Cabernet 2023
BOCK VINEYARD
From the Bock Vineyard, a warm site tucked under the escarpment in St. David’s, this wine is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The PV was co-fermented with a portion of the Cab Sauv, and all the components spent 18 months in French Oak barrels before bottling.
An intersection of new-world and old-world styles, and a nod to the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon works very well in some of the warmer corners of Niagara.
Cabernet 2023
BOCK VINEYARD
From the Bock Vineyard, a warm site tucked under the escarpment in St. David’s, this wine is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The PV was co-fermented with a portion of the Cab Sauv, and all the components spent 18 months in French Oak barrels before bottling.
An intersection of new-world and old-world styles, and a nod to the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon works very well in some of the warmer corners of Niagara.
SENSORY PROFILE
Medium ruby colour, the wine is floral, spicy, and fruity with aromas of sour cherry, blackberry, pomegranate, cassis, cedar, vanilla, and graphite. It is medium to full body with soft acidity and supple tannins. The finish is complex and mineral and the wine will open up with time in the glass or a decanter.
FOOD PAIRINGS
Any hearty dishes will pair well; beef bourguignon, mushroom risotto, or lentil soup are all good choices. Hard, aged cheeses and cured meats are also recommended.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
Drinking best 2-3 years from release and until 2033. For the first year or so, decanting is recommended to enjoy the full potential of the wine.
VINTAGE
The 2023 growing season started with an early budbreak and a frost risk in May. June and July followed with a lot of wet and warm weather that resulted in higher than average disease pressure. July and August presented a new challenge to us in Niagara, with wildfire smoke filling the skies reducing our sunlight hours and keeping daytime temperatures down.
The light crop load in 2022 and sunny spring of 2023 gave a high cluster count on the vines, but cluster weights were average to smaller due to the poor weather at flowering.
September and October brought perfect harvest conditions during the critical months and winemakers were able to make harvest decisions according to the vineyard and desired wine styles. The fruit and resulting wines from the 2023 vintage show very ripe characters, excellent balance, and ability to express site and terroir.
WINE DATA
Varieties: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot
Alcohol.: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1.3 g/L
Titratable Acidity: 6.4 g/L
pH: 3.70
Bottling Date: 2025-07-24
Production: 85 cases
VINEYARD AND HARVEST DATA
Appellation: St. David’s Bench
Site: Bock Vineyard
Soil: Oneida loam over clay till parent material
Cabernet Sauvignon Clones: majority 412 with some 169
Cabernet Franc Clones: 214 and 327
Petit Verdot Clone: unknown
Vine Age: 2012-2015 planting
Harvest Dates: 2023-10-31 and 2023-11-04
Yield: 3.8 T/ac
VINIFICATION
Cabernet Franc was hand-harvested at the end of October, destemmed, and allowed to cold soak in small fermenters before inoculation with selected yeast. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot were harvested a few days later, and received a similar treatment, with the PV being co-fermented with a portion of the Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wines underwent two punchdowns daily before pressing after 3 weeks. The wines were then settled and barreled down separately for malolactic fermentation and aging.
The components were aged for 18 months in a mix of new and used French Oak barrels before blending and stabilization prior to filtration and bottling.