Brilliant Sparkling Rosé 2022 ($40, fall release, Vintages Nov. 6, 93 points) — This 100% Pinot Noir, traditionally-made sparkling wine was disgorged for this tasting (hence no label quite yet). It’s wild fermented, aged on the lees in tanks for 24 months with a dosage of estate Chardonnay (5 g/L). It shows a light rosé colour and elegant bead in the glass followed by a nose of fresh red berries, red currants, lovely saline, brioche, flint and toasty notes. The palate reveals fresh picked raspberries, cherries, watermelon and toasty brioche with a rounded texture, elegant bubbles and length through the finessed finish. Can age this through 2030.
The Pinot Noirs
Westcott Estate Pinot Noir 2021 ($32, Vintages Sept. 13 and Dec. 6, retasted, 92 points) — This is a wild fermented and barrel aged Pinot Noir sourced from both Westcott sites, that sees 22 months in older French oak barriques. It shows good colour in the glass and has an intense nose of brambly red berries, earthy/spicy notes, a touch of anise, violets and subtle spice notes. It’s rich and savoury on the palate with ripe tannins, a bit of cedar and a melange of dark cherries, black raspberries, cassis, spice and a lifted, vibrant finish. After retasting, this is in a very good spot and will be a perfect companion for Christmas when released at Vintages this fall and in December. Can cellar through 2032.
Westcott Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 ($50, fall release, 93 points) — The 2022 vintage was a tough one to navigate. With reduced yields, only single-vineyard expressions were made from the Home Vineyard and Butlers’ Grant Vineyard as there weren’t enough to go to blend into the estate level. Like all wines at Westcott, it’s wild fermented and then aged in French oak (no new barrels) for 23 months and bottled unfiltered and unfined. It shows a lighter shade of red in the glass but a generous impression on the nose with earthy red berries, woodsy perfume, anise and perfectly integrated spice notes. The dark cherries pop on the palate with supporting roles from black raspberries, crunchy pomegranate, anise and red currants. It’s silky smooth with ripe tannins on a lifted, long and finessed finish. Can cellar through 2032.
Westcott Carolyn’s Block Pinot Noir 2022 ($60, fall release, 94 points) — The fruit was whole cluster pressed and foot stomped to gently crush whole bunches of red grapes prior to fermentation. This has such an enticing, lifted and intense nose of ripe red berries, truffles, forest floor and perfumed spice notes. The palate shows a melange of perfectly ripe raspberries, cherries, strawberries and earthy/savoury notes with integrated spices, silky tannins on a long, vibrant finish. Beautiful expression with room to age through 2035.
How Kulczyk made this wine in his own words: “Carolyn’s block is 100% whole cluster. It is by far the most gently handled and extracted process when completed correctly. That’s why we use only gravity and our feet to complete the extraction work.
“The addition of stems and the many small ferments from berry to berry add levels of complexity and nuance. There is a perennial note of warming spices derived from the addition of the stems.
“There is also, despite gentle extraction, elevated tannin structure that resolves in 24 months of barrel aging. This process creates a wine that is regularity evolving but aging gracefully with structured tannins and classic bright Niagara acidity.”
Westcott Old Vines Pinot Noir 2022 ($60, Vintages direct delivery, fall release, 93 points) — Made similarly to the Reserve Pinot above, so, wild fermented and then aged in French oak (no new oak) for 23 months and bottled unfiltered and unfined. The old vines at the Butlers’ Grant Vineyard are nearly 40 years old. The bold and sassy nose shows earthy/savoury dark cherries, brambly raspberries, lifted floral notes, cassis and fully integrated oak spices. It’s more substantive on the palate with chalky/firm tannins, bold and rich red berries, earthy notes, spice and a finessed, long finish. Can cellar though 2035, maybe a bit more.
