By Rick VanSickle
By any measure, the 2026 Grapes for Humanity Benefit Wine Auction features the most donated Canadian VQA wines ever to come up for bids.
Sprinkled among the 3,500 bottles of the world’s finest wines and spirits, including an exceptional selection of rare bottles and unforgettable experiences, there are 131 lots of the beloved Cuvée from the Heart (lots 330 to 461) wines and 28 other Canadian wine lots (lots 704 to 732) up for bids.
Our Wines in Niagara team of Lidija Biro, Peter Rod and I have tasted all 12 of the Cuvée from the Heart wines that are offered in cases of 12, from mixed cases to 12 bottles each of Niagara and Prince Edward County wines made by teams of top Ontario winemakers. Our thoughts on all the wines on offer are reviewed below.
Cuvée from the Heart is a defining highlight of the 6th Annual Grapes for Humanity Fine Wine Auction, hosted online on the Waddington’s auction platform. It features 12 one-of-a-kind wines — each a powerful expression of generosity, artistry, and community.
These exclusive cuvées are brought to life by 32 of Ontario’s most respected winemakers, working in small teams alongside emerging talent from Brock University and Niagara College’s acclaimed winemaking programs.
In a remarkable show of generosity, each winemaker contributes exceptional vineyard lots — donating some of their finest fruit, expertise and time to create wines of depth, character, and distinction.
The Grapes for Humanity Benefit Wine Auction bidding begins on April 16 (Thursday) at 9 a.m. and features an exceptional selection of rare bottles from around the world and unforgettable experiences alongside the best of Canadian wines. And, it should be noted, as this is a charity auction, no buyer’s premium or tax is added to successful bids.
The charity auction is held in support of Tree Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Conservation Accelerator, and a selection of local and global charities whose work reflects a shared commitment to people, community, and the planet.
Grapes for Humanity Canada will mark its 25th year as a registered charity and has donated millions of dollars to various humanitarian and environmental causes.
Its most famous and one of the longest-serving board members is Geddy Lee of the Canadian rock band Rush. Lee has donated exceptional wines from his personal collection and has previously auctioned off a private dinner with him and Alex Lifeson. It’s been a hot item, with bidding going as high as $160,000 in the past. This year it’s Lot 10, a dinner for six with Lee and Lifeson at Barberian’s Steakhouse in Toronto featuring fine Burgundy wines selected from the cellars of Lee. Estimate for this lot is between $150,000 $200,000.
Also included in the dream lots, is a rare Epiphone Lifeson Les Paul in Crimson Burst, signed by Lifeson and Lee. There’s also a robust collection of art available, including some pieces that were commissioned specifically for the auction.
“One of them is a three-litre bottle of Felton Road, Pinot Noir, which is a great Pinot from New Zealand that was from Geddy Lee’s personal collection. Geddy autographed it.,” said Scott Webster a director of Grapes for Humanity Canada. “And then the artist David Argo (above) took the bottle, and he painted an image of Geddy Lee on the bottle itself and then painted the presentation box in a Rush motif.”
Highlights from the international wines include Château Latour 1982 and Château Mouton Rothschild 1982, both awarded 100 points by Robert Parker, as well as Château Mouton Rothschild 2016 and Château Cheval Blanc 2016, each representing benchmark expressions from Bordeaux.
Also look for Louis Jadot Montrachet Grand Cru 2019, Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Cuvée S Brut 1990, Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve 2011, and a remarkable 6L bottle of Château d’Yquem 1989.
In addition to the amazing wines, you might be intrigued be intrigues to by other dream lots. Whether you’re an oenophile, music, sports, travel or food lover — find your dream and start thinking about who you’d like to share it with.
The auction also offers immersive wine travel experiences including access to private vineyards, cellar tastings, dining, accommodation, and much more.
