https://www.masonvineyard.com/connect daily 0.75 2024-07-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d41ee586-ecc3-4675-bf2f-6ac29984e303/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trimming.jpg Signup https://www.masonvineyard.com/dine-and-stay daily 0.75 2023-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/9f8646f1-54e3-4192-82bf-235c2f7ec903/Mason-Vineyard-May-2022-Insite-Design-BellwetherX-35+cc.jpg Dine & Stay - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/4dbf4019-1005-4f09-8dcb-6bb4d1a96468/Mason-Vineyard-May-2022-Insite-Design-BellwetherX-7+cc.jpg Dine & Stay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Dine & Stay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Dine & Stay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Dine & Stay https://www.masonvineyard.com/historical-estate-wines daily 0.75 2022-09-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c6a499d3-33f1-46d4-a7de-086f4fc9fa11/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Cabernet+Franc+2018+Soldout.jpg Historical Estate Wines - 2018 Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemakers: Kelly Mason Varietals: Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: October 26th, 2018 pH : 3.8 TA : 5.8 Alcohol : 13% Sugar : <1g —————————————————————— NOTES: The nose is a beautiful combination of blueberry, dark rich cocoa, white pepper and a hint of cigar box. On the palate, it’s all juicy dark cherry and earthiness with a rich mouthfeel and integrated fine tannin. There is a lingering note of pomegranate on the finish. A well-balanced wine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/337d6f27-8683-4ff2-b4a9-ba46564b932f/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Pinot+Noir+2018+Soldout.jpg Historical Estate Wines - 2018 Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemakers: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: September 20th, 2018 pH : 3.7 TA : 5.3 Alcohol : 12% Sugar : <1g —————————————————————— NOTES: This Pinot had an élévage of 3 years in predominantly neutral French oak. An immediately expressive nose presents the classic “Pinot Perfume” alongside grenadine, thyme and baking spices which evolve into a beautiful brown sugar crème brûlée note if decanted. On the palate this wine is complex, showing notes of brambly field berry, dried Morello cherry, crushed leaf, and blood orange. The tannins are well integrated and add structure to the round texture of the wine. Good acidity holds it all together with a lingering fresh plum finish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/337d6f27-8683-4ff2-b4a9-ba46564b932f/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Pinot+Noir+2018+Soldout.jpg Historical Estate Wines - 2019 Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemakers: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: September 30th, 2019 pH : 3.75 TA : 5.8 Alcohol : 13% Sugar : <1g —————————————————————— NOTES: This wine is all Pinot Perfume: crisp red cherry, cranberry, eucalyptus and hints of bay leaf. The midpalate is consistent with the nose and offers cherry and baking spices that lean towards cinnamon with hints of nutmeg. Bright, balanced, with great acidity and tannins that are still integrating. Will benefit from at least a year in bottle with great potential for ageing.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c6a499d3-33f1-46d4-a7de-086f4fc9fa11/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Cabernet+Franc+2018+Soldout.jpg Historical Estate Wines - 2019 Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemakers: Kelly Mason Varietals: Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: November 8th, 2019 pH : 3.75 TA : 5.8 Alcohol : 13% Sugar : <1g —————————————————————— NOTES: The nose is a mix of expressive red cherry, a touch of florality and subtle notes of vanilla and warm baking spices. The midpalate offers a continuing cherry note with black and red currant and a hint of chalkiness —this wine is consistent and balanced with tannins that will round out with age. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/43f5014d-c7dc-496d-be7c-9e3b848c48be/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Sparkling+Rose+2020+SoldOut.jpg Historical Estate Wines - 2019 Sparkling Rosé Blanc de Noirs — Brut Nature Méthode Traditionnelle Winemakers: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2019 pH : 3.64 TA : 5.2 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 0.5g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: 100% Mason Vineyard Pinot Noirs, Méthode Traditionnelle. This Blanc de Noir is pale copper with an intriguing nose of cherry blossom and a flinty minerality. On the palate, the wine shifts to fresh raspberry layered with an elegant white cherry. The finish is bone dry and three years on the lees adds texture and complexity. https://www.masonvineyard.com/historical-collab-wines daily 0.75 2022-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/faeed26e-d4d1-4280-ba4f-8231a2f87423/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+2020sm+SoldOut.jpg Historical Collab Wines - 2020 Wild Ferment Viognier Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: Viognier Vineyard: Grimsby Hillside Vineyard Viticultural Area: Lincoln Lakeshore —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2020 pH : 3.69 TA : 5.30 Alcohol : 13.6% Sugar : 2.5g —————————————————————— COLLAB WINEMAKER: Brooke Husband — Brooke and I have worked together for three years; Brooke is the Assistant Winemaker and as she likes to say, it's a fancy title for following me around to every project I work on. Her job is definitely a lot harder than just following! She helps keep us on track, asks tough questions, finds solutions, and makes sure the job gets done. We started working together in 2017 when she did her first harvest at Domaine Queylus for her college practicum with Niagara College / Winery and Viticulture Program. She then went on to live in a 14ft trailer in the Okanagan while interning at Black Hills Estate. Her focus and passion is making wild fermented Pinot Noir, so I was lucky to be able to get her back for the 2019 harvest and we have not stopped since! In 2021, she is going into her fifth harvest. —————————————————————— SOURCE VINEYARD: Grimsby Hillside Vineyard — The Grimsby Hillside Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in Niagara - the first harvest of grapes from the site was in 1874. The vineyard is 90-acres and is mainly planted to Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. The soil is predominantly clay and silty clay/loam over calcareous red clay subsoils. The vineyard is farmed without reliance on chemical herbicides, and adopts other sustainable land stewardship practices including undertaking biodiversity plantings and habitat restoration. The Viognier was planted in 2017, using clone 642 on 3309C rootstock. The vines were planted on a 1.9 acre parcel immediately adjacent to the forest edge at the Escarpment base - this offers a slightly higher elevation that contributes to even greater diurnal shifts later in the growing season, preserving acidity, which is especially important in a variety such as Viognier. —————————————————————— NOTES: Viognier is not that common in Niagara and it often gets mixed in with white (and red in Syrah) blends - it's a good blender for aromatics. We unexpectedly found a small plot of young vines Viognier on the Grimsby Hillside Vineyard located in the Lincoln Lakeshore appellation. We have never made Viognier before. We like drinking it and thought this was a great opportunity to make a small batch and try something new. Friends and family came out to help us pick the grapes and help with the hand sort. We fermented in stainless for the first half of primary fermentation and in neutral oak for the second half. And yes, it's another wild ferment. To go along with our ’hands on winemaking approach’ we decided to hand bottle all 370 bottles. Why you ask? Because we are suckers for punishment. And to further our learning in making Viognier we’ve decided to hold back 1 more barrel to see how a year of aging fairs on the wine. So, look out for part 2 which should be released sometime in 2022. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Wild fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and neutral French oak. The nose has notes of honeysuckle, fennel, ginger, and chalk dust. The midpalate is textured and layered, expanding from the nose to show notes of ripe peach and subtle clove. The finish is soft golden apple and dry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/3266f2c4-d0cc-4d95-b765-ff1e65adf463/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Rose+2020sm+SoldOut.jpg Historical Collab Wines - 2020 Wild Ferment Rosé Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: Gamay Vineyard: Willms Vineyard Viticultural Area: Four Mile Creek —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 6th, 2020 pH : 3.62 TA : 6.70 Alcohol : 12% Sugar : 1g —————————————————————— COLLAB WINEMAKER: Brooke Husband — Brooke and I have worked together for three years; Brooke is the Assistant Winemaker and as she likes to say, it's a fancy title for following me around to every project I work on. Her job is definitely a lot harder than just following! She helps keep us on track, asks tough questions, finds solutions, and makes sure the job gets done. We started working together in 2017 when she did her first harvest at Domaine Queylus for her college practicum with Niagara College / Winery and Viticulture Program. She then went on to live in a 14ft trailer in the Okanagan while interning at Black Hills Estate. Her focus and passion is making wild fermented Pinot Noir, so I was lucky to be able to get her back for the 2019 harvest and we have not stopped since! In 2021, she is going into her fifth harvest. —————————————————————— SOURCE VINEYARD: Willms Vineyard — For forty years, The Willms’ family has been farming their vineyard, and working the same land in the Four Mile Creek appellation – they understand their soils by they the way the cultivator works in them, just like when you hoe different parts of you garden. The soil can shift from clay to sand even in over a couple hundred feet. The Gamay sits in a mix of clay and limestone. For Brooke and myself, when looking for interesting vineyards for Gamay, this vineyard