Order the following by the case for daily office, home or restaurant delivery direct from the winery either by using this link Closson Chase, by phone 1.888.201.2300 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or pick them up from the winery 629 Closson Road, Hillier, Ontario K0K 2J0 – it’s an easy 2 or so hour drive, or less, from the GTA or Ottawa and environs - Here’s a map.

• The following 2017 Closson Chase ‘Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from two premium estate vineyards—90% South Clos, 10% Churchside—then fermented in a large oak fermenter and matured eighteen months in French oak barrel, less than 10% new.

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Closson Chase ‘Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2017
VQA Prince Edward County $34.95 (145888) 12.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of mixed spice, beetroot and dark ripe cherry waft easily from this PEC pinot. Red berry and passionfruit palate flavours interweave with tangy pie cherry and wisps of drying tannin. It’s medium weight with very good mouthfeel and plenty of mouth-watering acidity on the back palate and aftertaste. Aerate/decant a couple of hours pouring with duck confit or tourtière. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Closson Chase ‘Churchside’ Pinot Noir was sourced 100% from this vineyard from hand-picked fruit. It was fermented in a large oak fermenters and matured 18 months in French oak barrel, 20% new.
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Closson Chase ‘Churchside’ Pinot Noir 2017
VQA Prince Edward County $39.95 12.5% alcohol
Light-ruby hued, aromas of toasty notes, red cherry and mocha waft from the glass. This races over the palate with laser-like precision riding on a streak of bracing tang and flavours of pomegranate and sour cherry. It’s medium bodied with excellent tang and a lengthy aftertaste. There’s good structure and purity of fruit throughout. Aerate/decant two or three hours before service and pour with medium-rare roast beef or breaded veal cutlets. (Vic Harradine)

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Closson Chase ‘KJ Watson Vineyard’ Pinot Gris 2018
VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula $22.95 (469445) 12.5% alcohol
This was 100% stainless steel fermented and saw no oak. Aromas of honeysuckle and pit fruit abound on the nose. It dishes up a medium-full bodied, tang-infused and generously textured mouthful of flavour with lemon curd and grapefruit zest mingling with ripe pear and saline minerality. This finishes lengthy, clean and refreshing with plenty of pizzazz. Pour with Alsatian onion tart or baked ham dotted with cloves. (Vic Harradine)

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Closson Chase ‘Mosaic’ – Charmat Method 2018
VQA Ontario $29.95 11.8% alcohol
Sourced from chardonnay fruit from the Niagara, KJ Watson Vineyard, this was 50% older-barrel fermented and 50% temperature-controlled stainless steel fermented spending 45 days on its lees. Lifted aromas of floral notes and mandarin orange waft easily from the glass. A profuse mousse crowns the wine when poured. It blankets the palate with flavours of peach skin, doughy notes and grapefruit pith finishing dry and crisp. Pour alongside freshly shucked mussels, prawn ceviche or sushi. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following wine by the bottle(s) or case(s) for daily delivery to home, office or restaurant online from Henry of Pelham or, on your next visit, pick up bottle(s) or case(s) from the winery at 1469 Pelham Rd, St. Catharines ON. Here’s a map.

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Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Sauvignon Blanc 2018
VQA Short Hills Bench $19.95 12.7% alcohol
Floral notes and honeydew melon aromas precede a slightly off-dry stream of interesting palate flavours with honeyed pit fruit giving way to citrussy tang on the lip-smacking, lengthy finish. Production is limited to 300 cases; it’s very good value, well balanced with creamy smooth mouthfeel and plenty of tang on the aftertaste. Gorgeous sipped on its own, it also pours well with pan-seared or beer-battered Tilapia or spicy Asian cuisine. (Vic Harradine)

• The following wines from Tawse winery and Redstone can be purchased by the bottle(s) case (s) for home, office or restaurant delivery online at Tawse Winery, by Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by phone +1 905 562 9500 or for pick up by bottle(s) or case(s) directly at the winery 3955 Cherry Ave, Vineland ON. Here’s a map.

There are no ‘official’ definitions and no official regulations, that I’m aware of, that apply to ‘Natural’ wines. At their basic level one might expect: grapes are grown sustainably, organically or biodynamically, are hand harvested and fermented by native yeasts. As well, the wine should have nothing added as far as enzymes or acidity and have been minimally, or not at all, sulphured, and that they are lightly or not at all, fined nor filtered. One might, but not necessarily, discover ‘funky’ aromas and flavours, possibly from ‘wild’ yeasts, plus high overall acidity. One might want to drink these wines within the first two or three years in bottle.

