13th Street Winery
We were proud to feature 13th Street Winery in August 2024.
Founded in 1998, 13th Street Winery has been crafting exceptional wines that reflect the unique Niagara terroir for over 25 years. French-trained winemaker, Jean-Pierre (JP) Colas, heads the winemaking program at 13th Street, crafting dynamic reds that thrive in the Niagara Peninsula like gamay noir, cabernet franc, and syrah; refined whites like chardonnay, riesling, and sauvignon blanc; and award-winning traditional method sparkling wines.
Wines included in your package:
Enthusiast Red & White: 2022 Expression Series Riesling, 2020 Reserve Malbec
Enthusiast Red Only: 2021 Expression Series Cabernet Merlot, 2022 Sandstone Gamay
Enthusiast White Only: 2023 June’s Riesling, NV Gewürztraminer
Expert Red & White: NV Gewürztraminer, 2021 Cabernet Merlot, 2022 Cabernet Franc
Expert Red Only: 2022 Sandstone Gamay, 2021 Cabernet Merlot, 2022 Cabernet Franc
Expert White Only: NV Gewürztraminer, 2023 June’s Riesling, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
Master Red & White: NV Gewürztraminer, 2023 June’s Riesling, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Sandstone Gamay, 2021 Cabernet Merlot, 2021 Expression Series Cabernet Merlot
Master Red Only: 2022 Sandstone Gamay, 2021 Cabernet Merlot, 2021 Expression Series Cabernet Merlot, 2020 Reserve Malbec, 2020 Merlot, 2022 Cabernet Franc
Tasting Notes
EXPRESSION SERIES RIESLING, 2022
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Select Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 11.5%
Residual Sugar: 9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 350
Appearance: Pale straw in colour.
Nose: Minerally, lightly floral nose of citrus fruits.
Palate: Light-bodied, crisply dry, lime and grapefruit flavours.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 2-3 years.
Awards:
Food Pairing: Indian dal with split peas, chilled peanut noodle salad, smoked haddock with apple compote, Thai basil beef stir fry, and jalapeño chicken wings.
RESERVE MALBEC, 2020
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Malbec (85%), Merlot (15%)
Vineyard: Select Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 6.1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 255
Appearance: Purple-ruby in colour.
Nose: Cedary, blackberry nose with a light floral top note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, juicy blueberry and blackberry flavours. Well-balanced and firmly structured, with well-integrated oak.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now, but will improve with 1-2 years in bottle.
Food Pairing: Spicy tomatillo risotto, barbecued brisket, chorizo sausage and thyme fougasse, spicy lamb rogan josh, and smoked aubergine with garlic tahini sauce.
GEWÜRZTRAMINER, NV
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Ontario
Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Vineyard: Select Ontario vineyards
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 110
Appearance: Golden straw in colour.
Nose: Honeysuckle and lychee bouquet with a suggestion of oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, perfumed lychee and passionfruit flavours. Well-balanced.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drinking well now, but the nose will develop with a year or two in bottle.
Food Pairing: Ginger salad with chickpeas and peanuts, strong cheeses like Stinking Bishop, smoked rainbow trout, duck in red curry, and steaming hot pot with your choice of protein.
EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET MERLOT, 2021
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineGeographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Merlot (49%)
Vineyard: Lakeshore Farm Vineyard
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 537
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Garnet colour.
Nose: Plum, black cherry, licorice, and a touch of baking spice on the nose.
Palate: Medium acid, medium tannin, medium body. Bold flavours of dark cherry, blackberry, black tea, a green vegetal note, and black pepper.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Awards:
Food Pairing: EVOO-marinated eggplant and shiitake mushrooms off the grill, lamb bolognese over tagliatelle, grilled Comté cheese and prosciutto sandwiches, mole enchiladas with Cotija cheese, and your favourite pizza.
JUNE'S RIESLING, 2023
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Creek Shores
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Whitty Vineyard and Lakeshore Vineyard
Alcohol: 11.5%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 350
Appearance: White gold colour.
Nose: Floral, grapefruit nose with a thread of minerality.
Palate: Light-bodied, dry, elegant, lemon-lime and grapefruit flavours in the mouth.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 2-3 years.
Food Pairing: Curry chicken skewers with lime, vegetable pakoras with mango chutney, tuna and edamame poké bowl, crab salad canapés, and tomatillo shakshuka.
SANDSTONE GAMAY, 2022
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Gamay Noir
Vineyard: Select Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 383
Appearance: Deep ruby-crimson in colour.
Nose: Toasty, cherry nose with a note of violets.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, fresh and lively on the palate with cherry and red plum flavours and a firm finish.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or through 2025.
Awards:
Food Pairing: Barbecued bratwurst sausages with caramelized onions, herb-marinated pork chops, pomegranate-glazed roasted chicken, salmon pâté, and creamy roasted pumpkin soup.
SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2023
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineGeographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Select Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 550
Appearance: Bright. Very pale straw colour.
Nose: Vibrant bouquet of gooseberry, stone fruit, green apple, and lemon.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Nectarine pit, grapefruit, lime, and lemongrass. Well-balanced with great structure.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Awards:
Food Pairing: Radicchio salad with olive and parmesan, grilled chicken in spicy mango-lime sauce, eggs benedict with chimichurri instead of Hollandaise, roasted fennel pasta with lemon and ricotta, and pork piccata.
CABERNET MERLOT, 2021
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineGeographical Indication: VQA Creek Shores
Varietal: Merlot (48%), Cabernet Franc (32%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%)
Vineyard: Lakeshore Farm Vineyard and June’s Vineyard
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 3.8 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 825
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Garnet-ruby colour.
Nose: Deep aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, savoury green herbs, and a hint of green pepper.
Palate: Medium acid, medium tannin, medium body. Vivid notes of blackcurrant, licorice, green pepper, and a touch of black pepper. Great structure with firm tannins.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Malaysian beef curry, portobello mushroom burger with aged gouda and smoky barbecue sauce, French dip sandwich, coffee-rubbed lamb chops, and steak frites.
CABERNET FRANC, 2022
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Ontario
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Select Ontario vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 4.5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 550
Appearance: Deep purple in colour.
Nose: Cedary, black cherry nose with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury, sour cherry flavour. Well-structured with ripe tannins.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 1-2 years.
Food Pairing: Grilled zucchini sprinkled with goat cheese, barbecued salmon with Aleppo pepper, baked penne with prosciutto and fontina cheese, chicken with braised fennel and tarragon, and pan-fried herbed sweetbreads.
MERLOT, 2020
13th Street Winery, Niagara Peninsula Buy this wineGeographical Indication: VQA Creek Shores
Varietal: Merlot
Vineyard: Lakeshore Farm Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 830
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Dark garnet in colour.
Nose: Vibrant bouquet of dark cherry, cassis, earth, and a hint of menthol.
Palate: Medium acid, medium+ tannin, medium body. Bold flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, and savoury green herbs. Dry with firm tannins.
Quality: 89 – 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+ / Outstanding. Hold 1-2 years to integrate tannins.
Food Pairing: Barbecued chicken, Cajun blackened catfish, filet mignon with Bordelaise sauce, smoked ham and white beans with cornbread, and deep-dish spinach and ricotta lasagna.