Critics go head-to-head on Niagara’s Kirby Estate wines

By Rick VanSickle

It’s sage advice, in health as it is in wine, to always get a second opinion.

Note, also in this Ontario Wine Report: Our picks from the Saturday release at Vintages stores, including two wines from Wending Home, a Divergence sparkling wine, a Pinot Noir from Cloudsley, a red blend from the B.C. winery Soren we tasted and loved, and three vintage Hidden Bench magnums that are on the auction block.

This is why I welcomed an invitation from Peter Rod, Niagara College’s professor of wine, beer, and spirits, to compare notes on a recent tasting he did at Niagara-on-the-Lake winery Kirby Estate, in the sub-appellation of Niagara Lakeshore.

I had already reviewed most of the wines Rod tasted recently but have always admired the way he goes about evaluating and describing the wines he tastes. As you will see in his reviews below, Rod has a way with words and a deep understanding of the descriptors he uses to portray what he is tasting from the aromas and flavours to texture and finesse. I have juxtaposed his thoughts about six Kirby wines beside my own notes for a He Said, He Said comparative look at a portion of the portfolio.

There are obvious differences in the notes from the two of us, such is the personal nature of wine perception, but there are also common threads that can be found in the notes. It was a fun exercise to read Rod’s thoughts in comparison to my own, if not a little humbling considering his impeccable palate.

A little bit about Rod

Peter Rod is a 35-year veteran of restaurant management, the wine trade, winery consulting, and beverage alcohol education in both B.C. and Ontario. He has studied hotel and restaurant management at the University of Guelph and completed his sommelier certification through the International Sommelier Guild in 1993. 

Rod worked and competed as a professional sommelier until 2001 after which time he shifted his focus toward the wine trade. He was named top sommelier in western Canada in 1996, 3rd best sommelier in Canada for French wines and spirits in 1997 and won the Ontario Wine Award Sommelier of the Year in 2006. He completed his WSET Diploma in 1998 and earned the Society of Wine Educators Certified Wine Educator and Certified Specialist of Spirits awards several years later.

Rod completed his master’s degree in education at Queen’s University in 2020 and has been teaching WSET Level 2 and Level 3 certification at Brock University since 2010. He is in his 11th year as a member of the Faculty of the School of Wine, Beer, and Spirits at Niagara College. He is also a contributor to Wines in Niagara.

Rod is also the perennial winner of his own “options” blind tastings he often holds at his home — usually outdoors. These options tastings consist of tasting wines from anywhere in the world blind with subtle hints along the way. Rod is the guy with his hand always up first and he’s often correct on variety, region, producer and vintage. Show off.

A little bit about Kirby Estates

The Kirby Estates farm winery has become a passion project for owners Scott and Maria Kirby. Under the couple’s stewardship, they have partnered with industry professionals with expertise in vineyard management (Glen Elgin Vineyard Management) and artisanal winemaking (winemaker Matt Smith, consulting winemaker Peter Gamble) resulting in “remarkably high quality,” small-lot, single-vineyard Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Gamay and soon to be sparkling wines.

Kirby Estate is situated in the regional appellation of Niagara-on-the-Lake, in the sub-appellation Niagara Lakeshore and is approximately 2.7 km south of Lake Ontario. Blessed with rich, fertile soils and microclimates, this region offers the Kirbys what they feel is the perfect stage for crafting wines of “unparalleled complexity and intense flavour, setting us apart even from many warmer climates.” Situated between the escarpment and the lake fosters convection breezes which ventilate the vines and moderate winter and summer temperature extremes, while extending the growing season into late October and early November allowing for exceptional fruit maturation.

The vineyard has five red varieties planted, including Gamay Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with two white varieties, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, totalling approximately 11 acres under vine. All the wines reviewed below can be purchased online here (https://www.kirbyestate.com/shop) or tasted and purchased by appointment only while the new tasting facility is being completed.

Rod Said, VanSickle Said … six
Kirby wines reviewed head-to-head

Rod Said:

Kirby Estates Pinot Blanc 2023 ($35) — 27-year-old vines, nine months in 20% new Billon, Sirugues, and Damy barrels. Med deep lemon hue with subtle orchard and citrus fruit (lemon, lemon peel, pear) but verges on softer tree fruits when warmed. Lovely hints of lemon balm and tarragon too. Excellent concentration and balance with flavours of almond meat, toast and ripe, but not sweet, fruits. Crunchy, stony texture at the core with wood adding some grip and light spice notes. Difficult to find a more complete and enjoyable example of this variety anywhere. Highly recommended.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Pinot Blanc 2023 ($35, 93 points) — It’s not often you find a Pinot Blanc being made in Niagara, let alone in this style that proprietor Scott Kirby uses as his inspiration, a style prevalent in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. It was during a tasting of different Pinot Blancs from around the world with colleagues, including consultant Peter Gamble and winemaker Matt Smith, that Kirby decided on Alto Adige as the way to go for his first estate Pinot Blanc from the Kirby Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The fruit comes from a 1996 planting and is aged in French oak (20% new) for nine months with full malo. The inviting nose shows stony/saline minerality, white peach, pear, lanolin, citrus and light spice notes. It has gorgeous texture and concentration on the palate with stone fruits, a touch of flint and rousing saline, lemon tart, a bit more spice, and a lifted, finessed, long finish. This is serious Pinot Blanc and has enough structure and acidity to cellar until 2028.

Rod Said:

Kirby Estate Chardonnay 2021 ($55) — 26-year-old vines, 20 months in 25% new barrels. Full malo. Medium lemon hue. Subtle lemon curd, meringue, custard, and candied pear, with an intriguing almost mustard spice in the nose. Palate is more tropical with pineapple, mango, honeydew melon, and fresh sweet coconut meat. Quite rich and supple textured. Ripe and robust through mid-palate with a lovely nutty and savoury, dry finish with elements of buttered fruit. Comparable to a top Pouilly-Fuissé in my mind. Absolutely holds its own and has its own unique identity in a sea of high-quality Ontario Chardonnays. Highly recommended to drink now and hold for several more years if preferred.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Chardonnay 2021 ($55, 92 points) — Sourced from estate grapes planted 26 years ago, this Chardonnay is hand harvested and hand sorted, wild fermented and aged in 100% French oak barrels (20% new oak) for 18 months. The nose is intense and focused with perfumed pear, pure saline and wet stones with yellow apple, bergamot, guava and a touch of vanilla toast and spice. It’s rich and savoury on the palate with flinty minerality, and chalky notes followed by layers of pear, apple, lemon tart, and some tropical accents in a generous, yet elegant style that all leads to juicy acidity on a lifted, long finish.

Rod Said:

Kirby Estate Gamay Noir 2024 ($29) — 15% whole cluster, stainless. Glowing ruby hue. Red cherry stone, raspberry, currant and a hint of bay leaf, soya, and an attractive braised beef note with aeration and warming. Perhaps I was hungry and dreaming of a food pairing at this point. Medium body and super juicy with loads of cherry flesh and stone. Perfectly balanced mouthwatering acid surrounded by the ripe red fruits. None of the leafy or harsh peppery notes often found in cool climate Gamay. Super food friendly. Recommended.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Gamay Noir 2024 ($29, new review, 92 points) — The grapes from the 26-year-old vines were hand sorted with 15% whole clusters preserved and included in the wild fermentation. The wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels for seven months. This is a more serious, “cru” style Gamay that has a nose rich in cherries, brambly raspberries, pomegranate, black currants, forest floor and underlying earthy, savoury, light spice notes. It’s nicely structured and textured on the palate with light tannins in support of a medley of ripe red berries, crushed stone/chalky minerality, earthy/savoury/gamey notes, blueberries and light, toasted spice notes through a bright and lifted finish. This is a Gamay that you can age a bit to harmonize all those moving parts. I would suggest cellaring a bottle or two through 2030.

Rod Said:

Kirby Estate Merlot 2021 ($60) — 13.2% abv. Showing some nice, early evolution with dried cherry, hoisin, tobacco, Zante currants, herb, and anise. Big and supple on impact with lovely, sweet fruits and fine layered tannins. Cherry is quite concentrated amid balanced medium acidity. Lovely and fresh but expressive now and will hold nicely for 5 to 7 years. Recommended.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Merlot 2021 ($60, 93 points) — Kirby believes this version of the Merlot (only one was made in 2021, not the reserve) “is our best (estate) to date.” The wine is aged in 100% French oak (33% new oak) for 18 months. It shows a lighter shade of red in the glass and has an expressive nose of brambly red berries, umami/mushrooms, earth, red flowers, plums, dark cherries, anise and elegant spice notes. It shows more concentration on the palate with chalky tannins and melange of earthy dark cherries, black raspberries, cassis, anise, savoury spice notes, cloves and a polished finish that’s finessed and long. An elegant and expressive Merlot that should cellar nicely for the next five years.