The goal might be described as, ‘letting the fruit transform from its living state on the vine to becoming a living wine in the bottle with minimal intervention and with as little as possible added—e.g. sulphur and cultured yeast—and as little as possible taken away—e.g. lees—during the winemaking process.’ (Vic Harradine)

• The following four wines from Tawse Winery are labelled ‘Natural’ wines and are available at the winery and for home delivery from the winery (see far above) and select, wine-friendly, wine-knowledgeable restaurants.

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Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard ‘Natural Wine’ Chardonnay 2018
VQA Vinemount Ridge $36.95 12.5% alcohol
This was hand-harvested from organic fruit, barrel fermented using wild yeast and spent eight months maturing in French oak then was bottled unfiltered, with its lees, with no sulphur added. Aromas of apple, pear and wisps of caramel precede a medium-bodied, nicely textured river of palate-bathing flavours of red apple and tang-laden, lemon-lime citrus persisting through the mineral-infused, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. This pairs well with lemon chicken or pan-seared fish under a squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)

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Tawse Redfoot Vineyard ‘Natural Wine’ Gamay Noir 2018
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $29.95 12.5% alcohol 
This was hand harvested and spent eight months maturing in French oak and was bottled unfiltered, with its lees, with no sulphur added. Alluring aromas of dark berry fruit, savoury notes and notions of Ribena provide segue to a rich stream of ripe black plum and tang-infused black currant. This is ruby hued, medium weight with good mouthfeel. It finishes balanced, lengthy, dry and lip-smacking good with traces of herbal notes. Lovely sipped on its own, it’s also versatile at the table—pour with grilled steak, roast beef or roast bird. (Vic Harradine)

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Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard ‘Natural Wine’ Pinot Noir 2018
VQA Vinemount Ridge $35.95 13.0% alcohol
This is certified organic and biodynamic, was hand harvested, spent eight months maturing in French oak and was bottled unfiltered, with its lees, with no sulphur added. Black cherry and black currant jam aromas on the nose, this blankets the palate with tang-laden flavours of pie cherry and black raspberry underpinned by drying tannin. It’s medium-bodied with good texture and plenty of pizzazz. Aerate/decant one or two hours before serving with chicken pot pie or duck confit. (Vic Harradine)

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Tawse Redfoot Vineyard ‘Natural Wine’ Cabernet Franc 2018
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $28.95 13.0% alcohol 
This was hand-harvested, spent eight months maturing in French oak and was bottled unfiltered, with its lees, with no sulphur added. Aromas of cherry/berry fruit, smoky notes and pencil shavings introduce a generous mouthful of palate-coating flavours with tangy red fruit—cherry and passionfruit—mingling with wisps of cassis and drying tannins. Dark-ruby hued, well structured, medium-bodied and nicely textured, it finishes dry with palate replays. Aerate/decant for one or two hours pouring with braised beef or pulled pork sliders. (Vic Harradine)

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Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir Rosé 2018
VQA Vinemount Ridge $27.95 12.0% alcohol
This 100% Pinot Noir rosé was sourced from eleven-year-old vines and is certified organic and biodynamic. It’s salmon pink and orange hued with aromas of red berry fruit, floral notes and wisps of flinty minerality. It streaks over the palate with great élan as a crisp clean shower of crunchy red currant and pie cherry flavours intertwine with piquant mineral notes. It’s medium bodied and nicely textured with a lengthy aftertaste that’s mouth-watering and clean as a whistle. Pour with roast turkey and all the fixings or with chilled, red pepper soup. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Redstone Wines Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling Wine is vintage-dated, 100% hand-harvested Pinot Noir fashioned Méthode Traditionnelle—aka, made in the method of Champagne—spending 12 months in bottle on its lees before disgorgement—aka, expelling the lees.

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Redstone Wines Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling Wine 2017
VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 12.0% alcohol
Aromas of strawberry and floral notes can be coaxed from the glass of this well-priced gem. It pours with a vigorous mousse that eventually sends up seemingly endless streams of fine-bead bubbles winding their way to the top of the glass. Soft strawberry and tangy blood orange dominate palate flavours while cleaning up crisp, clean and refreshing on the finish and aftertaste. Serve on its own or with pan-seared salmon under a squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)