was the one to work with. —————————————————————— NOTES: The first of this Collab Series is with Brooke Husband. I have made many other wines with her assistance and the Winemaker often gets the lion’s share of the credit. It is fitting that the first wine of the Collab Series is with Brooke, and we can both share in the credit for the winemaking. The Gamay is from Willms Vineyard in Four Mile Creek. We pressed whole berries at low pressure then moved the juice to a tank that was lined with whole cluster Gamay. Primary and secondary fermentation were wild and we kept the whole clusters in until the end of ferment. The wine started off with an early ferment with some carbonic maceration as well as late ferment skin contact. This is what contributes to the texture you see on the midpalate and the flavours supported by different notes from the wild ferment. Enjoy. This wine was a challenge. https://www.masonvineyard.com/collab-wines-2022 daily 0.75 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1634674251241-8QWJDSZ9JDQC9N2NG83W/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Series+Logo+Med+BLK.png Collab Wines 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/3fb7ae77-c09f-45b1-8818-8a243fad79cc/Mason+Bachelder+Collab+Blended+Block+Chard+Web.jpg Collab Wines 2023 - 2020 Mason + Bachelder Chardonnay Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Thomas Bachelder Varietals: Chardonnay Vineyard: Grimsby Hillside Viticultural Area: Lincoln Lakeshore —————————————————————— Pick Date : M 09/30/2020 & TB 09/09/20 pH : 3.71 TA : 5.44 Alcohol : 13.5% Sugar : 0g/L —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Thomas Bachelder — Kelly Mason and Thomas Bachelder's stories are intertwined...yes, they worked together doing the heavy lifting to get Domaine Queylus off the ground, collaborating on keeping the vineyard organically-run and making wines both subtle, deft, and pure. We are connected by very similar palates, a similar passion for life, about one starting a sentence and the other finishing it (or a wine). There is a shared love of local terroir; of the wines of Pinot and Chardonnay, and the inexplicable love of doing your own terroir project. With both Mason Vineyard and Bachelder, together, they had the infrastructure to pull a crazy wine collaboration wine off! When Kelly and Thomas met by chance in the Grimsby Hillside vineyard, they realised that both of them were sourcing fruit from the same block... and so the thought of a collaboration popped to mind. They tasted and tested, talked and tasted, and that seed of an idea came together in a duet, not just of two winemakers, but of two wines from different parts of the same Grimsby Hillside vineyard, in an unjustly-unknown part of Niagara. Collaboration is hopefully about bringing out the best in everyone, we hope that, when you pour that first crucial glass, you will agree that this is one of Niagara's great undiscovered terroirs. —————————————————————— SOURCE VINEYARD: Grimsby Hillside, Frontier Block and Red Clay Barn Block —————————————————————— NOTES: This wine is a blend of Mason's Frontier Chardonnay (86%, clone 76) with Bachelder's Red Clay Barn Block (14%, field blend of 76, 95, 809). From this great site in Grimsby came two collaboration wines, our 100% Frontier Block and this wine, the Blended Blocks. Thomas and I played around with different blends to create a unique wine where the addition of the Red Clay Barn Block would add a different tasting experience and new layers to the Frontier block. We are showing with this wine how Chardonnay can express a site. Try the two Collab wines together, see the difference for yourself, it only took 14 iterations and two blending sessions. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: The nose is spicy, with a baked pie crust note and a mid-palate of Crème Brulé and lemon curd. The midpalate is round and weighty, and the finish tightens the wine back up thanks to the acidity and has a subtle note of chamomile tea. PRICE: $48 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/7999b491-caa6-4be5-9c63-d99c427ea26e/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9+Ros%C3%A9+web+Sold.jpg Collab Wines 2023 - 2022 Mason + The Protégés — Rosé Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Kaleigh Andrews, Curtis Karner, Juan Llobet Arany, Dave Brennan, Andrea Garcia Espina Varietals: Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 28th, 2022 pH : 3.51 TA : 5.24 Alcohol : 12.4% Sugar : 1.88g/L —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: As a fast back up – interns, in general, have finished a program of study in wine and then go out to gain hands-on experience at various wineries around the world to put theory into practice and discover their own personal winemaking philosophies, learn about vineyards, and meet others who share that same interest. The goal is to get as many harvests under your belt as possible and then settle in at a winery where there is a good fit to get to Assistant Winemaker and so on. Brooke and I had the opportunity in 2022 to have the Navy Seals of interns – Kaleigh Andrews, Curtis Karner, and Juan Llobet Arany were returning for their second year, Dave Brennan for his third and Andrea Garcia Espina for her first harvest with us (she had one previous at Stratus). This team knows the equipment, the vineyard blocks, the winemaking philosophy, demands of the job and will hustle. Oh yeah, and I should mention, they have some of the best attitudes. The Navy Seal Intern Team made this rosé. It was time that they wrote their own work orders, analyzed the labs, had winemaking discussions as a team and had to think a bit about the business of wine. For me, to sit back and watch their thought process and approach was rewarding. When you have a group of five aspiring winemakers and they have carte blanche* to make a wine – they want to try everything! And they did. What they also did, was make a fantastic Rosé and I hope it helped prepare them for their next jobs out there. *almost carte blanche, I drew the line at no residual sugar —————————————————————— SOURCE VINEYARD: Mason Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench. —————————————————————— NOTES: In winemaking, rosé can be made with so many different approaches – there is the saignée method, you can put the grapes directly to the press, you can even blend different musts and sometimes, the kitchen sink method of blending bits and pieces of finished wines. We were all curious to learn, so this rosé was partially put to press under a long slow cycle that does not go above 1.2 bar and it was also put to tank as whole berries for a saignée. Aged in stainless, the two lots were kept separate and blended together before bottling. The tasting notes summarize well the structure of this rosé – it will pair beautifully with food. I did not want to part with too much of my Cabernet Franc grapes to rosé, so this too is a small lot and will go fast – plus there are 7 winemakers (when you add in Brooke and myself) that all want some too. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Beautiful and gemlike in the glass. Pale salmon hue with a slight hint of copper. Restrained nose of strawberry and ripe melon with subtle notes of thyme and dried tomato leaf. Dry on the palate with crisp acidity, good weight and a long finish. Flavours correspond nicely to the nose but with earthy, mineral tones that add further complexity and interest. Very well balanced from start to finish. This wine exhibits plenty of fruit, but it is all part of a much bigger picture: simultaneously fruity, savory, mineral and earthy. Not just a simple summer tipple, this is a proper wine that is versatile enough to pair well with a wide array of dishes (I can’t help but think of grilled vegetables, pork or salmon slathered in herbs, lemon and olive oil), or it can be happily sipped alone in quiet contemplation…or in the company of others for boisterous revelry. (Choose your own adventure!) PRICE: $25 / Bottle https://www.masonvineyard.com/taste-shop daily 0.75 2023-07-13 https://www.masonvineyard.com/media daily 0.75 2022-10-11 https://www.masonvineyard.com/shop-events-2023 daily 0.75 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/3ccd0f7e-4998-408c-a2aa-9e81df50043e/Mason+Vineyard+Chard+Sized+web+buy.jpg Shop Events 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6e9954aa-84da-4b37-b091-60e70622bb3a/Mason+Vineyard+Matriarch+Pinot+Noir+sm.jpg Shop Events 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6e9954aa-84da-4b37-b091-60e70622bb3a/Mason+Vineyard+Matriarch+Pinot+Noir+sm.jpg Shop Events 2023 https://www.masonvineyard.com/home daily 1.0 2025-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/62b6f2d7-00f5-455e-bb81-cbcb71e44fe2/Mason+Vineyard+Map+v2+sm+cc+3+v2.jpg Home (Spring) - Years and years in the making. Mason Vineyard is a truly unique place. One of only a handful of wineries in the world that’s female winemaker owned, created and led. At least that’s what we’ve been told, we don’t get out much. Mason — Kelly Mason, the founder and winemaker who almost a decade ago purchased the vineyard and began tailoring the site with a clear vision — to make only extraordinary estate single vineyard, low yield, small batch, minimal intervention Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc wines that express the character of the site. Whoa, yah, all of that, for real. Vineyard — A single vineyard situated in the Twenty Mile Bench with climate and soils ideally suited to the temperament of the three noble varietals that we focus on: that’s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc in case you’ve already forgotten. Read more about our vineyard. The Winery — A winemaking facility focused on making, well, wine. Have no illusions, what it takes to produce beautiful and distinct wines is nothing short of fanaticism and relentless focus. As a result, we’re going to be straight with you — this winery is about us, not about you. Us meaning the wine, and you meaning, well you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1630695145767-5Q5M7VE37SL3E3AT36PB/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Barrels+Notes+Grain+crop.jpg Home (Spring) - Our mission is to create exceptional wines of site. It is our belief that truly extraordinary wines result from applying all of a winery’s resources and attention