Tasting two of the rarest icewines on Earth — both from Niagara

By Rick VanSickle

Two of the rarest icewines ever made are adding to Canada’s reputation as the world leader with this sweet treat.

Also in this Niagara Wine Report: Top bubbles and Pinot Noir from Henry of Pelham, plus smart buys coming to the LCBO from Peninsular Ridge.

Niagara’s Pillitteri Estates Winery is the world’s largest estate icewine producer. Over half the wines produced at this Niagara-on-the-Lake winery are sweet wines produced from grapes naturally frozen on the vine and pressed while frozen at -8 C or colder.

Ontario’s microclimate is uniquely suited to the annual production of icewine as warm summers allow grapes to ripen while cold harsh winters provide natural freezing on the vine. Ontario produces 80% of the world`s icewine and is the market lead in the category.

While most Niagara producers focus on the tried-and-true varieties of Vidal, Riesling and some red varieties, Pillitteri is constantly experiencing with a range of rare grapes, exotic expressions and winemaking styles that fit into several tiers, the highest being the Reserve category. Some Reserve icewines undergo maturation in oak barrels. Like table wines, icewine matures and gains complexity and aromas from oak. All Pillitteri reserve classified icewine are placed in custom designed bottles embossed with 24kt gold.

In this report, we taste and review a world exclusive — the first icewine made from Canada’s only planting of the Corvina grape from Pillitteri’s vineyards.

But first, another unicorn icewine and what Pillitteri calls “one of the rarest and most special wines we have ever produced” — the Pillitteri Exclamation Oak Aged Gewurztraminer 2012. Gewurztraminer is difficult to navigate due to its aversion to winter conditions. Pillitteri has done remarkably well here after aging it for 10 years (some oak) and releasing it nearly 14 years after vintage. The Exclamation Cellar Series are wines that are crafted from some of the highest quality Niagara grapes and are considered a part of the family reserve series of wines at Pillitteri. The Exclamation label itself is inspired by the 23 stunning stainless-steel chairs that are displayed in the barrel cellar of the winery. The chairs themselves were commissioned by owners Gary and Lena Pillitteri to symbolically tell the story of the Pillitteri family.

Here are my thoughts on both icewines:

Pillitteri Exclamation Oak Aged Gewurztraminer 2012 ($150 for 500 mL, limited number of bottles released, 97 points) — The 2012 vintage was one of five near perfect vintages in Niagara and Pillitteri wanted to do something special to highlight the versatility of icewine. Gewurztraminer has a long history of making delicious, balanced, and age-worthy sweet wines in both France and Germany. Yet in Niagara, since it is more winter sensitive than most other grape varieties, it is seldom made into an icewine.

Pillitteri says that for those reasons, this is what makes this aged version of the 2012 Gewurztraminer Icewine “one of the rarest and most special wines we have ever produced.”

The wine, made by winemaker Aleksandar Kolundzic, was aged for eight years in stainless steel and another two years in neutral French oak and was bottled in 2022. So, this bottle has an added four years of aging in bottle. It was finished with 160 g/L of RS and 11.5% abv. Each bottle is individually number (my bottle is No. 184 of only 450 made). Also, each bottle comes with a “proof tag” QR code for authenticity.

It shows a deep golden colour in the glass and has an explosive, penetrating nose of candied apricot, lychee, ginger root, baked pear, peach preserves, marzipan, apple pie with cinnamon, citrus-marmalade, toasted almonds and subtle spice notes. It has a viscous/silky texture on the palate, just a beautifully luxurious feel, with an abundance of concentrated apricot purée, caramel apple, crème brulé, figs, peach pie, poached pear, buckwheat honey, sweet ginger, and nutmeg/cinnamon spices that all lead to a layered, seductive and echoing finish with just enough mouth-watering acidity to make you come back for more and more. A tour de force, and a truly Canadian vinous masterpiece. Can age another 10 years, or even much more!

Pillitteri Family Reserve Corvina Icewine 2024 ($85 for 375 mL, 94 points) — In December of 2024, Pillitteri produced 3,000L of the first in the world Corvina icewine (photo below shows the sweet nectare shortly after crushing). Corvina is a dark, red grape variety commonly planted and used in Italy and is used to produce Valpolicella and Amarone wines. Pillitteri and Ridgepoint have the only plantings of Corvina in Canada, while Pillitteri also grows Rondinella and Molinara. The grapes were all planted in 2008, and are usually made into appassimento style wines.

The Family Reserve icewines represent the highest quality icewines Pillitteri produces. They generally exceed the minimum VQA requirements for harvest temperature, sugar at harvest, and residual sugar to provide what they call a “richer and more complex style compared to our other icewines.” The grapes for the Corvina reached 36.4 Brix at harvest with 173 g/L of residual sugar and 10% abv.

It shows a light copper colour in the glass with a more delicate nose than the Gew above, showing a medley of concentrated black raspberries, red currants and dark cherries with spicy plum pudding, rhubarb pie, orange zest, and a touch of cocoa. It’s rich, silky and viscous on the palate, with ever so subtle tannins, and notes of dried apricot, compoted red berries, black currant jam, brown honey notes, plum cobbler, earthy/baking spice notes, dried herbs and a persistent, lifted finish that lasts for minutes. Pure liquid gold here with exceptional aging potential.

