Drea’s wines have taken the wine world by storm. Her wines have received International Critical Acclaim since their release including her Sauvignon Blanc being marked as distinguished by renowned wine writer Jancis Robinson, her Rosato being named as one of the top Canadian Rosés by Decanter Magazine and her Dornfelder being listed on one of Canada’s first Michelin Star Restaurants, Frilu. Her wines are regularly recognized at International Wine Competitions and are served around the world, including Canadian Embassy’s in NYC, Washington D.C. and London, England.
Shop her small batch wines seven days a week online or in person at Reif Estate Winery, 15608 Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.
“…it’s own master.” Jancis Robinson
“I selected this varietal for my first release as each vintage, my father would make my mother and I a special ‘batch’ of Sauvignon Blanc in his home cellar. He knew this was our favourite. And each year he was so determined to make it to our liking and was always nervous when we sampled it for the first time. Just before tasting each vintage he would remind us that we needed to remember the wine was still young and that over time it would become more integrated and balanced.
He would wait patiently while we tasted and I think he knew I was always ready to tease him. I would immediately declare “…but Papa I told you before we don’t like any residual sugar - remember we like our wines fermented bone dry.” He would shake his head with a small smile and say “…but Drea it needs some sugar for body on the mid-palate and to balance the acidity.” And then each year I would sigh and say “Well okay Papa, if you say so, but remember your promise not to age it in oak again, you know Mama and I don’t like any oak in our wines.” He would then grin and with a little chuckle say ‘I know, I know.…that was only one year that I made it with oak.’
It was an annual ritual that unfortunately came to end in 2017 when my father was making his last vintage of wine in his home cellar, so it seemed a fitting tribute to launch my own Sauvignon Blanc in his memory. The aromas and flavours are bright and fresh with classic gooseberry notes on the nose and palate. Fermented in only stainless steel and of course, bone dry.”
GOOD WORDS
2022 Vintage - Silver, TEXSOM
2019 Vintage - Marked Distinguished, Janice Robinson
2019 Vintage - Bronze International Wine Awards
2019 Vintage - Score 90, Michael Godel - Wine Align
2019 Vintage - Score 90 - David Lawrason - Wine Align
2017 Vintage - Commendation International Wine Awards
RETAIL PRICE $29.50 - 750ml
Canadian rosé: 31 wines to try - Score 90 - Decanter
“You say Rosé, I say Rosato! An Italian-style rosé made from a unique grape variety and dark in colour, a unicorn of wines, maybe the only of its kind! In designing this wine, I wanted to select a red varietal that had ample berry flavours, good skin colouration and a bright acidity. I had to look no further than one of my father’s favourite grape varieties, Dornfelder, that he knew from his homeland Austria.
He had planned many moons ago to put Dornfelder on the map for winemaking in Ontario but was told by marketing it would be a difficult sell as it was an unknown grape and also difficult to pronounce. He liked the varietal for Canada as it is winter hardy, fairly easy to grow and ripen but more importantly has juicy fruit flavours not always found in cool climate reds. While he loved layered complex oaked red wines, he always appreciated the natural fruit flavours of the grape shining through in the wine, especially over time in the bottle. His first Dornfelder was a classic red wine with some oak ageing and then he experimented using it to produce his first red Icewine at Inniskillin. A few bottles still remain in his cellar.
My father also loved Dornfelder for its deep rich colour. In contemplating using it for my rosé it was apparent that the juice could only spend a moment or two on the skins for colour extraction so the saignée method was used. Even this short time resulted in a deep coloured rosé which is why I have named it a Rosato. The wine was fermented bone dry and pleasant sour raspberry notes emerged on the nose and palate. I could truly drink rosé for all of my days and I am always excited about rosés that are dry, crisp and downright delicious. I am absolutely in love with this wine, as it is all that I dreamt it to be.”
GOOD WORDS
2021 Vintage - Score 90, Decanter Magazine
2021 Vintage - Top 31 Canadian Rosé List
2021 Vintage - Silver, Ontario Wine Awards
RETAIL PRICE $29.50 - 750ml
Recently listed at Michelin Star Restaurant, Frilu!