The Canadian wines featured in the auction, not including the including the Cuvée from the Heart wines, is an interesting mix of multiple bottles of rare, older and newer wines from Tawse, Pillitteri, Bachelder, Creekside, Henry of Pelham, Stratus, Big Head, Palatine Hills, Two Sisters, Steven Campbell Kind Wines, Southbrook, Le Clos Jordanne, Mike Weir, Redstone, Hidden Bench, and Marynissen from Ontario, and Culmina, Osoyoos Larose, Estella, Lake Breeze, and Sperling from B.C. And if icewine is your thing, look for premium lots from Peller, Inniskillin, Pillitteri, Strewn, Kittling Ridge, Lailey, Hillebrand, and Vineland Estates.
This auction is offered on Waddington’s proprietary wine auction platform. If you have not participated in a previous Waddington’s wine auction, you are required to register and can do so here. Bidding starts April 16 at 9 a.m. and closes April 22 at 6 p.m.
Here are our thoughts on all 12 of the Cuvée from the Heart wines as reviewed by the Wines in Niagara team of Lidija Biro, Peter Rod and Rick VanSickle (reviewer named in brackets):
Cuvée from the Heart Cabernet Franc 2024 from Niagara winemakers Adam Pearce (Two Sisters), Nicholas Gizuk (Inniskillin) and Brian Schmidt (Vineland Estates) — This is exactly what you’d expect from three of the most talented Cabernet Franc winemakers in Niagara. It shows a bold nose of wild raspberries, dark cherries, damp earth, anise, wild herbs and toasty oak spices. The CF shows structure and power on the palate with layers of dark and red berries, some plum notes, fine oak spices and a classic lifted and finessed finish. Might want to cellar this beauty. (Rick VanSickle)
Cuvée from the Heart Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 from Niagara winemakers Casey Hogan (Southbrook), Dean Stoyka (Stratus), and Mark Williamson (Icellars) — The wine, opaque ruby verging on purple in the glass, envelopes with aromas of cassis/blackcurrant, dark plum, violets, vanilla and cedar. On the palate, the wine is velvety smooth, dense, showing firm, chalky, mouth-coating tannins braced by a backbone of bright acidity. Flavours of blackberry, cassis, tobacco leaf, cigar box and graphite lend complexity. This is untamed, powerful and age worthy! (Lidija Biro)
Cuvée from the Heart Niagara Chardonnay 2024 from Niagara winemakers Phillip Brown (Le Clos Jordanne), Thomas Bachelder (Bachelder Wines) and Marlize Beyers (The Long Way Home) — Really good Chardonnay here for those looking for a ripe, rich and mouth-filling style. Olfactory overload of toasted corn kernel, egg custard, pear compote, and spiced vanilla bean. Touch of wet wood, too. Mouth-filling and luscious but avoids being heavy thanks to a discreet acid backbone. Grand finale of digestive biscuit, corn, light caramel, and toasted macadamia. Yummy. (Peter Rod)
Cuvée from the Heart Chardonnay Prince Edward County 2024 from County winemakers Andre Gagne (The Last House), Mackenzie Brisbois (Trail Estate), and Tim Kuepfer (Broken Stone) — Personable, unique County specific Chardo with a racy saline nose featuring lemon blossoms, pear, green apple, a vein of stony minerality and ever so subtle spices. It’s persistent and chiselled on the palate with savoury/saline notes, fresh orchard fruits, citrus, apricots, wet stone minerality, fully integrated spices and sizzling acidity on a long, lifted finish. Beautiful rendition of County Chard. (Rick VanSickle)
Cuvée from the Heart Gamay 2025 from Niagara winemakers Elisa Mazzi (Malivoire), Jeff Moote (Divergence) and Jessica Solanki (Liebling) — This supple-bodied, juicy wine entices with aromas of sun-warmed strawberries, kirsch cherry, anise and mulling spices. The silky texture is backed by refreshing acidity, soft tannins and flavours of cherry, lingonberry, earthy notes and a touch of white pepper on the finish. It’s light, fun and so enjoyable! (Lidija Biro)
