Tasting Note –  Jeff Moote has delivered yet another minor miracle, crafting an authentic, suitably rich yet so tidy ‘southern Rhone” white blend. It is a three-way equal-parts split of marsanne, roussanne and viognier (MRV). Roussanne was only approved in Ontario in 2025, making this the first VQA approved wine to contain this lovely floral and acid-driven variety. This blend is a very fine rendering, with fairly deep, ‘brassy’ yellow gold colour. The winemaking effortlessly blends the three varieties and lays in a fine oak frame.  The nose is immediate, soft and rich with tropical melon, starfruit (viognier), subtle orange pith (marsanne) and yellow flowers (roussanne) co-mingled with butterscotch, fine oak spice and tobacco. It is medium bodied, very smooth and glycerol with low to moderate acidity, modest alcohol at 13.3%, and a drying, even finish. The length is very good to excellent. 

Backgrounder – Divergence winemaker Jeff Moote continues to rack-up respect and accolades in Ontario. His is a virtual brand made within the Collab Project at Marynissen Estates. Moote’s secrets are two-fold. One is sourcing fruit from some of the very best sites in Niagara. Second is his winemaking which brings purity, energy and balance to any grapes he employs.  I personally think he is doing brilliant work, and expect his wines to show up in Canada’s Best Wines for some time to come. This is the first vintage of this southern Rhone blend from the Bock Vineyard. It is a warm, single-vineyard site owned by the Bock family in the St. David’s Bench sub-appellation, known for its clay loam soils and rare south-facing aspect. The wine was fermented and aged 70% in older French oak, 30% in stainless steel. 

Accolades: Gold National Wine Awards 2026