Winemaker's Notes
GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Gewürztraminer translates to “the spicy grape” and our “Gew” is definitely spicy, but it also has an exotic bouquet of tropical fruits and lychee. It’s smooth and rich with a distinctive and complex finish. There is just a touch of residual sugar, not to add sweetness but to round the mouthfeel.
BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY
This wine is barrel fermented and aged “sur lie” for up to 12 months in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is full-bodied, combining flavours of tropical fruit and melon in a concentrated, buttery style. There are also nuances of smokiness and soft, warm spice to make things interesting. This is an age-worthy Chardonnay that will continue to develop for a few years in the bottle.
CHARDONNAY, PAUL BOSC ESTATE
This wine is from Paul’s home vineyard and made the way he was taught: barrel-fermented, barrel-aged and regular stirring of the “lees” for one year in French oak barrels. The finished wine is classic old-world style; full-bodied and complex with nuances of citrus, melon and popcorn butter. It’s ready to drink now but will continue to develop in the bottle for a few years.
GAMAY NOIR ‘DROIT’
In the early ’80s, Paul was doing routine inspections in the vineyard and noticed a single Gamay Noir vine growing straight up and taller than the others in the block. He was interested in the potential of this vine so we took cuttings and propagated the vine and eventually made wine from these specific grapes. The wine did have some of the classic Gamay characteristics, cherry flavours and a medium body style, but there was also a layer of complexity that was a pleasant surprise.
Gamay ‘Droit’ also has warm spicy notes and a hint of smokiness that is quite lovely. It is also higher in alcohol making it more mid-weight in style. The wine was different enough from standard Gamay that we thought we actually had a different clone on our hands. Once the genetic testing was done we found out that Canada’s first vinifera vine was born right in our vineyard! We were granted International Plant Breeders’ Rights, a sort of patent, so no one else in the world can grow this vine or make this wine called Gamay Noir ‘Droit’. Because this wine is so interesting in the glass we decided to not oak age it. What you taste is the unique flavours of Gamay ‘Droit’.
PINOT NOIR
Much like Equuleus, the Paul Bosc Pinot Noir is made only in outstanding vintages. Throughout the growing season, we carefully monitor the yield produced by the oldest vines in the Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard to achieve the optimal balance between tannin ripeness, brix and flavour. The wine is aged for 16 months in brand new French oak barrels, imparting an extra layer of complexity on this delicate, nuanced and balanced wine with silky tannins.
CABERNET FRANC
Cabernet Franc is one of Niagara’s signature grape varieties and this is an excellent example of how it can be made into a complex wine with ageing potential. The grapes are handpicked and then undergo temperature-controlled fermentation so the wine does not come across as “over-extracted”. It’s then aged for one year in 1-2 year-old French oak barrels to add an extra layer of flavour but not mask the essence of the wine. It’s ruby coloured, with flavours of raspberry and pipe tobacco. Although this wine is ready to drink, it will continue to develop in the bottle for at least 5-10 years.
Vineyard Manager's Notes
GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Our Gewürztraminer is grown on the West side of the Château on a 1 hectare (2.5 acres) parcel. You can easily spot these vines in the late summer and fall because they have a distinctive rosy coloured skin, not the typical greenish skin found on white wine grapes. We planted these vines in 1996 and we feel they are just now hitting their peak producing fantastic hand-harvested grapes that are making very interesting wine.
BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted varieties in the world. There are more than 40 different clones of Chardonnay and we believe we have identified and planted the right ones for our vineyard sites. All the Chardonnay for this single-vineyard wine is grown on the East side of the Château. There is a gradual but significant slope from the back of the vineyard down towards York Road to the North. This is important because it helps the under-drainage system work even more efficiently. It also helps the underground artesian water flow from the Escarpment towards the road under the vineyard so the long vine roots can pull up the limestone, calcium and other minerals that have dissolved into the water. This is expressed in the finished wine as minerality, one of the signature flavours found in wines grown on our St. David’s Bench Vineyard.