Cuvée from the Heart Pinot Noir Niagara 2024 from winemakers Thomas Bachelder (Bachelder Wines), Ilya Senchuk (Leaning Post) and Matt Smith (Cloudsley) — Procol Harum might have described this as a “rubier shade of pale,” which is perfectly suitable for a cool climate Pinot Noir. With aeration, nose offers blood orange, rosehip, subtle petitgrain, and a nice touch of saucisson sec (cured sausage) on a backdrop of wet earth. Fine velvet-coated tannins amidst robust mid-palate red fruits. Youthful bite in the finish which promises to soften and give back over 3-5 years. (Peter Rod)
Cuvée from the Heart Pinot Noir Prince Edward County from County winemakers Frédéric Picard (Huff Estates), Chris Thompson (Volta), and Keith Tyers (Closson Chase) — A deep and complex nose of chalky minerality, rose petals, wild raspberries, dark cherries, anise, dried herbs and savoury spice notes. Turns to darker berries on the silky-smooth palate with savoury spices, earthy accents, florals and a freshening, lifted finish that will reward with a little time in the cellar. Quintessential County Pinot. (Rick VanSickle)
Cuvée from the Heart Red Blend NV from Niagara winemakers Jessica Otting (Tawse), Sue-Ann Staff (Sue-Ann Staff wines) and Ann Sperling (Lailey) — An intensely perfumed Bordeaux blend, this wine invites with aromas of cherry, raspberry, red plum, vanilla and cinnamon. It’s medium-bodied with a satiny texture, mellow, fine-grained tannins, bright acidity and flavours of cherry, plum, savoury herbs, tomato leaf and cedar. A serious wine which is at the same time delightfully quaffable! (Lidija Biro)
Cuvée from the Heart Riesling 2025 from Niagara winemakers Gabriel Demarco (Cave Spring), Charles Baker (Charles Baker Wine) and Emma Garner (Thirty Bench) — A dream team of Riesling winemakers came together for this Beamsville Bench and Vinemount Ridge blended Riesling that has a profound nose of stony minerality, lemon drop, bergamot, lime, saline and crisp apple/pear notes. It sings on the palate with bright lemon-lime, pure orchard fruits, and oyster shell minerality in a complex and layered style that is lifted and bright on a racy finish. This will only get better over the next decade. (Rick VanSickle)
Cuvée from the Heart Skin Fermented White 2024 from Niagara winemakers Allison Findlay and the class of 2026 from Niagara College’s Viticulture and Wine program — The blend is 54% Riesling, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Viognier. This gold hued wine opens with aromas of honeysuckle, dried apricot, yogurt, and vanilla bean. The palate starts on an herbaceous note with sage and rosemary adding bruised apple, quince and grapefruit pith to the mix. Refreshing acidity balances the chalky, fine-grained tannins. A refined and elegant example of orange wine! (Lidija Biro)
Cuvée from the Heart Sparkling Riesling 2025 from Niagara winemakers Marc Pistor, Mitchell McCurdy and a team of students from Brock’s CCOVI wine program — Exudes pure cool-climate Riesling with candied lime, lemongrass, blossom, and wet chalk. Dry, energetic bubbles, restrained with balancing nectarine fruit adding roundness. A bracing finish that offers a pleasing, puckering citrus peel and Granny Smith apple grip that makes this a stellar food partner. (Peter Rod)
Cuvée from the Heart Syrah 2024 from Niagara winemakers Rob Power (Creekside), Richie Roberts (Fielding Estate) and Chris Robinson (Kacaba) — For those looking for a generous, ready to drink Syrah, this is it. Dark cherry, black licorice, raspberry jam, Kalamata olive, black pepper, Quetsch plum, and lavender. Very juicy and soft with decent intensity and impeccable balance. Just enough tannic tightness and persistent but subtle acidity, to support another 5 years of cellaring. (Peter Rod)
Note: all these lots have an estimate of $400-$600 for 12 bottles.
A special thank you to both Lidija Biro and Peter Rod for volunteering their time and expertise on short notice to review the Cuvée from the Heart wines. You are appreciated.
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