Rod Said:

Kirby Estate Reserve Merlot 2020 ($80) — 14.5% abv, from a barrel selection. Super ripe fruit aromatics behind plum paste, soya, caramelized brown sugar, Szechuan peppercorn, black licorice and beef broth notes. Massive concentration with firmer, slightly dusty tannins that dissolve nicely in the fruit. Very well-judged wood here and already medium length for such a young, powerful wine. Best years are definitely ahead. I’ll drink mine over the next 7-10 years. If you are a lover of high quality Pomerol, this is a must have.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Reserve Merlot 2020 ($80, 93 points) — The reserve Merlot from the warm 2020 vintage is from 18-year-old grapes planted at the property. It’s wild fermented and aged for 20 months in 20% new French oak and the rest in neutral barrels. The nose is a bit closed on first sniff, but it opens with swirling to a nuanced and elegant array of dark cherries, wild black raspberries, dark plums, clove, and toasty vanilla spice. It’s ripe and dense on the palate with a bed of plush tannins, a rich broth of ripe red berries, anise, dusty/firm tannin structure, complexity, layered and long through a lifted finish. Perfectly poised between pretty and powerful with a window of drinking stretching through a decade. 14.7% abv.

Rod Said:

Kirby Estate Signature Merlot 2020 $108) — 15.7% abv, from best barrels. Similar to reserve but more restrained at this point. Certainly, some unique elements here including liqueur-like fruit, cherry custard, and black licorice with a gorgeous almost lactic aged cheese aroma adding further complexity. Much grippier tannins and this pushes the impression of acid up a touch too. Dark chocolate and tobacco with some smoke and ash flavours. Alcohol only adds density and richness, but not heat. Great harmony of elements. Long finish but definitely still tight and begging for bottle age. I’d suggest this monster will really start to shine in 10-15 years. Highly recommended for your cellar.

VanSickle Said:

Kirby Estate Merlot Signature 2020 ($108, 95 points) — Simply stated, this “signature” level Merlot is a blockbuster, maybe the finest Merlot I have tasted from Niagara. It’s made essentially as the Merlot above except for two factors: this is unfiltered, and the wine is finished at 15.7% abv (though Gamble says it’s more like 15% abv), that doesn’t feel like it at all. Such a beguiling and perfumed nose of meaty, ripe, and seductive red berries, plum pudding, figs, sweet tobacco, cloves, elegant oak spices and sandalwood nuances. It is mouth-filling, rich, and layered with a silky texture, and ripe tannins in support of a complex array of ripe/brambly red berries, anise, plums, truffles, subtle pepper, and lovely spice notes that are integrated and elegant. It’s surprisingly balanced through an incredibly long and finessed finish with little indication of the stated abv. What a beautiful Merlot that can easily cellar for 10 or more years.

Our picks of the Niagara wines
coming to Vintages Feb. 7

Divergence Hughes Vineyard Brut Rosé Sparkling 2021 ($40, 93 points)— This single vineyard 100% Pinot Noir Rosé, sourced from the Hughes Vineyard in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation, is made both with and without skin contact to extract colour and strike balance of flavour and texture. It’s aged for two years in bottle and was disgorged in March with just 1 g/L dosage (so essentially, “extra brut”) using barrel aged reserve wine from the same harvest. It shows an inviting salmon colour in the glass with a vigorous bead and lovely strawberries, wild raspberries, cherries, cranberries, and lime zest. It’s wonderfully dry and vibrant with a firm, persistent bubble as it takes on a more earthy tone on the palate adding complexity to the pure red berries, subtle note of anise, toasty almonds, and mouth-watering acidity, giving this delicious sparkler lift and finesse through the finish.

Wending Home Estate Vineyard Riesling 2021 ($25, 90 points) — There is a lovely floral note on the nose followed by white peach, fresh cut lemons, a vein of salinity and pear skin. It has enticing steely/slatey minerality notes on the palate with peach, yellow apples, a riot of citrus zest, and a touch of savouriness on a rousing, lifted finish. It has 7.7 g/L residual sugar, but it’s nicely balanced by the racy acidity. Can cellar through 2030.

Wending Home Pinot Gris 2021 ($28, 90 points) — Proprietor/winemaker Giesbrecht is particular about his Pinot Gris and doesn’t want consumers to confuse it with the lighter, dock sipper styles normally associated with this ubiquitous grape. “It’s not Grigio,” he says. “I’m more interested in complexity.” He achieves that here with a later pick, despite the misty, damp fall in 2021. It has a lifted nose with lovely floral notes, poached pear, peach, melon, and citrus. It’s rich on the palate with lanolin/beeswax notes, flecks of honey, peach tart, ripe pear, and lemon zest with a fairly bright finish.

