The purchase of an abandoned seven-acre farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake was the first step for the De Stefano family to create On Seven, an estate winery dedicated to making top quality wines from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes grown in their vineyard.Courtesy of Vittorio De Stefano/Handout
The Pursuit and the Devotion are the names On Seven Estate Winery gave the chardonnays produced from their Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyard. Those suggestive names were selected to convey the ambition of owners Vittorio and Sula De Stefano, who bought an abandoned seven-acre farm in 2009 to start their own boutique winery.
The couple contracted Niagara-based winemaking consultant Peter Gamble in 2010 to help shape their vision. The site was studied to see which grape varieties would be best suited for the quality they hoped to make and could handle the cold winter temperatures. Then, they patiently waited for the exact type of chardonnay vines from Burgundy to be available to suit the style of wine they wanted to produce.
One of the varieties was Clone 76, a variety with loose clusters and increased mildew resistance to allow the chardonnay grapes to be harvested later in the season, which would mean riper flavours for the finished wine.
The clone was important, but so was the rootstock.
European grape vines are grafted onto different rootstocks, which help protect against bugs that spread disease as well as influence how vigorous the growth and development is. They were after a specific rootstock (SO4), that would be well-adapted to the vineyard’s clay loam soil and help manage the growth of the vine to produce lower yields of better-quality fruit.
“That rootstock allows us to slow down the ripening process,” Vittorio De Stefano says. “We work to reduce the yields throughout the season to get to our target.”
Different varieties of chardonnay vines were planted at On Seven Estate in 2015 and 2019 to give the winemaking team an ability to produce wines with more layers of flavours and complexity.Courtesy of Vittorio De Stefano/Handout
A compromise to plant a different type of chardonnay vine and rootstock would have meant the De Stefano’s could produce wine – and start to make money – on this venture more quickly, but the first vines didn’t go into the ground until 2014.
“I was prepared to make that sacrifice,” De Stefano explains. “There were other options, but it was important to get it right from the start.”
Different varieties of chardonnay vines were planted in 2015 (Clone 95) and 2019 (Clone 96) to give the winemaking team an ability to produce wines with more layers of flavours and complexity. Pinot noir vines were first planted in 2017. The vineyard is certified organic.
The words “estate winery” in its title might give consumers the wrong idea about On Seven’s size. This operation is better classified as a craft winery or a microdomaine, with wines based on the original five acres of vineyard. (An adjacent eight acres added in 2018.) At maximum production, the goal is to make 800 cases of wine – half pinot noir and half chardonnay, which includes some sparkling wine.
“We have expanded to sparkling and rosé because the weather patterns are more extreme now,” he says. “It gives us licence to make the best possible wine each year.”
The slow and focused approach extends to releasing wines. On Seven doesn’t have a physical winery to conduct tours and tastings. Instead, they do an online release in August, releasing chardonnays as three-year-old wines, which allows plenty of time to develop while aging in barrel and bottle before release.
This year’s release features the 2020 vintage of the Pursuit Chardonnay and the Devotion Chardonnay, which represent the best bottles to date from this exciting Niagara winery. A tiny amount of the vineyard’s first pinot noir – only 14 cases, 168 bottles of wine – was snapped up by members of the wine club.
This week’s recommendations include On Seven’s the Pursuit Chardonnay, alongside three other enjoyable Canadian chardonnays and three international selections to enjoy as summer winds down.
Flat Rock Unplugged Unoaked Chardonnay 2021 (Canada), $19.95
Made in a refreshing and ripe style, this tank-fermented chardonnay puts an emphasis on apple, pear and peach flavours with a juicy citrus element that adds to the appeal. Drink now to 2027. Available at the above price in Ontario, $20.15 direct, flatrockcellars.ca
Meyer Chardonnay 2022 (Canada), $20.96
A blend of chardonnay from estate vineyards in Naramata, Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls that was aged in stainless steel tanks and older French oak barrels, this appealing wine is the entry level of Meyer’s impressive portfolio. The flavours are focused on green apple and lemon with some pear notes, while the texture is creamy and pleasing in nature. Drink now to 2026. Available direct, mfvwines.com
Muga Barrel Fermented White 2021 (Spain), $19.95
This rich and full-bodied dry white is made from a blend of viura, garnacha blanca and malvasia grapes, with portions fermented in various sizes and ages of oak barrels to build complexity and texture before bottling. The aroma and flavour suggests a mix of floral, lemon and peach notes with some vanilla from barrel aging. The combination of richness and vibrant character makes this a great wine to enjoy with a meal, especially roast fish or baked shellfish dishes. Drink now to 2026. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in Alberta.
On Seven The Pursuit Chardonnay 2020 (Canada), $48
On Seven has quickly become one of the most exciting chardonnay producers in Canada. At 100 cases, the Pursuit is the largest production for this boutique estate winery. (The Devotion, its flagship bottling, was 91 cases in the 2020 vintage.) This ripe and complex chardonnay offers mouth filling savoury and fruity flavours as part of richly textured and beautifully balanced wine. Certified organic. Drink now to 2030. Available direct, onsevenwinery.ca
Rocca delle Macìe Moonlite Chardonnay 2021 (Italy), $16.65
Moonlite is an expressive and enjoyable chardonnay and vermentino blend from Tuscany. The wine’s appealing apple and pear flavours and a refreshing character make for a white with mass appeal. Drink now to 2025. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in Alberta.
Sogrape Gazela Vinho Verde (Portugal), $11.90
Bottled as a non-vintage wine, this budget-friendly white from northern Portugal is a summertime staple. Made in a light and refreshing style, there is plenty of spritz to amplify its citrus and lemongrass aromas and flavours. Drink now. Available at the above price in Ontario, $13.99 in British Columbia, $11.15 in Quebec, $15.07 in Newfoundland.
Unsworth Vineyards Chardonnay 2020 (Canada), $30.90
Unsworth’s winemaking team has declared pinot gris to be the signature white grape variety for Vancouver Island, but its second release of chardonnay suggests there’s soon to be stiff competition. Made with grapes from the Mildenstein Vineyard in the Cowichan Valley and fermented and aged in older French oak barrels, this offers a bright and juicy character marked by zesty citrus fruit, nutty and savoury notes. Drink now to 2026. Available direct, unsworthvineyard.com
Christopher Waters