Henry of Pelham’s top expression
of sparkling wine and more

In November of 2011, a few wine writers and winemakers gathered at Canoe in downtown Toronto to try an array of sparkling wines from Ontario, Nova Scotia and B.C. These were the best of the best from a range of styles that showed the potential of traditionally made bubbles in the early days of sparkling wine production in the Canadian wine industry.

Most of the well-known Canadian sparkling labels were part of the tasting, including Chateau des Charmes, Jackson-Triggs, Trius, Sumac Ridge and Blue Mountain, it was also nice to try some new kids on the block including Huff Estates, Summerhill, Hinterland, L’Acadia, Benjamin Bridge and both Vineland Estates and Fielding entering the fray with sparkling Rieslings.

But one wine that really got our full attention was a mystery wine brought by Paul Speck, president of Henry of Pelham (in photo above holding the first wine). It was an early preview of the winery’s first vintage dated sparkling wine — the Cuvee Catharine Estate Blanc de Blanc Carte Blanche 2007 (100% Chardonnay) that would eventually see 60 months of bottle aging after partial barrel fermentation.

That sparkling was wine being made to celebrate the winery’s 25th anniversary of winemaking. The Speck brothers disgorged a few bottles three years into the aging process, and we tasted one at the Canoe event. It was a showstopper.

Speck said the family wanted to do something special with its sparkling program and decided on a vintage dated, traditionally made style of wine that highlighted the Chardonnay fruit from its estate Short Hills Bench Vineyard. “We are looking for a bigger style in this wine,” he said at the time. “We pick them a little riper. We’re really excited about the wine. It was such a long wait.”

The top sparkling wine at HoP has proven to be a winner since its inception, with the 2018 version to be released in April. Wines in Niagara got a sneak peek. Here is what I liked:

Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Blanc de Blanc 2018 ($50, released in April, 94 points) — The top tier Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche, named in memory of Henry of Pelham’s wife, widow, and family matriarch, Catharine Smith, is always one of the top traditionally made, vintage dated sparkling wines in Niagara. It’s made from 100% estate grown Chardonnay from the Short Hills Bench with 20% of the fruit barrel fermented. Secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle and is followed by a further 54 months of aging on the lees. It shows a fine, persistent centre bead of bubbles in the glass with a persistent nose of lemon chiffon, pear skin, green apple, nectarine, emerging brioche/autolytic notes, and pie crust. Such tension and verve on the palate from the electric acidity that ignites the robust bubbles and highlights bright lemon citrus, apple/quince fruits, flint, saline, toasted almonds, and baked brioche notes with a lifted, vibrant and finessed finish. A top-drawer sparkling wine that will only get better with time in the cellar over the next few years.

A couple of other HoP wines coming to Vintages

Henry of Pelham The Dry River Riesling Reserve 2023 ($17, Vintages March 21, 91 points) — The Dry River Riesling has a portion of the fruit fermented and aged in 3,000L neutral oak foudres, which brings a subtle roundness to the finished wines, rather than spice notes. The nose shows appealing notes of lemon grass, grapefruit, white peach, subtle tropical fruits, stony minerality and fresh saline. It has a dry impression on the palate with bright citrus fruits, river rock, green apple, a touch of ginger and mango with mouth-watering acidity through the vibrant finish. Good value Riesling here.

Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2024 ($50, Vintages March 21, 94 points) — The top expression of Pinot Noir from HoP is sourced from Block 100 of the Homestead Vineyard in the estate’s Short Hills Bench sub-appellation. The grapes were planted from 1998 to 2006. The wine was aged for 10 months in European oak, 30% of which was new oak. It shows a rich, ruby hue in the glass with an enticing nose of brambly and persistent wild raspberries, dark cherry perfume, violets, a touch of anise and elegant spice notes. It’s silky-smooth on the palate with polished tannins followed by a substantive range of ripe red berries, a touch of licorice, forest floor, truffles, and savoury spice notes on a long, echoing, lifted finish. Very fine Pinot Noir that should cellar well through 2036.

Three smartly priced wines
from Peninsula Ridge

Peninsula Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($18, LCBO, 88 points) — A nose that shouts New Zealand with aromas of fresh cut grass, kiwi, passionfruit, wild herbs, grapefruit and lemon zest. A bit more round on the palate with juicier expressions of pear, kiwi, grapefruit, tropical notes and subtle grassy/herbaceous accents on a bright, lifted finish.

Peninsula Ridge Pinot Grigio 2025 ($17, LCBO, 88 points) — A fresh, upfront expression of Pinot Grigio that’s easy to like with notes of peach, melon, yellow apples, nectarine and saline minerality. The range of fruits are ripe on the palate with a bright, clean finish and just a touch of sweetness.

Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Cabernet Rosé 2024 ($17, LCBO in June, 90 points) — This 100% Cabernet Franc rosé shows a light ruby colour in the glass. The nose displays a medley of red berries, subtle herbaceous notes and red currants. It’s refreshingly dry on the palate with notes of vibrant wild raspberries, cherries, strawberries and ever so subtle herbs and earthy notes on a bright, lifted finish. A bit more of a substantive rosé, with more than a year in bottle, that would pair nicely with grilled seafood or chicken.