Henry of Pelham Winery

We began our tasting with the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine offers a great, fresh grassy aroma. The flavor was very fresh, light, with green pepper and fresh acidity. "They are more mature wines," explained Donna - providing an elegant French style compared with the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

2005 was a hard year for wineries in Niagara, with very low yields of fruit. Many of the 2005 wines have sold out already as a result.

The 2004 barrel fermented Chardonnay is a combination of French and American oak. The flavors were a smooth blend of citrus, vanilla and spice.

The Riesling here is treated with great care - they ferment it at three different temperatures with three different yeasts. "He likes to really create the wine," Donna commented. The results are stunning. There are flavors of apricot, grapefruit and citrus with crisp acidity and a lovely finish.

On to the reds. I already knew I loved the Cab Franc here, and sure enough, the 2005 Cab Franc was delicious, with cherry and earth flavors, light tannins, a nice acidity and lovely finish.

Then, the star attraction. We began with the 2004 baco noir, coming from 10 year old vines. This spends 6-7 months in new American oak, and has a yield of 3-4 tons per acre. This was lovely, with smooth fruity flavors, cherry primarily.

The 2004 reserve baco noir comes from 20 year old vines, and ages for 18 months in new barrels. The yield here is even more low, 2 tons per acre. The flavor was wonderfully rich and full, with tobacco, spices and fruity flavors and a long, luscious finish. There's a reason that Henry of Pelham's baco noir wins numerous awards each year.

Our final red was the 2002 unfiltered merlot. This was fresh and light, with cherry, dark spices and earthy flavors, and a long finish.

Pretty much every wine offered at Henry of Pelham is wonderful. If you're visiting the Niagara region, be sure to include Henry of Pelham on your list of wineries. You'll undoubtedly find a few you want to take home with you!

Visiting at Henry of Pelham

Wineries of the Niagara region, Ontario Canada

Winery Reviews Main Listing

Henry of Pelham Winery Official Website