CHARDONNAY, PAUL BOSC ESTATE
Chardonnay is still the most widely planted white grape variety in the world, as well as here in Niagara. It’s a workhorse in the vineyard but to coax the best out of the grapes you need to be hands-on and meticulous. We carefully limit the yield on these vines to help concentrate the vine’s work on fewer bunches. We also select the best bunches on each vine and remove the rest then we expose the bunches on the East side of the rows in late August then the Westside in September and we will remove individual berries from the hanging bunches if they are not up to par. At the same time, we are mindful of our footprint on the land. Our sustainable practices include never using herbicides; we control weeds by tilling them into the soil where they add nutrients; our cellars are geothermal environments where heating and air conditioning are not needed at any time during the year. These are just a few examples of our environmentally friendly practices both in the vineyards and in the winery.
GAMAY NOIR ‘DROIT”
Initially, we thought this ‘droit’ or upright vine would ease some of the trellising work done by hand. These vines have particularly strong tendrils and sturdier canes which help the vine grow straighter. All we have to do is make sure they are growing in-between the wires. Gamay ‘Droit’ grapes mature about two weeks later than standard Gamay Noir so we need to be particularly vigilant for signs of break down so we can prevent problems and allow the grapes to fully mature.
PINOT NOIR
Pinot Noir is known the world over as the “heartbreak grape” because of how difficult it is to grow well. The slightest bit of moisture in the air can spell trouble so it is critical that we stay vigilant during the growing season. Our sustainable practices mean we are in the vineyards routinely so we can spot the beginnings of a problem and stop it from developing. Our sustainable practices include never using herbicides; we control weeds by tilling them into the soil where they add nutrients; our cellars are geothermal environments where heating and air conditioning are not needed at any time during the year. These are just a few examples of our environmentally friendly practices both in the vineyards and in the winery.
CABERNET FRANC
We are fortunate to be able to work with St. David’s Bench Vineyard. It is an incredible site. Because it is so far from the lake and nestled against the Escarpment, we are able to achieve full maturity and ripeness in our reds. We do a lot of hand-work in the rows to help the vines concentrate their flavours. This site also features underground springs that carry limestone off the Escarpment. The vine roots access this water and we believe it is what gives wines grown here their signature minerality.
Bosc Family Food Pairings
GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Gew is not necessarily the first wine you reach for when pairing with food but this wine is remarkably versatile. Yes, there are exotic flavours that you can try to match but we think it’s the tremendous mouth feel that makes it a real food partner. Try it with beef stir fry over a bed of hearty buckwheat soba noodles.
BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY
This Chardonnay has an elegance and finesse that we love to pair food with. It is a full-bodied white wine, but the judicious use of oak doesn’t overwhelm the accompanying dish. Try it with gnocchi in a brown butter and sage sauce with a little crispy pancetta crumbled on top.
CHARDONNAY, PAUL BOSC ESTATE
The perfect lobster wine.
GAMAY NOIR ‘DROIT’
This is our “go-to” summer BBQ wine. No matter what is on the grill, Gamay ‘Droit’ is a terrific match. One of our favourite rib recipes has a sauce made from olive oil, honey, any fresh herbs you have, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and minced jalapeño. Chill down the wine for about 10 minutes and voilà, gourmet back deck BBQ! In the winter it works beautifully with a hearty lasagna or a double-cut Ontario pork chop topped with a mushroom & herb sauce.
PINOT NOIR
This is a beautifully structured Pinot Noir making food pairing quite interesting. The classic combination is with lamb, and we’ve certainly enjoyed this wine with an herb-encrusted rack of lamb. But don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try it with cedar-planked salmon with a hoisin glaze.
CABERNET FRANC
Try Cab Franc the next time you’re thinking about Cab Sauvignon. You will be pleasantly surprised! This wine is full-bodied enough to pair with any red meat; BBQ, braised or roasted.