toward making the wine, avoiding the distractions of conventional wine tourism. Our winery lives and breathes making wine for the purpose of pushing our limits and showing just how far Canadian wines can go. The Wines — From the start of this dream a decade ago, my goal has been to focus primarily on wild ferment Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc wines. I believe that our site and other vineyards in Niagara are especially ideal for making the best wines in the world. It’s really that simple. Incredible terroir produces beautiful wines and our terroir is second to none. I can’t wait for you to try them, it’ll have been worth the wait. And You — Ok ok, yes, you have a role too. You see, even though we are making wine the way we believe it should be made, we are also driven by sharing our passion for beautiful wine. We want to make sure you have the opportunity to join us for the adventure as we explore what this incredible wine region can produce. More about our winemaker and wines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/af28059e-386b-4a72-9717-1d8a53397fcd/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCollab%2BSeries%2BGroup2025.jpg Home (Spring) - Mason Vineyard Collab Series Wines Part of our mission at Mason Vineyard is to work collaboratively with peer Winemakers, both new and established, because this strengthens our region and each other. When two Winemakers work together to make one wine, they share knowledge and inspiration resulting in exciting new approaches and discoveries. And it’s also fun. The expression of our commitment to this mission is our Mason Collab Series: wines created out of a passion for working together with peer winemakers as well as a love for exploring other estate terroir throughout our region and beyond. Collab Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/b592f943-1156-4b41-bbf0-4347fe99996a/Mason%2BVineyard%2BEstate%2BSeries%2BGroup%2Bv2021%2Bsm_Cabs+only.png Home (Spring) - Mason Vineyard Estate Wines This ultra small batch, wild ferment Estate Series is crafted from grapes grown solely in our estate vineyard, located in the Twenty Mile Bench viticultural area. 2022 vintage is almost sold out. To be notified of future releases, make sure you sign up in the footer to be on our email list to receive news and new release info. Stay tuned as the 2023 vintage will be released soon. Currently Available 2022 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered 2022 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Shop Estate Wines https://www.masonvineyard.com/estate-wines-2023 daily 0.75 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1629814005313-XC6JCZO0KVM9ZKDB9NC6/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trigger+Hand+sm.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/cb3f6de0-1da3-4ce4-b5b5-b69a2fac83a1/Mason+Vineyard+Matriarch+Pinot+Noir.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2021 ‘The Matriarch’ Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: October 8th, 2021 pH : 3.82 TA : 6.0 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : <1.3g Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French oak, Burgundy barrels, two years in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Pinot always asks the world of me. All summer, all fall. The interesting thing about 2021, was that the crops came in quite heavy. The growing season was a bit wet, and the humidity was high. Never has Pinot needed to be properly shoot positioned, leaf pulled, checked, and re-checked more than in 2021. I kept passing through and leaf pulling a little more on the west side, opening the canopy to get better air flow and fight the humidity. I green harvested in late August and then again in early September as the rains came. I dropped a lot of grapes to the ground; it was worrisome. Then the rains paused and those old vines made it through and we picked on October 8th, 2021. It’s always a relief to get those grapes off the vines and close the chapter of another Pinot growing season. The grapes in tank were amazing to work with, the wild fermentation was textbook and it was instantly perfumed, classic, and I hope represents Niagara well. Rare is the vinification of Pinot Noir textbook. For once, in tank and aging, this Pinot was a dream. —————————————————————— NOTES: With each new vintage of Pinot, I see the site more and more. It is rewarding. I recognize common denominators from vintage to vintage – tannins, structure, and spice. Of course, there is always cherry and sometimes if I am lucky, like in 2021, a beautiful floral note on the nose. The vines are over 25 years old and a mix of clones 777,667,115. There is 15% new oak with the remaining barrels being older French oak barrels. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Medium cherry with a garnet rim. Aromatic, deep sweet floral characters (wild rose, violet) dominate, followed by beetroot, dried cherry and a delicate Chinese 5-spice note. Fresh on the attack, backed up by great weight and concentration. Impeccable balance. Tannin structure is suave and polished. Very elegant and classy. Flavours of ripe dark berries, earthy roots, spice and wet stone. Great mineral persistence on the finish. While the 2020 vintage was a great expression of Pinot Noir from this vineyard, it will likely take some time in the cellar before it reaches peak drinking. The 2021, on the other hand, is already so drinkable and delicious. It is generous, open and expressive; and while it will still hold well in the cellar, it is giving so much pleasure already that it would be hard to wait very long before popping the cork. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c3a2d590-6877-48df-90da-0858bed41ce8/Mason+Vineyard+Estate+Cab+Franc+Soldout.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2021 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: November 1st, 2021 pH : 3.83 TA : 5.34 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : <1g Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French oak, Burgundy barrels, two years in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: I can only tell you that I think these Cabernet Franc vines are special, I have no original clone/rootstock data on this block that links the vines to a great nursery, interesting clone etc.. All I know is that they were planted in 1998 . Key to making great Cabernet Franc in Niagara is balancing the vine to ensure ripeness. We don’t want a heavy crop that stresses the vine when it tries to fully ripen the clusters, so to me, it is critical to monitor veraison and be ready to go in and cut out slower ripening clusters to alleviate the pressure on the vine. —————————————————————— NOTES: The grapes were hand picked on November 1st, 2021th, just a little over 3.5 tonnes. In terms of the structure of the wine, 2021 was a slightly lighter year for Bordeaux varietals where the fruit was concentrated and the tannins were softer right from the beginning. To preserve the structure and freshness, I chose to go completely unfiltered for this wine – so heads up, it will not be uncommon to see sediment at the bottom of your bottle. Given the vintage, the vineyard did its job to produce a solid Cabernet Franc – it is lighter than the 2020 and I would enjoy this bottle within 3-6 years.. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: An attractive crimson hue. Not quite brilliant in clarity, owing to being completely unfiltered. Not to worry, this slight cloudiness will gradually disappear as these last remnants of minute particles in suspension settle out of suspension in the bottle. Somewhat shy at present, the nose gradually opens up to reveal fresh raspberry and graphite with a nod toward florality, sweet woodsmoke, spice and tobacco leaf. The palate is beautifully delineated by fresh acidity and well-managed tannins, and delivers flavours that closely follow the nose. A very pretty and ;stylish rendition of Cabernet Franc with great concentration and persistence. This is classic cool-climate Cabernet Franc: elegant, medium-bodied, fresh and fruit-driven, with an intriguing savory grace note. Give this a year or two in bottle to see the aromatics on this wine really pop. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f312f94f-e45d-45c5-bc71-c34ebfcb8779/Mason+Vineyard+Series+Cabernet+Sauv+2021+Soldout.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2021 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 1st, 2021 pH : 3.89 TA : 5.44 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : 1.0g/L Ageing: French oak, Burgundy barrels, two years in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Here is the thing - I am not (yet) a believer in planting Cab Sauv (or other varietals that don't always overwinter well) in Niagara. It's risky to build labels, brands, and a following behind varietals that can't play the long game - that can't be depended on for long-term strategy. It can also get expensive to have to replant on and off over the years. The challenge, as we often say, is that for every 10 vintages, only two or three will be great growing seasons for Cabernet Sauvignon (with replanting in between). So why did I make it? Really, I never would have. Except that I have a great site, with old vines, and knowledgeable customers who for the first time visited my vineyard and saw endposts with 'Cabernet Sauvignon' written on the plaques. This provoked a lot of really good discussions on the patio around Cabernet Sauvignon, my technical thoughts, their tasting experiences, notes, and questions on the wine identity of Niagara etc... In all probability, 2021 will not go down as a strong vintage in Ontario for Bordeaux reds. I have always sold my Cabernet Sauvignon to other producers. In 2021, I had about a tonne on the vines, so although it was not a great vintage, it was not overcropped by any means. The summer discussions around these 25-year-old vines and what I would do with them one day made me ask myself, "why sell one tonne?". It's not really a revenue slam dunk. I thought it would be money better lost to learning. I was prepared to vinify and experiment and not bottle it at all, if need be. If I am truly going to rip it out soon, then I need to make a vintage or two from it first. What if it is really good? What if it could be great? —————————————————————— NOTES: Mason Vineyard grew