2022 Red
A Niagara Peninsula blend comprised of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Lots selected from four vineyards were vinified separately and aged for 20 months in selected French Oak barrels. The components chosen were selected for their complimentary character to make for a complete and complex wine. This wine has great freshness and drinkability making it very versatile with or without food.
2022 Red
A Niagara Peninsula blend comprised of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Lots selected from four vineyards were vinified separately and aged for 20 months in selected French Oak barrels. The components chosen were selected for their complimentary character to make for a complete and complex wine. This wine has great freshness and drinkability making it very versatile with or without food.
SENSORY PROFILE
Medium ruby in colour, this wine has myriad berry aromas: raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, as well as a floral violet note, cedar, and earthiness. The palate is driven by good acidity, emphasizing black cherry and black plum flavours, red licorice candy, and vanilla.
FOOD PAIRINGS
The Syrah component allows this to pair nicely with dark meats and a variety of spices – think lamb shawarma, gyros, and Indian curries. The herbaceous aspect of Cabernet Franc and acidity from both varieties means it will also pair with tomato based dishes and vinegar based BBQ sauces, making this a versatile wine at home with dishes from lasagna to brisket and ribs.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
Drinking well from release in 2024 and should drink well into the 2030s.
VINTAGE
The 2022 vintage was largely shaped by a very wet end to 2021 followed by a sharp cold January that caused bud death across most vineyards and varieties. Some areas such as very close to Lake Ontario or on slopes with very good water and air drainage fared better, but overall, this winter led to a significantly reduced crop.
A slow start in spring was followed by a warm and mostly dry summer. August brought some storms, but the fall was again dry and relatively warm leading to good ripening conditions for the small crop that was hanging.
Quality is good to excellent due to the lower yields and favourable weather and the wines from 2022 will be sought after due to their relative scarcity.
WINE DATA
Variety: Syrah (46%), Cabernet Franc (36%), Merlot (18%)
Alcohol: 12.3%
Residual Sugar: 1.9 g/L
Titratable Acidity: 7.1 g/L
pH: 3.53
Bottling Date: 2024-07-11
Production: 135 cases
VINEYARD AND HARVEST DATA
Appellation: Niagara Peninsula
Sites:
Wes Wiens Vineyard (Syrah)
Picone Vineyard & Cuesta Vineyard (Cabernet Franc)
Stouck Vineyard (Merlot)
Vine Age: various, mature vines
Harvest Dates: 2022-10-16 to 2022-11-02
VINIFICATION
Assemblage of select vineyards allows for a Niagara red blend expression led by Syrah and supported with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Each grape variety and vineyard was harvested and vinified separately in small fermenters, with punchdowns twice daily and between 2-3 weeks maceration.
After pressing the wines were aged in French Oak barriques (40% new) for 12 months before blending and returning to barrel (3rd fill and neutral) for an additional 8 months to integrate. The wine was filtered prior to bottling with no fining required.
REVIEWS
“This is a three-variety blend of Syrah (46%) from the Wes Wiens Vineyard, Cabernet Franc (36%) from Cuesta and Picone Vineyards, and Merlot (18%) from Stouck Vineyard. The lots were vinified separately and aged for 20 months in selected French oak barrels. It has a smoky/meaty nose with savoury red berries, black currants, anise, brambly raspberries, subtle herbaceous notes and integrated oak spices. It’s bright and vibrant on the palate with earthy red and dark berries, purple plums, black licorice, mulled herbs and floral accents to go with ripe tannins and a lifted, long finish.” 91 points – Rick Vansickle, Wines In Niagara