Tasting Note Syrah all the way but, most importantly, this is not a PEC syrah. It is from fruit purchased from the Hemeris Vineyard in Niagara. Thus, the simple Ontario VQA appellation. It is a lighter, brisk but not lean syrah from the keen, aromatic 2024 vintage. So don’t expect cuddly Rhonish warmth and richness. But do expect lifted, template syrah aromatics, with ripe slightly stewed black cherry, pepper, licorice, clove and meatloaf notes. It is medium weight, firm and brittle but not austere, with crisp acidity, moderate alcohol and fine starchy tannin. Notably ferrous minerality, brown olive pit and some earthiness on the finish. Excellent length. Tasted April 2026 

Backgrounder Syrah is not a winter hardy variety, thus not generally well suited to Ontario, let alone Prince Edward County. There once was a PEC syrah vineyard in the 2000s planted by wine-writer-turned-vigneron Dick Singer, and there was a very early bottling by Jonas Newman of Hinterland, who has made this rendition as well. These grapes from the Hemeris Vineyard in Niagara were destemmed and fermented for 16 days, with gentle punch downs. The wine was matured in neutral French and new Austrian oak barrels for nine months then bottled.