and vinified the 2021 and 2022 growing season. The goal was to learn, to see what the site can do with Cabernet Sauvignon (the vineyard has a solid record for Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc). I wanted to learn to make Cabernet Sauvignon - who knows, I could end up back in Napa one day on a Collab...at least I could say truthfully, "did it, made it before". I will make it again in 2023, mainly because I have not purchased any replacement vines so there is no plan for ripping out. Plus, I need a couple of vintages to see what it does – perhaps a blend with the Cabernet Franc? I wish I could tell you what is so special about it, what is different about it, but this isn't Pinot or Chardonnay, I don't have 10 vintages of experience and I don't even drink enough Cabernet Sauvignon to really get into regional specifics. The vines are old, that's special, they are never a hassle each growing season. These vines have survived; with gnarly thick trunks with twists and turns from years of pruning by different farmers with different philosophies. I'll start to see what is special about that block with the next vintage and so on. I have two years of learning and life experience in every bottle, this is a slow process with lots of tiny inputs that unravel exceptionality slowly. In terms of style, right or wrong, I stayed the course of my winemaking philosophy in 2021 - wild ferment and low intervention. We hand picked 2 tonnes on October 28th, 2021. The wine has been bottled and at the time of writing, I have not tasted it because it is bottle shocked. I need to sit down with a bottle and really taste it critically and technically. I won't be able to do this until June and my hunch is it will do well with a few months of bottle age. The 2022 is of course still in barrel and it's not too early for me to tell that this will be a very different wine from the 2021. It's deeper in flavour, texture and tannins. The 2021 from memory and notes, is really strong for the vintage - lots of fruit, subtle tannins, great balance and soft oak. It is pleasing and I'm going to enjoy casually drinking it. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Brilliant ruby hue. Tightly wound and a bit reluctant to reveal itself at the moment. The nose suggests cassis, cherry, cedar and wet gravel. The palate is well-structured with good acid, firm but fine tannins and nice weight on the mid-palate. The flavours really come through on the lengthy finish with cassis, black licorice, kirsch, mint and cedar dominating. This is a sophisticated, classy and restrained style of Cabernet Sauvignon that will reward mid-term cellaring. Lean and focused but with enough flesh on its bones to keep it from being hard or thin . Some time in bottle will help it fatten up a bit and round out the edges. PRICE: $45 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/5ba9c530-e87f-4e18-afe3-c16e2d1c19a5/Mason+Vineyard+Estate+Chard+Soldout.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2021 ‘L’avenir’ Chardonnay | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Chardonnay Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 28th, 2021 pH : 3.72 TA : 5.45 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : 1.3g/L Ageing: French oak, Burgundy barrels, two years in mainly neutral oak with one second fill barrel. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Why plant Chardonnay in my Vineyard? Is that even a question? I have a lot of Pinot and Cabernet Franc already planted, but I wanted my own Bench Chardonnay. I did not ever want to have to source Bench Chardonnay from another grower. I wanted to grow it and make it. I wanted my own. When I started out as an intern, I listened to and respected the opinions of other winemakers as they had direct experience. Textbooks and education are only a small portion of decision making in winemaking; so many decisions are influenced by experiential knowledge; working with the same blocks, in the same region, and with the same equipment. If you can keep these inputs more constant than variable, you can start to see the nuances of site and you can start to work with intuition. So, when someone once said, “Chardonnay from the Bench in Niagara is different – the clay soils and the slopes make a different style of Chardonnay; it’s lacy, it’s lightly layered, complex and lean.” I remember telling myself to remember this; I had only worked closely with sandier soils closer to the lake. There was a small strip of vacant land on the east side of my property. It was beautifully sloped for drainage and always a bit warmer than the other areas. I should put in temperature loggers to prove it, but with time spent in those rows and an increasing number of harvests under my belt, I learned that when you farm, you just come to know your land: You can feel that things are early or late; areas are cooler or hotter; soils are wet and cold here and warm and dry over there. I knew this spot would work for Chardonnay. So not only did I plant Chardonnay on the Bench, I planted Chardonnay clone 76 – my favourite clone. Racy, fresh, good acidity, lean, and I think it works beautifully in Ontario. —————————————————————— NOTES: Planted in 2018, Chardonnay clone 76 on 3309 rootstock, it was in its fourth leaf in 2021. We hand picked on September 28th, just a little over 2 tonnes. The grapes naturally begin to lose their acidity the longer they hang and at the same time, they also increase in sugar (measured in degrees Brix) – making for a higher alcohol wine and a more challenging wild ferment (native yeast are not a fan of working in a ferment above 13.5%). Additionally, with young vines, there can be uneven Brix levels throughout the crop – some vines carry heavy crops thinking they can ripen it all and fall short. Others are more conservative and produce less clusters, making ripening easy or even over ripening in some cases. So, you end up with a range of Brix numbers – this makes for a nice mixture in the tank. I prefer to pick earlier and have this unevenness in ripeness with young vines than to wait and have lots of overripe Chardonnay. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: This wine pours a brilliant medium gold with vibrant hints of green that reveal themselves when the glass is swirled in the light. Expressive aromas of fresh golden delicious apple, ripe stone fruit and butter toffee. Quite rich and broad on the palate but deftly balanced with a cleansing vein of lemony acidity and a bracing wet stone minerality. Impressively long, saline finish. Elegant and luxurious with seamlessly integrated oak. Top notch Chardonnay from such young vines. One can only imagine what heights this site will attain as the vines get some years behind them. PRICE: $45 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d9c40a3e-ae83-4135-87bb-8bfacce6e203/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Blanc+de+Blanc+2020.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2020 Sparkling Blanc de Blancs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Chardonnay Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 9th, 2020 pH : 3.11 TA : 10.42 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: The only similarity in these two sparklings is a pretty floral note on the nose. This Méthode Traditionelle, Blanc de Blancs, has a marked nectarine note and a more subtle undertone of lanolin. The texture is round and already showing some weight, with a finish of star fruit and yellow apple. This is delicate and layered. The Dosage: 2g/L of sugar / 2020 Mason+Bachelder Collab Chardonnay Frontier. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f7132726-c6f8-495b-9aad-2f61483b1be2/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Ros%C3%A9+2020.jpg Estate Wines (2023) - 2020 Sparkling Rosé Blanc de Noirs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 11th, 2020 pH : 3.15 TA : 8.74 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: I have this thing for Bench Pinot. I know I am not the only one. This Blanc de Noirs is from 100% Pinot Noir, Méthode Traditionnelle. It has a pretty pale pink colour with a nose of typical pinot floral notes, peach blossoms, and white flowers. For how young this sparkling is, the midpalate has a subtle creamy texture with notes of raspberry and meyer lemon with a tartness on the finish. I have held back bottles for a later release and I foresee with more time on lees, this sparkling will have enough weight to carry as a beautiful Brut Nature. 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Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.masonvineyard.com/estate-wines-23 daily 0.75 2024-05-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1629814005313-XC6JCZO0KVM9ZKDB9NC6/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trigger+Hand+sm.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/cb3f6de0-1da3-4ce4-b5b5-b69a2fac83a1/Mason+Vineyard+Matriarch+Pinot+Noir.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Matriarch’ Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir, Clones 115, 667, 777 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: Sept 18th, 2022 pH : 3.78 TA : 5.43 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : 0g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: To me, the 2022 vintage of Pinot Noir, has a profile reflective of a stronger vintage coupled with a Bench site: the structure, the tannins, the earthiness. I found the 2021 to be lovely, perfumed, and floral. You could not see two more distinctly different vintages in a glass if you pour the 2021 and 2022 Mason Vineyard Pinot Noir side by side. One vintage tested me to my limits; it was a heavier crop, rainy season - particularly at harvest, leaving pinot berries barely hanging on to their skin integrity and others giving in and forcing me to drop clusters to the ground. I removed clusters from the vine because it was what it took to get through 2021 and focus on the wine. 2022 rebounded the other way, although there was a rough cold snap late in November 2021 followed with a cold winter in 2022, the Bench sites managed to mitigate some of that weather with airflow. With a much drier growing season, we were able to hang Pinot a little bit longer (think here that even a week or so is a big difference with Pinot Noir!). Harvesting was much easier and we were able to pick with ripeness and promising phenolics. —————————————————————— NOTES: The 2022 Mason Vineyard Matriarch Pinot Noir poured into my glass has me smiling as it has returned with layers that I recognize - deep fruit concentration that slides between blackberry and cherry notes that have carried nicely through from the nose until they are weighted down by the darker, broody notes with an earthiness I love. As you are reading this, please remember that this wine was bottled in April of 2024. So, she still needs time in bottle. And do pour it in beautiful Pinot stemware, swirl, and allow it to breathe - it will change with each glass early on in its bottle age and it's fun to anticipate where this wine might go over the years to come. