White Wine 101
We may not know which varietal of wine Galileo was referencing when he said “Wine is sunlight, held together by water,” but the quote brings to mind a rich Chardonnay from the Niagara Peninsula appellation. Located in St. Catharines, ON, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery hand crafts award-winning Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio wines with grapes grown in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation. Read to discover what you can expect from the white wines made at Henry.
Riesling grapes originated in Germany during the 14th century and slowly made their way around the world having success in cool climate regions like France, and Austria. Riesling made its way to Canada in the latter half of the twentieth century, being transplanted by German immigrant winemakers. Niagara’s cool climate viticultural zones were well suited to Riesling. Today, Riesling remains one of the most important varietals in the country.
Classic Riesling
The Classic Riesling is a vibrant and approachable wine offering a balance of fruitiness and minerality.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Fresh and aromatic, with notes of green apple, lime, and subtle floral hints.
- Taste: Known for its crisp flavours of green apple. It offers a touch of sweetness that balances the acidity, making it refreshing and easy to drink.
- Pairing: Clean and lively it's a versatile choice for pairing with various dishes, from white pizza with goat milks cheese, to glazed ham, or spicy thai dishes.
Dry River Estate Riesling
The Estate Riesling offers a slightly more refined expression, showcasing the terroir's vibrancy and mineral characteristics.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Bright citrus notes of lemon, mango, and grapefruit.
- Taste: Expressive, aromatic, and juicy featuring flavours of peach and lime blossom with a touch of minerality.
- Pairing: The wine's acidity is balanced with sweetness, making it a great match for seafood dishes like crab, grilled salmon, and lobster.
Speck Family Reserve Riesling
| Gold - 92 points - National Wine Awards 2024 |
The Speck Family Reserve Riesling is crafted from select vineyard blocks, offering greater complexity and depth.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Intensely aromatic, with notes of peach, apricot, and floral blossoms.
- Taste: Rich and concentrated with ripe flavours of citrus, peach and nectarine, with a pronounced mineral backbone.
- Pairing: This wine's flavour complexity makes it compatible with a variety of dishes like grilled calamari and goat cheese pizza.
Chardonnay originated in Burgundy, France where it became the dominant white grape variety. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Chardonnay began to spread beyond France, the grapes ability to produce high-quality wines in diverse conditions made it a popular choice for winemakers globally. Chardonnay became one of the most widely planted grape varieties, establishing itself in wine regions such as California, New Zealand, South Africa and our home, Canada.
In the Niagara region, Chardonnay has seen great success. The unique terroir of the Niagara Peninsula, offers ideal conditions for producing high-quality Chardonnay.
Henry of Pelham Chardonnay
Bright and aromatic with flavours ranging from vibrant apple to citrusy grapefruit this white wine has true cool-climate Chardonnay character.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Fresh and vibrant, with notes of apple, pear, and a hint of citrus.
- Taste: This Chardonnay emphasizes clean fruit flavours of pear, apricot, with a hint of french oak. It is light-bodied and refreshing, making it an excellent choice for warm days or as an aperitif.
- Pairing: Crisp and acidic this wine pairs well with rich Indian curry's, poached trout, or spring vegetables like sweet peas or fiddleheads.
Three Hills Estate Chardonnay
The diversity of sites within our Short Hills Bench sub-appellation provide ample tools to shape this round and generous wine, perfectly framed by a delicate veil of oak. Rich but at the same time, mouth-wateringly fresh.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Aromas of ripe apple, vanilla, and subtle oak spice, complemented by hints of tropical fruit.
- Taste: The palate is well-balanced, featuring flavours of ripe apple, pear, and citrus, with notes of vanilla and toast from the oak aging.
- Pairing: Creamy pasta dishes, such as fettuccine Alfredo, pair well with the wine's balanced acidity and oak influence. It can also be paired with brunch favourites like Eggs Benedict.
Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay
| Platinum - 94 points - National Wine Awards 2024 |
Powerful and round yet vibrant with acidity, this rich white wine bridges Old and New World styles. The use of oak is unapologetic but delicate, it acts as a support but not the wine's structure.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Intense and layered, with aromas of ripe peach, and toasted oak, along with hints of vanilla and spice.
