At fi rst, one senses a great brooding tension of fruit and longevity under the mantle of rich, dense fruit on the nose of the Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2017. One senses a certain aristocratic reticence in this wine. Never as immediately expressive young as other Niagara single-vineyards, this wine naturally has a ‘sense that it needs time in bottle’ that we have seen every year since its inception. Slowly, an indescribable bouquet of fi rm, dense, elegant red raspberry rises from the glass, joined by minty red forest berries, smaller blue fruit, dried fl owers, orange zest and complex spice. However, the pure, kirsch-fl avoured, suave, stony red and black raspberry is the terroir clue that always dominates the ensemble. The alluring, expansive layered red fruit fl irts with darker berries, leading to a long, complex yet focused fi nish that reveals strong chalky minerality, fi rm acidity, and present, but fi nely tuned tannins.

Drinking Prime: 2022-2030. Will certainly hold longer.