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Gem-like and medium ruby in colour with a bit of telltale Pinot bricking along the rim. The nose is powerful and pronounced, but still feels quite closed, as though it is not ready to give up all its secrets quite yet. Aromas of brambly red fruit, forest floor, sour cherry, violets and beetroot with a gamey and iron undertone. On the palate, brisk acidity leads the way into a wine of medium-body with a plush core of ripe black cherry fruit, vanilla and dried autumn leaves framed by a firm, but polished tannic structure. Great mineral energy and excellent length. Elegant, expressive and impeccably balanced. Plenty of potential for mid-term aging. This wine hits all of the notes one hopes for in great Pinot Noir: sweet fruit, perfumed florality, savoury earthiness and bracing minerality all wrapped up in an elegant and graceful package. This wine is at once elegant yet powerful. Serious but not severe. An absolute joy to drink. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/a5903c59-0e51-42a6-9d39-ccfeac9f4224/Mason+Vineyard+Landed+Cab+Franc.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: November 4th, 2022 pH : 3.85 TA : 5.70 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 0g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 10% new oak, 10% second fill, 30% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: I say it all the time, but Cabernet Franc is so much easier to work with than Pinot Noir. It also has so much potential in Niagara. I associate it with fall and harvest time as that is generally when my palate starts to crave Cabernet Franc with heartier harvest dishes. It’s always that same time, late October early November, when we pick. It seems well-timed that I am drinking it and making it all at once. It’s also the last pick on the vineyard, so it is the final chapter to the growing season. My vines are definitely getting old and I am seeing reduced yields and some vines are tired. It might be time to start a planting program and plant some new vines to help support these old vines out there. That’s a big undertaking – its laborious, expensive and always a big question of how will I irrigate if need be? Debating if I can possibly plant right next to the old vines and while the younger ones take continue to rely on the older ones. It keeps me up at night. —————————————————————— NOTES: The Cabernet Franc was about as hassle-free as it could be in 2022. We picked early November, destemmed, no crushing, and straight to tank, whole berry. It had a brief cold soak and then we fired up the heating jackets and the ferment took off. We left it on skins for a total of 25 days and then pressed it off to barrel (this happens right before Christmas). I generally don’t taste much once it first goes to barrel to give it some time to settle for a few months. It is still so young and sort of in an awkward stage. This vintage is a return stylistically to some of my previous vintages and I feel is a pure example of Bench Cabernet Franc. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Deep ruby in the glass with a hint of garnet showing at the rim. The generous nose bounces back and forth from sweet to savoury with alluring aromas of strawberry, wild cherry, rose petal, leather, dried cranberry, sandalwood, baking spice, wood smoke, black pepper, pencil lead and bay leaf. Fresh and taut on the palate with a firm spine of acidity keeping things nicely focused. Medium bodied with a heart of ripe fruit supported by luxuriously silky tannins. Absolutely gorgeous texture from start to finish. This is true-to-form to earlier incarnations of Cabernet Franc that Mason has produced. No over the top, jammy fruit or over-extracted tannin here. This wine is defined by its svelte and elegant build, captivating character and bewitchingly perfumed aromatics. There is a nice frame of stoney minerality supporting the fruit on the exceptionally long finish. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6b3dc6d1-7dcf-4bc8-9fad-8e00499fe99a/Mason+Vineyard+Cab+Sauv+Sized+Web.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 169 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 4th, 2021 pH : 3.89 TA : 5.45 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 0g/L Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 20% second fill, 20% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Here we go with the second vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. I can see the merits of the 2022 vintage versus the 2021. I still can’t believe that 2021 was the first vintage where I tried to make Cabernet Sauvignon off of this site. The grapes keep surprising me with how overall it does make a wine that I enjoy drinking. I still grapple with whether I have the nerves to stick with it when vintage variation is so out of my control and such a marker on this variety. I have enough stress with Pinot. I said I would do three vintages and see what we all think. It’s nice as a blend with Cabernet Franc, but shouldn’t I just plant more Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay? I better decide soon and doubtful it is going to happen this year. Maybe 2024 is a harvest for a blend. Let’s see, it is still early. —————————————————————— NOTES: This release is vastly different from the softer 2021. We harvested in November and similar to the Cabernet Franc, we destemmed and went whole-berry to tank. We don’t have a lot of tonnage as it is only five rows of vines. This plays on fermentation temperature and extraction – we need heat and without mass in the tank, I sometimes find that this can be challenging. This is why I think a co-ferment with Cab Franc would be helpful? Anyways, true to its nature, it went to tank and we extracted where needed and let the temperature climb. It tasted good throughout it’s entire time in tank – always surprises me that during its earlier stages, I find it more appealing than the Cabernet Franc. It was a favorite among the team early on and at bottling a few weeks ago, it still was. Let’s be clear, I don’t like it more than the Cabernet Franc, but I am surprised and am looking forward to having a glass with a few months’ bottle age on it. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Garnet hue with a shy intricate nose hinting at cassis, framboise, cedar, crushed gravel, vanilla bean, and pipe tobacco. Firmly structured with fresh acidity and grippy, but polished tannins. There is a sweet core of fruit that keeps this veering too far toward the austere. Aristocratic and serious. Medium-plus in weight with great extract and flavour concentration. Very long finish which charmingly replays these flavours throughout its duration. This is tightly wound at the moment and will need a few years to start loosening up; but the intensity of flavour and the beautifully knit structure suggest it will cellar beautifully. I would love to come back to this in 8+ years or so and see where it’s at. I would speculate that there is a long and glorious life ahead for this wine. If you really can’t wait a few years, decant vigorously an hour or so before serving and pair with something gamy and medium rare. Grilled lamb rubbed with garlic and rosemary would be a winner. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/2b2fcd01-33c5-41e4-ad05-021295cd6ec5/Mason+Vineyard+Chard+Sized+web.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘L’avenir’ Chardonnay | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Chardonnay, Clone 76 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 24th, 2022 pH : 3.60 TA : 5.60 Alcohol : 12.3% Sugar : 0.6g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: It’s harder to write about this Chardonnay because the vines and I are still new to each other. I am trying to figure out what I did right or wrong the previous growing season to see what they might need from me this year to be more balanced. I truly am impressed by this block of young vine Chardonnay, clone 76. We were out making pruning decisions just a few weeks ago, with bare canes everywhere, you can really assess the growth from the previous vintage. The vine is before you, and with bare shoots it is easy to assess individual vine health – that is, what the vine is inclined to do, where you erred on the side of caution in the previous vintage - it’s fascinating. Although there are pruners out there who are much faster than myself or anyone on the MV team, I prefer having someone who takes their time to read the growth story the vine is displaying and prune accordingly. I don’t think these young vines are one size fits all. So yeah, more expensive, but pruning is so important. This year, Kaleigh Andrews pruned the whole vineyard - go, Kaleigh. —————————————————————— NOTES: On its second release in bottle (vines planted in 2018), the 2022 Mason Vineyard Chardonnay was hand picked and whole cluster pressed then settled in a cold tank. It was then racked while keeping fluffy lees and then left to go through a primary and secondary wild fermentation. Once complete, it spent 17 months élevage in oak – about 30% second fill, 10% third fill and the remainder neutral. It has gone through complete malolactic with a light bentonite fining. It is too soon for me to mark any recurring flavour profiles or sensory traits of this block. I just know it makes me smile. It is producing a great Chardonnay, and I am learning with each vintage how much weight I can add on the midpalate and how can I keep it just lean enough to stay refreshing, mouth-watering, representative of Niagara and still have enough oak for mid palate weight, rounding out the finish, and ageing. It’s so much fun to be a student of my own vineyard. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Brilliant, greenish gold in the glass. Subdued aromatics upon first pouring, but with a bit of swirling and some time in the glass, it steadily opens up to reveal a beautiful perfume. The nose continues to offer up an ever-increasing array of complex and intriguing aromas with each passing glass. Peach pit, nectarine, ripe apple, citronella, mandarin orange, orchard blossom and candied ginger all make an appearance. Supporting the layers of fruit and flowers is a hint of something sappy and resinous; almost coniferous in nature. A lees derived grace note adds further dimension to this sophisticated wine’s aromatic profile. On the attack, this wine comes out swinging! Fresh and vibrant, yet rich and full of intense and complex flavour. Firm acidity provides a solid backbone to the weighty body. The palate delivers pitch-perfect balance plus a long finish, pulsing with electric minerality. It paradoxically manages to straddle those disparate worlds of both elegance and power. This is an absolutely spectacular Chardonnay that is drinking so well right now, but there is more than enough stuffing here to merit space in the cellar. It seems certain that this wine will continue to reveal further delights with a considerable aging. PRICE: $45 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f7132726-c6f8-495b-9aad-2f61483b1be2/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Ros%C3%A9+2020.jpg Estate Wines - 2020 Sparkling Rosé Blanc de Noirs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 11th, 2020 pH : 3.15 TA : 8.74 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: I have this thing for Bench Pinot. I know I am not the only one. This Blanc de Noirs is from 100% Pinot Noir, Méthode Traditionnelle. It has a pretty pale pink colour with a nose of typical pinot floral notes, peach blossoms, and white flowers. For how young this sparkling is, the midpalate has a subtle creamy texture with notes of raspberry and meyer lemon with a tartness on the finish. I have held back bottles for a later release and I foresee with more time on lees, this sparkling will have enough weight to carry as a beautiful Brut Nature. The Dosage: 2g/L of sugar / Blanc de Noirs PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d9c40a3e-ae83-4135-87bb-8bfacce6e203/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Blanc+de+Blanc+2020.jpg Estate Wines - 2020 Sparkling Blanc de Blancs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Chardonnay Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 9th, 2020 pH : 3.11 TA : 10.42 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: The only similarity in these two sparklings is a pretty floral note on the nose. This Méthode Traditionelle, Blanc de Blancs, has a marked nectarine note and a more subtle undertone of lanolin. The texture is round and already showing some weight, with a finish of star fruit and yellow apple. This is delicate and layered. The Dosage: 2g/L of sugar / 2020 Mason+Bachelder Collab Chardonnay Frontier. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://www.masonvineyard.com/collab-wines-23 daily 0.75 2024-05-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1634674251241-8QWJDSZ9JDQC9N2NG83W/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Series+Logo+Med+BLK.png Collab Wines - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/52828c56-eef0-4126-ac1b-629a3431b978/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+SB+MxM+web.jpg Collab Wines - 2023 Mason + McDonald — Sauvignon Blanc Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: 100% Sauvignon Blanc Vineyard: Lake Lodge Viticultural Area: Niagara Lakeshore —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 7th, 2023 pH : 3.57 TA : 5.58 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : 1.3g/L Fermentation: 72% wild ferment in stainless, 28% inoculated in barrel. Blended together post élevage. Ageing: Stainless and neutral French oak barrels 7 months. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: I love Sauvignon Blanc – it is so fragrant at harvest that the whole cellar smells like a swirl of starfruit, green grass, and lychee. The idea behind this collab was to make Sauvignon Blanc with a Winemaker who not only has more harvests than me under his belt, but also many of those vintages with Sauvignon Blanc. Craig has made Sauvignon Blanc at Vidal Estate, New Zealand, ( winery name has nothing to do with the common Ontario grape variety, vidal) and at Creekside with Rob Power and of course Craig is the winemaker behind Trius wines. Craig agreed to this collab provided he could ferment how he wanted to and his style was outside of my usual vinification practices and comfort zone. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? —————————————————————— NOTES: Craig was able to source 30-year-old vines with Sauvignon Blanc in Lakeshore, Niagara. 72% of the must is wild ferment in stainless with the approach to maintain the ferment temperature cool and prolong the ferment. This produced a Sauvignon Blanc that with layered notes, grassy with herbaceous a bit austere. The remaining 28% was fermented commercially in barrel (neutral French oak) and the goal was to allow the fermentation to go through with speed, no temperature control and with lees contact post ferment. This added some tropical notes and weight on the midpalate. Both vessels aged separately for 7 months and then were blended together. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Medium straw with shimmering flecks of green. Wildly aromatic nose of lime, gooseberry, granny smith apple, fruit cocktail and nettle. The flavours on the palate echo these intense aromas, but with added weight, ripe fruit notes and considerable complexity contributed by the use of some barrel fermentation. Super clean and fresh with great acidity and fine length. New World aromatic intensity married to Old World textural finesse. This wine absolutely screams of spring. Delicious and so full of life. Pair with green pea risotto, seared scallops with basil oil or grilled vegetables tossed with lemon and fresh tarragon. PRICE: $37 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/afd55d41-e950-451e-a466-2d7ad4e6a74a/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+CF+Rose+web.jpg Collab Wines - 2023 Mason + Husband — Rosé Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 23rd, 2023 pH : 3.71 TA : 5.61 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 3.7g/L Fermentation: Wild ferment, full malolactic
 Ageing: Stainless —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Brooke and I started out with our first Collab Rosé in 2020 with Gamay, then in 2021 we did a Pinot Noir and now here we are with our 2023 Cabernet Franc Rosé. It is always so satisfying to see the light pink juice press out into the press pan. It smells like fresh fruit and offers so much promise. (Kelly has a video of this for an Instagram post). In general, one of the benefits of wild fermented wine is aromatics – the nose is layered, never two-dimensional and has complexity. Additionally, the midpalate often has a little more texture. Wild ferment Rosé can be stressful to capture all these attributes in so little time. The struggle is worth it as the wine is fresh and expressive when it works out. For some of you, this wine will be savoured and appreciated for all its nuances and thoughtfully paired with food. For others, the flavour profile will entice you to consume glasses poolside. I like both options. —————————————————————— NOTES: These grapes were destemmed and whole berries into the press on a gentle pressing cycle. The must is then settled in a chilled tank for 48 hours and racked clean to a new tank. No oak was used. Wild yeast generally become sluggish anywhere above 13% alcohol, and this rule of thumb is exactly true with our Rosé – hence the tiniest amount of residual sugar. We always like to make bone dry wines, but here we backed off and let the wine just be. The profile speaks for itself and the wine in bottle is refreshing and balanced. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Beautiful medium salmon hue. Restrained and classy nose suggesting strawberry, white peppercorn, rhubarb and a delicate florality. This isn’t your grandma’s rosé. Unless your grandma likes really, really good rose; in which case, forget about what I said about your grandma. Perfect balance between the fleshy aspects of the wine and the structural “bones.” This is dry but there is a suggestion of sweetness provided by immaculate balance of the structural elements and presumably, a masterful use of lees. Serious wine with a no-nonsense mineral streak carrying right through the extended finish. A very fine effort, indeed. This has enough heft to stand up to a wide variety of dishes. For me it calls out for summery dishes where the grill takes center stage. Grilled pork, sausage, chicken, salmon or veggies spring to mind. But it would be equally at home with more homey autumn fare such as sauteed mushrooms, roasted vegetables, pork loin or ham. Also, to my mind there is no shame in drinking a wine like this alone. Pour yourself a glass. Maybe share it if there’s good company about, and contemplate the year that has passed, what has transpired in our lives and the fleeting nature of existence. Reflect and pay homage to the 2023 growing season, the passionate individuals who toiled over this bottle and the beautiful region that has blessed us with the fabulous wine in our glass. PRICE: $25 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/5fd7cc85-3709-4e08-bdc2-a144b4a31313/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+web.jpg Collab Wines - 2022 Mason + Husband — Viognier Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: 100% Viognier Vineyard: Grimsby Hillside Viticultural Area: Lincoln Lakeshore —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 28th, 2022 pH : 3.67 TA : 5.5 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 1.5g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: 17 months of élevage. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: This is the third release of our Collab Viognier. These are young vines and we work closely with Josh Mitchell (Vineyard Manager) at Grimsby Hillside to follow the block and collectively assess for the right pick date. With young vines, ripeness can be uneven and for us, we appreciate that some clusters will be at a different brix level than others. We are looking for the balance between going past the translucent phase of the grape to a riper more golden and even bronze colour variation is nice. This time around we were ‘experienced’ and knew we wanted 17 months of élevage. —————————————————————— NOTES: We left a few whole clusters in the tank to get the wild ferment going and then transferred the fermenting must to barrel and kept the barrels in a cooler room for a slower fermentation – this helps preserve aromatics. It went through full malolactic and the natural ferment stopped with about 1.5 g/L RS. We feel this is a nice amount for the palate to balance out the alcohol. Midpalate offers the familiar texture and slight oiliness with long finish. A complete pleasure to drink - so fragrant, that you have to take a sip. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Medium straw hue. Generously aromatic nose showing classic varietal character along with significant complexity. Peach puree, fresh mango and apricot, dried pineapple, honeysuckle and complex barrel spice notes. Full-bodied with gorgeous texture and just enough acidity to keep things balanced without compromising its voluptuous nature. Ripe and unctuous with very well managed phenolics that provide a touch of palate-cleansing grip while avoiding any harsh edges or aggressive bitterness. Excellent length. This robust beauty is best served chilled just slightly below cellar temperature (10-12 ͒ C) for maximum appreciation. It only gets better on the second day open. I would recommend a good decant if drinking soon. PRICE: $37 / Bottle https://www.masonvineyard.com/press daily 0.75 2025-12-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6cafd521-5ca4-4524-b31d-70789b6ed427/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+1.23.16%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/773f3145-f3fa-4430-aa51-b0aa14fd62ea/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+1.30.37%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/b8ecf477-0e79-4755-8a82-1f7514b83638/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+2.15.26%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/ab387cc4-4759-4cc4-9e38-72a57df388ff/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+2.17.15%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/92daf460-97ab-4745-a53b-d436b2b1cf0d/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+2.28.52%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/10d492a5-24ad-492b-aed8-d738489b6fa9/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+2.30.58%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/3bd7135c-56cd-419d-96c7-083b89188673/Screenshot+2024-07-26+at+2.53.27%E2%80%AFPM.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/b7742872-ea2f-45cf-a526-c3ca246964ab/Untitled+%284+x+6+in%29+%284+x+6+in%29+%281%29.png Press https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/28611d03-3529-45cf-90b3-a3152723b1e7/TS1-PRJ_12-+Article_+Nov2025.jpg Press https://www.masonvineyard.com/magnums daily 0.75 2024-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f7922a2b-189f-44c8-b4a8-5a8168fe3cc0/Mason+Vineyard+Shop+Page+CF+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c3ce04e5-2b20-41b2-a8fd-d77c05e86493/Mason+Vineyard+Shop+Page+Chard+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1635441584159-JX3KJ27EF9DMH3GKO69H/Mason+Vineyard+Pinot+Noir+Gen+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c30e42ad-1539-479c-b27e-ca70a8b0b828/Mason+Vineyard+Shop+Page+CS+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/e3c066ba-b392-4829-92a1-130f5b63ee3f/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Ros%C3%A9+2023+sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.masonvineyard.com/estate-wines daily 0.75 2025-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1629814005313-XC6JCZO0KVM9ZKDB9NC6/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trigger+Hand+sm.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/a5903c59-0e51-42a6-9d39-ccfeac9f4224/Mason+Vineyard+Landed+Cab+Franc.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: November 4th, 2022 pH : 3.85 TA : 5.70 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 0g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 10% new oak, 10% second fill, 30% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: I say it all the time, but Cabernet Franc is so much easier to work with than Pinot Noir. It also has so much potential in Niagara. I associate it with fall and harvest time as that is generally when my palate starts to crave Cabernet Franc with heartier harvest dishes. It’s always that same time, late October early November, when we pick. It seems well-timed that I am drinking it and making it all at once. It’s also the last pick on the vineyard, so it is the final chapter to the growing season. My vines are definitely getting old and I am seeing reduced yields and some vines are tired. It might be time to start a planting program and plant some new vines to help support these old vines out there. That’s a big undertaking – its laborious, expensive and always a big question of how will I irrigate if need be? Debating if I can possibly plant right next to the old vines and while the younger ones take continue to rely on the older ones. It keeps me up at night. —————————————————————— NOTES: The Cabernet Franc was about as hassle-free as it could be in 2022. We picked early November, destemmed, no crushing, and straight to tank, whole berry. It had a brief cold soak and then we fired up the heating jackets and the ferment took off. We left it on skins for a total of 25 days and then pressed it off to barrel (this happens right before Christmas). I generally don’t taste much once it first goes to barrel to give it some time to settle for a few months. It is still so young and sort of in an awkward stage. This vintage is a return stylistically to some of my previous vintages and I feel is a pure example of Bench Cabernet Franc. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Deep ruby in the glass with a hint of garnet showing at the rim. The generous nose bounces back and forth from sweet to savoury with alluring aromas of strawberry, wild cherry, rose petal, leather, dried cranberry, sandalwood, baking spice, wood smoke, black pepper, pencil lead and bay leaf. Fresh and taut on the palate with a firm spine of acidity keeping things nicely focused. Medium bodied with a heart of ripe fruit supported by luxuriously silky tannins. Absolutely gorgeous texture from start to finish. This is true-to-form to earlier incarnations of Cabernet Franc that Mason has produced. No over the top, jammy fruit or over-extracted tannin here. This wine is defined by its svelte and elegant build, captivating character and bewitchingly perfumed aromatics. There is a nice frame of stoney minerality supporting the fruit on the exceptionally long finish. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/cb3f6de0-1da3-4ce4-b5b5-b69a2fac83a1/Mason+Vineyard+Matriarch+Pinot+Noir.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Matriarch’ Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir, Clones 115, 667, 777 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: Sept 18th, 2022 pH : 3.78 TA : 5.43 Alcohol : 12.5% Sugar : 0g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: To me, the 2022 vintage of Pinot Noir, has a profile reflective of a stronger vintage coupled with a Bench site: the structure, the tannins, the earthiness. I found the 2021 to be lovely, perfumed, and floral. You could not see two more distinctly different vintages in a glass if you pour the 2021 and 2022 Mason Vineyard Pinot Noir side by side. One vintage tested me to my limits; it was a heavier crop, rainy season - particularly at harvest, leaving pinot berries barely hanging on to their skin integrity and others giving in and forcing me to drop clusters to the ground. I removed clusters from the vine because it was what it took to get through 2021 and focus on the wine. 2022 rebounded the other way, although there was a rough cold snap late in November 2021 followed with a cold winter in 2022, the Bench sites managed to mitigate some of that weather with airflow. With a much drier growing season, we were able to hang Pinot a little bit longer (think here that even a week or so is a big difference with Pinot Noir!). Harvesting was much easier and we were able to pick with ripeness and promising phenolics. —————————————————————— NOTES: The 2022 Mason Vineyard Matriarch Pinot Noir poured into my glass has me smiling as it has returned with layers that I recognize - deep fruit concentration that slides between blackberry and cherry notes that have carried nicely through from the nose until they are weighted down by the darker, broody notes with an earthiness I love. As you are reading this, please remember that this wine was bottled in April of 2024. So, she still needs time in bottle. And do pour it in beautiful Pinot stemware, swirl, and allow it to breathe - it will change with each glass early on in its bottle age and it's fun to anticipate where this wine might go over the years to come. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Gem-like and medium ruby in colour with a bit of telltale Pinot bricking along the rim. The nose is powerful and pronounced, but still feels quite closed, as though it is not ready to give up all its secrets quite yet. Aromas of brambly red fruit, forest floor, sour cherry, violets and beetroot with a gamey and iron undertone. On the palate, brisk acidity leads the way into a wine of medium-body with a plush core of ripe black cherry fruit, vanilla and dried autumn leaves framed by a firm, but polished tannic structure. Great mineral energy and excellent length. Elegant, expressive and impeccably balanced. Plenty of potential for mid-term aging. This wine hits all of the notes one hopes for in great Pinot Noir: sweet fruit, perfumed florality, savoury earthiness and bracing minerality all wrapped up in an elegant and graceful package. This wine is at once elegant yet powerful. Serious but not severe. An absolute joy to drink. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6222e395-c7b4-4ffe-a6d6-ab224c6de8f5/Mason+Vineyard+Cab+Sauv+Sized+Web.