“This esoteric red wine grape was developed in Southern Germany in 1956, a Vinifera cross, now the second most planted grape in the country. Its parent grapes are of noble descent and include; Pinot Noir Précoce, an early ripening natural mutation of the grape; Schiava a variety that dates back to the Romans and; Lemberger with evidence of cultivation tracing back to the middle ages.
Dornfelder grapes are highly pigmented, with thick black skins, that bring an intense and deep colour to the glass, an attractive feature for cool climate winemakers. Typical aromas and flavours when fermented as a red wine include black fruit and remarkable floral characteristics. The variety also produces wine with a natural bright acidity making them exceptional ‘food’ wines.
I came to know the Dornfelder grape when my father, iconic winemaker Karl J. Kaiser, decided to try growing it in Niagara. He liked the variety for Canada as it is winter hardy, fairly easy to grow and ripens early but more importantly because of its deep dark colour and juicy fruit flavours, not always easy to find in cool climate reds. He always appreciated the natural fruit flavours of a grape shining through in any wine. My Dornfelder was crafted to let the bright flavours and aromas of blackberry, characteristic to the grape, shine by only fermenting and aging only in stainless steel tanks. The result is a wine with a bright and brilliant colour with a fresh acidity making it an ideal summer red!”
2021 Vintage - Commendation, International Wine Challenge
RETAIL PRICE $34.50 - 750ml
A most noble wine launched for a noble cause!
“I selected the Cabernet Franc grape variety for my first classic oak-aged red wine as it was one of mine, and my father’s, favourite grapes for Ontario. We both love Cabernet Franc for its bright fruit flavours and gracious acidity. Cabernet Franc is a most noble variety believed to have been established in the 17th century and in the late 90’s was recognized as the ‘father’ of the well-known Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Unlike a big cab however, Cabernet Franc wines are medium-bodied with a savoury mouthwatering taste and are a very versatile food pairing wine.
In 2020 the timing seemed right to produce my first red, as the hot vintage was ideal for full ripening of the fruit. That year, I also made the decision that this red would be a tribute to her father’s legacy in education and mentorship within the wine industry. My father always had an open door and loved to share his knowledge with others. He was not only an inspiration to young winemakers but also a life-long teacher through established institutions and within his wine cellar.
This legacy of learning was one that was recognized in 2017 through the establishment of the Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund at Brock University and so it seemed fitting that a portion of proceeds from this wine be donated to this fund each year. My Cabernet Franc is bone dry and has rich flavours of black currant. It was aged in three barriques for just over eight months to give the wine some added complexity and soft vanilla notes and was released on December 4th in honour of Cabernet Franc Day!”
GOOD WORDS
2022 Vintage - Bronze, National Wine Awards
2020 Vintage - Bronze, TEXSOM
2020 Vintage - Commendation, International Wine Challenge
RETAIL PRICE $39.50 - 750ml
Life is always better with bubbles!
“While I selected Sauvignon Blanc as my first wine release, I always knew I would need to add a sparkling wine to my collection. I also knew my my first sparkling had to be a classic brut ‘Blanc de Blanc’ with elegant fine bubbles made by ‘Traditional Method’.
This method of making sparkling wine was invented and perfected by the French in the region of Champagne but now used as a way of making sparkling wine across the world. It is noteworthy that when my father started making wine in Canada many producers around the world were using regional names like Champagne, Chablis and Bordeaux, but he rejected this idea and was most passionate about the fact that wines should be labeled by the region from which they were produced. Based on this passion for authentic wines, he helped found Canada’s Wine Appellation Authority known as V.Q.A., who certifies wines as being produced using local grapes from designated grape growing areas.
Always important to note that wines made by this method produce the highest quality sparkling wines, as they are a labour of love, whereby the bubbles are produced naturally when secondary fermentation takes place inside the capped bottle of wine to capture the natural bubbles. The new sparkling wine is then left to rest on the remaining yeast known as ‘lees’ to collect additional flavours and complexity. This wine spent two years on the lees before being disgorged, when we remove the yeast and then cork the wine. It is made with Chardonnay grapes indicated by the name ‘Blanc de Blanc’, meaning ‘White from White’ and shows classic notes of apple and lemon on nose and palate and of course is bone dry with a bright acidity.”
GOOD WORDS
2020 Vintage - Bronze, Decanter World Wine Awards
2020 Vintage - Silver, National Wine Awards
RETAIL PRICE $59.50 - 750ml