Tasting Note – This beguiling syrah is one of the most northern Rhone-like of Niagara – paler ruby-garnet in colour, lighter and leaner in style, as a result of the more difficult less-ripe vintage, and now showing some maturation. Not at all a fruit bomb, it is rife with complex cured meat, peppery notes amid almost pinot-like sour cherry, lavender and barrel spice. There is even a tweak of underlying acetic acid. It is light to medium bodied (only 12.5% abv) very elegant and well woven with smooth texture and mild tannin. The length is excellent to outstanding. So all in all not a syrah for all, but a syrah that somehow speaks volumes about this grape’s trials and tribulations in Niagara, and teaches a great lesson about perseverance. Drink this over the next three years. Last tasted July 2026

Backgrounder – Ikya and Nadia Senchuk source good fruit from their own Senchuk Vineyard in Winona, and others across Niagara. The Keczan vineyard was founded by Les and Judy Keczan 30-years ago on the red clay and gravel soils of the Lincoln Lakeshore just below the Beamsville Bench. Judy continues to farm the Keczan site since Les’ passing a few years ago. The vineyard slopes gently towards Lake Ontario at the base of the escarpment in the town of Beamsville.  While in the same sub-appellation as Leaning Post’s Senchuk Vineyard, it’s distance to the lake is greater, resulting in a warmer microclimate. The 2021 growing season however was tricky, with humidity and rain throughout the growing season. Fruit was hand-picked and sorted late, on October 20^th capturing some reprieve in the conditions. The grapes were de-stemmed into a stainless-steel tank for six days soaking prior to fermentation, with another two days of post fermentation maceration. The wine was then gently pressed and aged in French and American oak barrels for 20 months.