Cloudsley End of the Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 ($50, 92 points) — This Pinot Noir is sourced from Tom and Loring Wiley’s End of the Road Vineyard, planted in 2007, on the Twenty Mile Bench. It’s aged in French oak barriques, 23% new oak, for 18 months. This usually shows more of a New World personality but in 2021 it’s less robust and more elegant than the 2020 version. The nose shows pure dark cherries, fresh wild raspberries, floral notes and just hinting at oak spices. It’s juicy and smooth on the palate with all those ripe red berries showing up to go with integrated earthy/savoury notes, some meaty notes and a lifted, fresh finish. Can cellar through 2030

Also released but not reviewed by Wines in Niagara:

• Back 10 Smitten Sparkling 2024 ($26,
• Kew Pinot Meunier Natural Brut Sparkling 2029 ($32)
• Marynissen Heritage Collection Charmed Sparkling 2021 ($18)
• Domaine Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay 2023 ($30)
• Domaine Queylus Reserve du Domaine Chardonnay 2022 ($49)
• Organized Crime Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($23)
• Domaine Queylus Le Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 2019 ($67)
• Tawse Growers Blend Cabernet Franc 2020 ($30)

A treat from the Similkameen Valley

Soren Boundary Spring Red Blend 2022 ($39, 92 points) — Soren is a B.C. project from Master of Wine Geoffrey Moss and winemaker Ryan McKibbon. Their philosophy is simple: “What if we could showcase wines from our favourite winemakers? Not just from the Okanagan, but from around the world. Barrel by barrel, we select the lots that raise the hair on our arms. They have a verve. An electricity. And, most importantly, they have something to say.” The blend for this single vineyard Similkameen Valley red wine is 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 12% Malbec, and 5% Syrah. It’s the result of a 17-barrel blend that’s aged in mostly neutral French barriques with one-third of the barrels new. This is a lovely, elegant expression of a proprietary red blend with a nose of blackberries, black currants, anise, herbaceous notes, some floral lift, just a pinch of pepper and black licorice with light and savoury spice notes. It’s full-bodied on the palate with ripe and generous fruits of ripe dark berries, plums, meaty/earthy notes, underbrush and spice. The texture is plush with ripe tannins that all leads to a long, luxurious and lifted finish. Can cellar through 2031. A beautiful wine.

Hidden Bench magnums featured
in Iron Gate online auction

The first Iron Gate Fine Wine Auction of the year features a trio of magnums from Niagara’s Hidden Bench winery. The online auction is ongoing until Feb. 10 and consists of over 1,600 lots, sourced from some of the country’s top cellars.

The catalogue includes rare and back vintage bottles from every corner of the wine world, with Bordeaux accounting for nearly 45% of the catalogue, including first growths such as Chateau Margaux and Haut Brion. Burgundy follows closely at 30%, while Italy rounds out the primary highlights at 15% with a prestigious selection of Super Tuscans and Barolos.

It’s rare to see Ontario wines in these auctions, outside of vintage icewine, but Lot 1,494 consists of three of Hidden Bench’s top cuvees from the 2011 vintage, all in magnums. Up for bidding are the 2011 Hidden Bench Locust Pinot Noir, Chardonnay Tete de Cuvee and Felseck Vineyard Chardonnay. The estate for the three-magnum lot is between $380 and $520 with a reserve of $240.

To sign up for the auction, browse and bid, go here (https://bid.irongateauctions.com/auctions/iron-gate-wine/iron-gate-fine-wine-auction-21106?utm_source=Iron+Gate+Auctions&utm_campaign=693766fdac-feb2026decanted&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-e716da3141-427658489).

My previous reviews on all three of these wines being auctioned off:

Hidden Bench Chardonnay Tete de Cuvee 2011 (94 points) — Blockbuster comes to mind. So does enthralling and a few other superlatives. Such an alluring beauty and always vying for top Chardonnay made anywhere in Canada in any given year. Thiel combines the best of the Locust Lane and Rosomel Vineyards, applies 100% fine French oak, 25% new, 37.5% second fill and 37.5% third fill for 11 months with completion in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. All the organic fruit is handpicked, meticulously sorted and whole bunch pressed. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally and all barrels were stirred weekly during fermentation. It’s a mind-blowing experience, of course, like it is every year, but nonetheless a shock every time I taste the Tete de Cuvee and realize it can be done in Niagara or Ontario or Canada. I should learn to get over it. The poached pear aromas are joined by toasted vanilla and hazelnuts, a bit of marzipan enters the fray, and always that gushing Beamsville Bench minerality that gives the wine its sense of place, its complexity. It is so young with a glorious future awaiting, but in the mouth it still shows a juicy yet vibrant core of stone fruit and perfectly balanced spice and minerals. It is complex and finessed and all leads to a long, delicious, refined finish.