Tasting Note:  This is the top barrel selection from Hidden Bench, and a wine that I have always found beguiling and so sophisticated. The 2022 is a delicious, creamy, rich yet elegant, a top barrels selection. The almost opulent nose combines hazelnut, apple crust, nutmeg, cream, butterscotch and flint. It is medium bodied, so well balanced and refined and controlled. A bit warm at 13.5% abv, but there is so much flavour here. Quite nutty and a touch bitter on the finish. Excellent to outstanding length. It could use another year or two of bottle age, and will drink well into the 2030s

Backgrounder:  Tete de Cuvee is a blend of 100% organic and estate grown grapes from the Rosomel and Locust Lane vineyards Planted 1976 to 1979 – among the oldest on the Niagara Escarpment. The fruit was hand harvested, wild yeast fermented in 100% French oak: 24% new, 22%  2nd fill, 43% 3rd fill. Best barrels were selected and blended in July 2024 then returned to stainless steel barrels (75%) and neutral barriques (25%). Total time in barrel was 16 months, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Accolades:  Silver National Wine Awards of Canada 2026