Tasting Note: This is first release from Dandor, that opened in April 2026 and it is a very fine debut. National Wine Awards judges thought so too, awarding a Gold Medal. It somehow nicely captures what I feel Niagara should be doing with this variety, making mid-weight, appealing, open-knit and fresh wines that don’t try too hard to be profound, but still deliver flavour depth. The nose is a fine, fragrant but not jammy arrangement of raspberry/rhubarb crisp, fresh herbs, tobacco and very well measured oak spice. It medium bodied, open-knit, dry and well balanced with very fine tannin. Not showy, but somehow very real and authentic – and enjoyable. The flavour concentration is excellent, and better than anticipated.

Backgrounder – Dandor opened in the spring of 2026. It is owned Lilia and Alexei Bodistean, who were long interested in wine in their native Moldova, a tiny, but voluminous wine producing nation, that neighbours Ukraine and boasts some of the world’s largest cellars. They emigrated to Canada in 2001 and quickly discovered Niagara, visiting often and purchasing grapes to make their own wine in Toronto. In 2022, they purchased of a century-old farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with existing vineyards of over 20 years age, and prepared to open Dandor Estate Winery, a co-joined name honoring their sons Daniel and Dorin. They have hired consultant Adam Kern, who I have always thought is one of Niagara’s best winemakers, with his own Kern & Co label, a marketing/branding business, and previous stints at several Niagara and Prince Edward County wineries. He reports that “The 2023 Cabernet Franc was grown from Dandor’s estate vineyard, fermented on skins for 21 days with daily punch downs to ensure gentle extraction. It was aged in European oak barrels for 14 months, then 9 months further in tank prior to bottling”.

Accolades: Gold National Wine Awards of Canada