- Taste: This wine is full-bodied, with rich flavours of baked apple, pear, and tropical fruits, with notes of butterscotch and caramel from the oak aging. The creamy texture and balanced acidity create a harmonious profile.
- Pairing: Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay's complexity pairs beautifully with rich seafood dishes like lobster or crab with butter.
The Sauvignon Blanc grape variety originated in the famous french wine region of Bordeaux. Known for its high acidity and distinctive aromatic profile, Sauvignon Blanc gained popularity in the Loire Valley, an area renowned for producing wines with herbaceous flavour and minerality. Introduced to Canada in the late 20th century, the grape has found a home in regions that allow for the production of fresh and aromatic wines. Our Sauvignon Blanc is planted in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. Perhaps our least typical cool climate white, we pursue longer hang times with Sauvignon Blanc.
Henry of Pelham Sauvignon Blanc
Melon and grapefruit flavours dominate the palate, while honeysuckle aromas fill out the bouquet in this dry white wine.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Fresh and aromatic, with notes of honeysuckle and pear. Subtle grassy and herbaceous notes add complexity to the aroma.
- Taste: The wine offers crisp acidity with bright flavours of melon and grapefruit, citrus, and green apple adding liveliness to the palate.
- Pairing: Light salads with goat cheese or vinaigrette dressing pair well with the wine’s zesty and lively character.
The Shadow Rock Sauvignon Blanc
the Shadow Rock Sauvignon Blanc is crafted to showcase a balance of fruitiness and acidity, offering an approachable and enjoyable wine experience.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Aromas of ripe fruits such as honeysuckle, with underlying citrus and floral notes.
- Taste: The palate is juicy and refreshing, with flavours of ripe melon, grapefruit, and a touch of lime zest. This is balanced by soft vanilla notes from partial barrel fermentation and aging in oak.
- Pairing: This wine pairs well with big flavour ranging from pan-fried fish with a lemon dill cream sauce to quiche Florentine.
Pinot Grigio is a white grape variety that originated in the Burgundy region of France. It is a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. Pinot Grigio made its way to Canada in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The Niagara Peninsula provides ideal conditions for growing Pinot Grigio, allowing for the production of wines that balance fresh acidity with expressive fruit flavours.
Henry of Pelham Pinot Grigio
| Gold - 92 points - National Wine Awards 2024 |
Our popular Pinot Grigio breaks New World ground as a refreshing white wine with white cranberry and melon flavours.
- Flavour Profile:
- Aroma: Fresh and aromatic, with notes of tropical melon and a hint of minerality.
- Taste: This wine offers bright acidity with flavours of lemon, white cranberry, and melon. A touch of minerality provides balance and depth, making it a lively wine.
- Pairing: Pair this crowd pleaser with ceviche, chicken, or pasta salad
White wine varietals have found a thriving home in the Niagara Peninsula. Whether you relax with Riesling or enjoy Chardonnay, we have a white wine for you. All of our wines are certified sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario. Find your bottle at the LCBO or buy online here.
BOOK YOUR OWN EVENT
Birthday party? Bridal shower? Business meeting? Be the host with the most.
Intimate spaces for special occasions
Henry of Pelham offers several spaces for formal and informal events and meetings, with room for up to 30 people. We've helped host anniversaries, office parties, showers, birthdays, annual general meetings and more. Our light-filled ballroom, which is also a beautiful gallery space featuring work from Canadian artists, is a bright venue for daytime events and an elegant room to host evening gatherings. Our barrel cellar is a cool retreat from the summer heat and cozy space for fall and winter events for smaller groups. Catering is available from the Coach House Café.
And with anything from Henry's wine list available to event organizers, the drinks are guaranteed to be crowd-pleasers.
WHEN:
September 25-26, 2017
TIME:
1 -4 p.m.
COST:
1 -4 p.m.
JOIN CLUB HENRY.
A Classic membership gets you complimentary tastings for two on every visit to the winery, 15% off regularly priced non-wine items in our retail store, and advance notice of special release wines, events and contests—all for free! We'll even mail you a membership card.