The Cabernet Franc
Westcott Butlers’ Grant Cabernet Franc 2021 ($60, retasted, 92 points) — The Butlers’ Grant Vineyard is in a different sub-appellation, the Twenty Mile Bench, then the Home Vineyard on the Vinemount Ridge, and it is where Hurst and Westcott live. It’s a gorgeous site and producing some stunning wines for the couple. The Cabernet Franc is aged in French oak (20% new oak) for 22 months. This is a woodsy/spicy take on Cab Franc on the nose with earthy red berries, cedar, sandalwood, black peppercorns, anise, herbs and black pepper. It’s meaty on the palate with dark berries, red currants, wild raspberries, polished tannins, mulled herbs, black licorice, dried tobacco, rich spice notes and a tangy, long finish. It’s much more integrated than originally tasted with beautiful balance, intensity and verve through the finish. This is serious CF that will benefit from some cellaring through 2032.
The Chardonnays
Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2023 ($32, retasted, Vintages Essential, 92 points) — The fruit comes from both estate vineyards — the Westcott Home Vineyard and Butlers’ Grant. The grapes are hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, wild fermented on its lees and then aged in French oak (no new oak) for 10 months. I’m finding the Niagara Chards from 2023 to be more robust and giving in their youth and that is on display here in spades with this estate wine. The nose shows ripe pear and yellow apples in an opulent style balanced by citrus zest and saline with butterscotch, toasty vanilla and spice. It has a creamy, buttery texture on the palate with baked pear, apple crumble, toasted almonds, lemon tart, baking spices and a luxurious finish. It’s rocking right now and there’s really no need to cellar more than a couple of years. After retasting, this showed elevated fresh saline and flinty notes, but pretty much the same as originally stated with just a bit more elegance. Note: This is now a Vintages Essential wine and always available.
Westcott Reserve Chardonnay 2023 ($50, 93 points) — This Reserve Chardonnay from the Home Vineyard is aged in oak for 16 months, but with a twist. It’s double aged, first in separate barrels, then blended and aged in one-year-old barrels. The result is this luxurious and profoundly fruited Chardonnay with a nose of poached pear, golden apples, saline, creamy/toasty notes and elegant spices. It is generous on the palate with ripe orchard fruits, lemon curd, freshening saline and wet stones with integrated spices, lovely texture and a lifted, long finish. Can cellar through 2032.
How Kulczyk made this wine in his own words: “Carolyn’s block is 100% whole cluster. It is by far the most gently handled and extracted process when completed correctly. That’s why we use only gravity and our feet to complete the extraction work.
“The addition of stems and the many small ferments from berry to berry add levels of complexity and nuance. There is a perennial note of warming spices derived from the addition of the stems.
“There is also, despite gentle extraction, elevated tannin structure that resolves in 24 months of barrel aging. This process creates a wine that is regularity evolving but aging gracefully with structured tannins and classic bright Niagara acidity.”
Westcott Block 76 Chardonnay 2023 ($50, retasted, Vintages direct delivery, 94 points) — This Chardonnay is sourced from a small, unique block at the Home Vineyard. The grapes are hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, wild fermented and then aged in neutral French oak for 16 months. This is always one of Niagara’s top expressions of Chardonnay. It shows pure elegance and lovely fresh saline and stony minerality followed by pear perfume, crisp apples, citrus, bergamot and fully integrated spice notes. It has a plush texture and profound stoney/saline minerality on the palate with fruits of apple, pear, quince and lemon chiffon with leesy notes, ripe fruit sweetness (even with only 2 g/l of RS) and a caressing, long and luxurious finish. After retasting, I have rescored this beautiful expression of terroir-driven up a point as it has become much more integrated and luxurious with a subtle flinty character adding complexity. Can cellar to 2033.
Westcott Butlers’ Grant Old Vines Chardonnay 2023 ($50, 93 points) — Sourced from 40-year-old vines at the Butlers’ Grant Vineyard, the wine is aged in French oak (20% new) for 16 months. The nose is ripe with tropical mango fruit, golden apples, pears, toasted vanilla bean, lemon curd and baking spices. Even with the ripe fruits, there is a sense of grace and elegance on the palate with orchard and tropical fruits, a saline edge, a silky texture, toasty vanilla bean, rich spice notes, saline and wet stones with a rounded, long, luxurious finish. Can cellar through 2032.
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