Drea’s father was always up for the challenge of growing and making Pinot Noir the ‘heartbreak’ grape because the elegance and depth of this varietal is unmatched by any other. These characteristics inspired her to craft her first sparkling rosé from this classic variety. This wine was made by the Charmat method and only spent only one month on the lees to ensure the fruit would come first in this wine. Notes of cherry, cotton candy, and violets on the nose and, of course, bone dry with a bright acidity. Drea's 2023 Cuvée Rosé is now available.
2022 Cabernet Franc receives accolades at National Wine Awards.
Drea’ 2022 Cabernet Franc was awarded a bronze medal at the National Wine Awards. The grapes are always sourced from Matthias Oppenlander, who used to grow grapes for Drea’s father. Grapes are from a vineyard block planted in 1999 at Hubel Grape Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It is the same block from which her father would source the fruit for his Legacy Cabernet Franc at Inniskillin. Elegantly aged for nine months in French barriques and then in bottle for a year.
A bright brilliant ruby colour with signature bright fruit flavours of black currant and an elegant savoury mouthwatering taste. This wine also has soft vanilla notes and a gracious acidity. My favourite pairing is with my father’s version of 'Sooke Harbour House' Ontario rack of lamb which is seasoned with Keen’s dry mustard, dried mint, coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Also exceptional with Glengarry Fine Cheese, Celtic Blue and Thornloe Cheddar.
2020 BLANC DE BLANC WINS BRONZE MEDAL AT INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE, U.K.
A classic brut with elegant fine bubbles made by ‘Traditional Method’. This wine spent two years on the lees before being disgorged and is made with Chardonnay grapes and showing classic notes of apple and lemon on nose and palate and of course is bone dry with a bright acidity.
2021 Dornfelder Commended at International Wine Challenge, U.K.
“My Dornfelder has bright characteristic flavours and aromas of blackberry shine as fermenting and aging was only in stainless steel tanks. The wine however, has an unexpected depth of flavour as a result of the fermentation process taking place after the free run juice was drawn off for my Rosato. The remaining ‘must’ therefore had a higher concentration of natural tannin found in the skins and seeds.”
REINVENTING NIAGARA WINE
“When you’re shopping for wines, local is always going to be your best bet in terms of the carbon footprint,” says Andrea Kaiser, chair of Sustainable Winegrowers Ontario (SWO), a sustainable standards certification body for wineries and vineyards.
But Kaiser, who literally grew up in the Ontario craft wine business as daughter of famed wine pioneer Karl Kaiser, is adamant that the Ontario wine industry cannot stand on this simple premise. She believes it’s critical for the industry to tackle its community and environmental impacts.
“First and foremost, we want consumers to buy Ontario and make sure that it’s VQA and uses 100 per cent locally grown fruit, and then there’s a second layer in the SWO certification,” she says.
