Westcott Vineyards | 2024
Niagara, Ontario
Westcott Vineyards is a certified sustainable Niagara Benchlands winery focused on making the finest pinot noir, chardonnay, and sparkling wines. They believe that wine should be an expression of terroir, largely made in the vineyards. Moreover, the key to great wine is low-intervention winemaking coupled with low yields in the vineyard. A disciplined approach to the variety of grapes and wines allows them to bring out the best from the Lake Iroquois Bench and Vinemount Moraine soils.
On the winemaking front, they use only native yeasts. Pinot noir is made in oak (cuvees and barrels) with whole clusters and long macerations. Chardonnays are barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation and rieslings are botrytis-affected old-vine wines with beautiful aromatics.
Wines included this month
May 2024
Enthusiast Red & White: 2021 Estate Chardonnay, 2020 Estate Pinot Noir
Enthusiast Red Only: 2020 Reserve Pinot Noir, 2022 Gamay
Enthusiast White Only: 2022 Butlers’ Grant Old Vines Riesling, 2021 Reserve Chardonnay
Expert Red & White: 2021 Estate Chardonnay, 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, 2022 Gamay
Expert Red Only: 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, 2022 Gamay, 2020 Butlers’ Grant Cabernet Franc
Expert White Only: 2022 Butlers’ Grant Old Vines Riesling, 2021 Estate Chardonnay, 2021 Butlers’ Grant Old Vines Chardonnay
Master Red & White: 2021 Estate Chardonnay, 2022 Butlers’ Grant Old Vines Riesling, 2021 Reserve Chardonnay, 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, 2022 Gamay, 2020 Reserve Pinot Noir
Master Red Only: 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, 2022 Gamay, 2020 Reserve Pinot Noir, 2020 Butlers’ Grant Cabernet Franc, NV Temperance Red, 2020 Carolyn’s Block Pinot Noir
ESTATE CHARDONNAY, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Escarpment
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Home Farm Vineyard and Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 2.6 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,200
Appearance: Light golden colour.
Nose: Toasty, minerally, apple nose with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted and well-balanced with nicely integrated oak.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2025.
Awards:
- Silver – 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Steamed lobster with herb butter, pumpkin ravioli, grilled cheese sandwiches with fig and caramelized onion, pecan-crusted roasted chicken, and pork loin with wild rice and hazelnut salad.
ESTATE PINOT NOIR, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Escarpment
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Home Farm Vineyard and Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 800
Appearance: Light ruby in colour.
Nose: Lifted, fragrant raspberry nose with a tea leaf note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, mouth-filling flavours of raspberry and red plum. Very Burgundian in style, elegant and seductive.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Can be opened now, but will reward another year in bottle.
Food Pairing: Ribs with a tangy barbecue sauce, cheesy caprese chicken and quinoa casserole, Peking duck, garlic and herb-roasted pork tenderloin, and black bean veggie burgers.
RESERVE CHARDONNAY, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Vinemount Ridge
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Home Farm Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Bright straw colour.
Nose: Minerally, apple and peach nose with oak notes.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry; lovely mouthfeel. Peachy, apple flavours, beautifully balanced. A seamless wine.
Quality: 92 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold through 2025.
Awards:
- Silver – 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Grilled apricot and chicken skewers, steamed shrimp spring rolls, cauliflower gnocchi with brown butter and sage, ahi poké with black rice and heirloom tomatoes, and crab cakes with spicy remoulade.
RESERVE PINOT NOIR, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Vinemount Ridge
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Home Farm Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Ruby with a tawny hue.
Nose: Violets and raspberries on the nose with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced. Firmly structured with ripe tannins and well-integrated oak. Flavours of raspberry and red plum. Great length.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold for a couple of years.
Awards:
- Silver – 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Pesto chicken bake with feta and olives, zucchini mushroom pasta with cream sauce, chargrilled steak with broccolini, cayenne chicken wings with black bean salsa, and smoked shrimp with cheese grits.
BUTLERS' GRANT OLD VINES RIESLING, 2022
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 9.5%
Residual Sugar: 9.5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 300
Appearance: Pale straw colour.
Nose: Minerally, grapefruit nose with a floral top note.
Palate: Light- to medium-bodied, crisply dry, lemon-lime and green apple flavours with great persistence on the palate.
Quality: 89 – 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+ / Outstanding. Can be opened now, but with that acidity it will last for 8–10 years.
Food Pairing: White pizza with arugula and prosciutto, poached salmon with hollandaise sauce, chili-spiced grilled pineapple, spicy peanut Thai noodles, and baked camembert with garlic and rosemary.
GAMAY, 2022
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Vinemount Ridge
Varietal: Gamay
Vineyard: Vieni Vineyard
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Bright ruby in colour.
Nose: Toasty, cherry bouquet with vanilla oak notes.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, juicy cherry, red plum and cranberry flavours carried on a fine spine of acidity.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2025.
Food Pairing: Salmon tartar, roasted duck with soy glaze, blackened Cajun shrimp, pulled pork quesadilla, and cream cheese and spinach-stuffed jalapeños.
BUTLERS' GRANT CHARDONNAY, 2021
Geographical Indication: VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 100
Appearance: Bright. Light gold colour.
Nose: Toasty, oak spice nose followed by refined aromas of green apple, lemon, and almond.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Well balanced with sumptuous flavours of buttered popcorn, lemon, almond, and baking spice.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Pan-fried trout with a tomato basil sauté, grilled chicken with avocado-cherry salsa, creamy lobster linguine, roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic parmesan sauce, and quiche with mushrooms and pancetta.
BUTLERS' GRANT CABERNET FRANC, 2020
Geographical Indication: VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.7%
Residual Sugar: 1.5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 100
Appearance: Semi-opaque. Dark ruby-garnet colour.
Nose: An intense bouquet of violets, cassis, green pepper, savoury green herbs, and a hint of black pepper.
Palate: Medium acid, medium tannin, medium body. Undulating notes of blackberry, licorice, plum, baking spice, and a hint of black tea. Nicely balanced with velvety tannins and a smooth mouthfeel.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 1-2 years.
Food Pairing: Beef dumplings, vermicelli noodles with barbecued pork, tomato and olive-stuffed portobello mushrooms, baba ghanoush with pomegranate molasses, and sweet and sour meatballs.
TEMPERANCE RED, NV
Geographical Indication: VQA Ontario
Varietal: Pinot Noir (50%), Gamay (50%)
Vineyard: Pinot Noir – Home Farm Vineyard; Gamay – Vieni Vineyard
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 3.5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Light ruby red colour.
Nose: Aromas of jammy red berries, red licorice, smoke, and pepper spice.
Palate: Medium acid, medium tannin, medium body. Ripe tannins with flavours of red cherry, raspberry, savoury green herbs, and a green pepper note on the finish.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Moroccan vegetable and tofu stew, cedar plank salmon with cinnamon-dusted squash, teriyaki sirloin steak with soba noodles, fennel-garlic pork roast, and beef bulgogi.
CAROLYN'S BLOCK PINOT NOIR, 2020
Geographical Indication: VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Butlers’ Grant Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 100
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Ruby-garnet colour.
Nose: Vibrant notes of red cherry, cranberry, licorice, and a hint of smoke.
Palate: Medium acid, medium+ tannin, medium body. Bold notes of black cherry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, savoury green herbs, and black pepper. Great structure with firm tannins.
Quality: 90 – 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 1-2 years to soften tannins.
Food Pairing: Grilled risotto-stuffed bell peppers, roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and mint sauce, lemon linguini with roasted tomatoes, homemade pepperoni pizza, and Thai basil chicken.
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