Forget the happy pop of a cork being pulled from a bottle. In Southern Ontario, oenophiles listen for the crackle of gunshots ricocheting off the Niagara Escarpment. That's the sound of "bird bangers" — blanks fired to keep birds from the vines — and the signal that new vintages are coming. Good vintages.
No, there hasn't been a "bottle shock" moment for grape growers here. But the Niagara Peninsula is attracting growing respect. Multinationals have taken stakes in Ontario wine (for example, Boisset's joint venture with Vincor-Constellation's Le Clos Jordanne). So have boldface businessmen (there are labels from Dan Aykroyd, Wayne Gretzky and Mike Weir). And in the last year at least two new wineries have joined the 75-strong community, while established names such as Inniskillin continue to reinvent themselves.
Why the Napa-like boom? Increasing support for local and sustainable products has certainly helped. But it goes deeper than that. Most experts agree that Southern Ontario has the right climate and the right soil — and now the expertise and a spare-no-expense-for-quality approach — to craft delicate, fragrant, food-friendly wines. In fact, the 2007s are already considered to be Niagara's best vintage yet.
Just in time to sample them, then, a guide to the hottest new properties, producers and must-try sips.
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
SOUTHBROOK VINEYARDS Bill and Marilyn Redelmeier have been producing wine for more than 15 years. But when a 30-hectare Niagara plot came onto the market — a plot partially planted with A-class Bordeaux varieties — they knew it was time to move their operations. And they moved fast. Within a few months they hired winemaker Ann Sperling and they closed the deal by the winter solstice of 2005.
This cosmological detail was not lost on Sperling. A long-time proponent of biodynamic grape growing, where the balance between the heavens and the earth is essential, she urged the Redelmeiers to adopt a fully organic approach. The team also opened their doors to the public on June 22 of this year. Yes, right on the summer solstice.
Still, Southbrook isn't all signs and no substance. Stroll the grounds and you'll see cutting-edge sustainability at work in the form of Shetland sheep. The herd munches clover and grasses between the rows, strips leaves off vines to increase sun exposure on the fruit and drops small clumps of natural fertilizer while bringing their "energy" to the farm. Next year, the animals will even be certified organic — and local chefs are already looking forward to offering the ultimate in local food and wine pairing.
The reception centre also reflects the winery's holistic philosophy. A LEED-certified design by Jack Diamond, it includes a roof that appears to rest only on a thin edge of glass looking out over the vineyards. And speaking of the wine: Make sure to try the Triomphe series — including a stunning 2007 sauvignon blanc, and the house specialty Bordeaux blends.
Southbrook is at 581 Niagara Stone Rd. Daily tastings are $6 to $9 for three samples. For details, visit www.southbrook.com.
CATTAIL CREEK ESTATE WINERY Cattail Creek is another old vines-new wines story. The Dyck family has been farming grapes here for more than 50 years (including some of the oldest riesling vines in Ontario) and selling their harvests to local wineries. But in 2006, the family decided to try winemaking themselves. Now they sell a few hundred cases of wine — all made in a functional barn-like structure behind the tasting room, and some matured in oak barrels in a small cellar beneath it. Simple but impressive. The highlights include the Riesling Reserve and the 2007 Cabernet Franc Icewine, a rare and unusual treat. Cattail Creek is on R.R. #4, 1156 Concession 6. There are fee daily tastings on featured wines. For details, visit www.cattailcreek.ca.
INNISKILLIN WINES Inniskillin is an Ontario wine pioneer. The owners actually picked up the first winery licence issued in the province since Prohibition. But that doesn't mean they're behind the times. This year, they've given their original home, the quaint Brae Burn Barn and Founders' Hall, a significant face-lift that includes cathedral ceilings, an open demo kitchen and a separate "Riedel room" for sips from the Austrian company's specialized wine glasses. The company has also brought Ontario winemaker Bruce Nicholson back from its Okanagan Valley operation. His Montague Vineyard series highlights the potential of Niagara-on-the-Lake wines.
