This wine originates from Riesling grapes grown along the slopes of the Niagara Escarpment and south shore of Lake Ontario. These clusters were left to partially raisin on the vine during autumn, with further concentration of sugars and acids occurring when the berries were partially frozen by the first frosts of late fall. Selectively hand-harvested and pressed in a semi-frozen state, they deliver a sweet wine with great balance of luscious fruit and crisp acidity.
ORIGINS: 40% Lincoln Lakeshore; 33% Beamsville Bench; 20% Creek Shores; 7% Twenty Mile Bench.
COMPOSITION: 100% Riesling.
SOILS: Clay loam over red shale; stony clay till over shale, sandstone and limestone.
YIELD: 20 hectoliters / hectare (3 tonnes / acre).
VINIFICATION: Fermentation occurred in small stainless steel tanks at cold cellar temperatures over a 30 day period.
HARVEST: Partially frozen Riesling grapes were selectively hand-harvested in mid-December and early January at temperatures of -7 °C.
SWEETNESS AT HARVEST: 30.5º Brix (VQA Select Late Harvest).
STYLE: A lusciously sweet late-harvest wine with flavours of ripe pear, sweet sultana raisins and comb honey and pin-point acid balance.
AGEABILITY:Enjoyable in its youth, the exceptional body and structure of this vintage ensures up to a decade of cellaring.
FOOD MATCHES: Rich terrines; foie gras; apple or pear desserts; nut tortes; lemon flan.
BOTTLING DATA: Alc./Vol.- 12.5 %, R.S.- 110 g/L, T.A.- 8,93 g/L, pH- 3.26