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 169 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 4th, 2022 pH : 3.89 TA : 5.45 Alcohol : 13.0% Sugar : 0g/L Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 20% second fill, 20% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Here we go with the second vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. I can see the merits of the 2022 vintage versus the 2021. I still can’t believe that 2021 was the first vintage where I tried to make Cabernet Sauvignon off of this site. The grapes keep surprising me with how overall it does make a wine that I enjoy drinking. I still grapple with whether I have the nerves to stick with it when vintage variation is so out of my control and such a marker on this variety. I have enough stress with Pinot. I said I would do three vintages and see what we all think. It’s nice as a blend with Cabernet Franc, but shouldn’t I just plant more Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay? I better decide soon and doubtful it is going to happen this year. Maybe 2024 is a harvest for a blend. Let’s see, it is still early. —————————————————————— NOTES: This release is vastly different from the softer 2021. We harvested in November and similar to the Cabernet Franc, we destemmed and went whole-berry to tank. We don’t have a lot of tonnage as it is only five rows of vines. This plays on fermentation temperature and extraction – we need heat and without mass in the tank, I sometimes find that this can be challenging. This is why I think a co-ferment with Cab Franc would be helpful? Anyways, true to its nature, it went to tank and we extracted where needed and let the temperature climb. It tasted good throughout it’s entire time in tank – always surprises me that during its earlier stages, I find it more appealing than the Cabernet Franc. It was a favorite among the team early on and at bottling a few weeks ago, it still was. Let’s be clear, I don’t like it more than the Cabernet Franc, but I am surprised and am looking forward to having a glass with a few months’ bottle age on it. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Garnet hue with a shy intricate nose hinting at cassis, framboise, cedar, crushed gravel, vanilla bean, and pipe tobacco. Firmly structured with fresh acidity and grippy, but polished tannins. There is a sweet core of fruit that keeps this veering too far toward the austere. Aristocratic and serious. Medium-plus in weight with great extract and flavour concentration. Very long finish which charmingly replays these flavours throughout its duration. This is tightly wound at the moment and will need a few years to start loosening up; but the intensity of flavour and the beautifully knit structure suggest it will cellar beautifully. I would love to come back to this in 8+ years or so and see where it’s at. I would speculate that there is a long and glorious life ahead for this wine. If you really can’t wait a few years, decant vigorously an hour or so before serving and pair with something gamy and medium rare. Grilled lamb rubbed with garlic and rosemary would be a winner. PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/2b2fcd01-33c5-41e4-ad05-021295cd6ec5/Mason+Vineyard+Chard+Sized+web.jpg Estate Wines - 2022 ‘L’avenir’ Chardonnay | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Chardonnay, Clone 76 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 24th, 2022 pH : 3.60 TA : 5.60 Alcohol : 12.3% Sugar : 0.6g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: It’s harder to write about this Chardonnay because the vines and I are still new to each other. I am trying to figure out what I did right or wrong the previous growing season to see what they might need from me this year to be more balanced. I truly am impressed by this block of young vine Chardonnay, clone 76. We were out making pruning decisions just a few weeks ago, with bare canes everywhere, you can really assess the growth from the previous vintage. The vine is before you, and with bare shoots it is easy to assess individual vine health – that is, what the vine is inclined to do, where you erred on the side of caution in the previous vintage - it’s fascinating. Although there are pruners out there who are much faster than myself or anyone on the MV team, I prefer having someone who takes their time to read the growth story the vine is displaying and prune accordingly. I don’t think these young vines are one size fits all. So yeah, more expensive, but pruning is so important. This year, Kaleigh Andrews pruned the whole vineyard - go, Kaleigh. —————————————————————— NOTES: On its second release in bottle (vines planted in 2018), the 2022 Mason Vineyard Chardonnay was hand picked and whole cluster pressed then settled in a cold tank. It was then racked while keeping fluffy lees and then left to go through a primary and secondary wild fermentation. Once complete, it spent 17 months élevage in oak – about 30% second fill, 10% third fill and the remainder neutral. It has gone through complete malolactic with a light bentonite fining. It is too soon for me to mark any recurring flavour profiles or sensory traits of this block. I just know it makes me smile. It is producing a great Chardonnay, and I am learning with each vintage how much weight I can add on the midpalate and how can I keep it just lean enough to stay refreshing, mouth-watering, representative of Niagara and still have enough oak for mid palate weight, rounding out the finish, and ageing. It’s so much fun to be a student of my own vineyard. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Brilliant, greenish gold in the glass. Subdued aromatics upon first pouring, but with a bit of swirling and some time in the glass, it steadily opens up to reveal a beautiful perfume. The nose continues to offer up an ever-increasing array of complex and intriguing aromas with each passing glass. Peach pit, nectarine, ripe apple, citronella, mandarin orange, orchard blossom and candied ginger all make an appearance. Supporting the layers of fruit and flowers is a hint of something sappy and resinous; almost coniferous in nature. A lees derived grace note adds further dimension to this sophisticated wine’s aromatic profile. On the attack, this wine comes out swinging! Fresh and vibrant, yet rich and full of intense and complex flavour. Firm acidity provides a solid backbone to the weighty body. The palate delivers pitch-perfect balance plus a long finish, pulsing with electric minerality. It paradoxically manages to straddle those disparate worlds of both elegance and power. This is an absolutely spectacular Chardonnay that is drinking so well right now, but there is more than enough stuffing here to merit space in the cellar. It seems certain that this wine will continue to reveal further delights with a considerable aging. PRICE: $45 / Bottle (Limited Time) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f7132726-c6f8-495b-9aad-2f61483b1be2/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Ros%C3%A9+2020.jpg Estate Wines - 2020 Sparkling Rosé Blanc de Noirs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Pinot Noir Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 11th, 2020 pH : 3.15 TA : 8.74 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: I have a soft spot for Bench-grown Pinot Noir—and I know I’m not the only one. This Blanc de Noirs, made from 100% Pinot Noir and crafted in the Méthode Traditionnelle, shows just how expressive the variety can be in sparkling form. The pale pink hue hints at delicacy, while the nose offers classic Pinot florals: peach blossom, white flowers, and subtle red berry. What stands out is the texture. Extended lees aging has built mid-palate weight and a fine, creamy mousse that adds dimension without sacrificing freshness. The acidity is well-integrated, lifting notes of raspberry and a touch of citrus. It’s a compelling example of how structure, and time on lees can come together to achieve natural balance—so much so that no dosage was needed. The Dosage: nothing - Brut Nature Time on lees: 4 years PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d9c40a3e-ae83-4135-87bb-8bfacce6e203/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Blanc+de+Blanc+2020.jpg Estate Wines - 2020 Sparkling Blanc de Blancs — Hors Domaine Méthode Traditionnelle Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: Chardonnay Viticultural Area: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : September 9th, 2020 pH : 3.11 TA : 10.42 Alcohol : 12.0% Sugar : 3.0g/L —————————————————————— NOTES: With both of my sparkling wines, the goal is always to make vintage-dated cuvées, aged on lees and released in tranches—so I can learn from the evolution over time. Extended tirage allows the wine to build texture naturally, with the ultimate aim of achieving balance without relying on dosage. Ideally, the wines rest on lees long enough to allow for a confident Brut Nature. For this 2025 release, you can already feel the benefit of ageing: the texture is deep and creamy, while the bright acidity—so characteristic of the Twenty Mile Bench—drives the wine forward and supports a clean, crisp finish. The final dosage is 3 g/L, using just a few millilitres of the 2024 Mason Vineyard L’Avenir Chardonnay. The Dosage: 3g/L of sugar / 2024 Mason Vineyard Chardonnay (2nd fill barrel, Damy) Time on lees: 4 years PRICE: $55 / Bottle https://www.masonvineyard.com/estate-wines-2025 daily 0.75 2025-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1629814005313-XC6JCZO0KVM9ZKDB9NC6/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trigger+Hand+sm.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f2384c15-fb2a-445e-bfcd-a400deed234f/Mason%2BVineyard%2BChard%2BSized%2Bweb.jpg Estate Wines 2025-TD edit - 2023 ‘L’avenir’ Chardonnay | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Chardonnay, Clone 76 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2023 pH : 3.6 TA : 5.5 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.8g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: We’re now on the third release of L’avenir Chardonnay. As I write this, the vines have been in the ground for eight years. The 2024 vintage is quietly aging in barrel, while the 2025 growing season is already underway. Time moves quickly. This is a special block—one that’s beginning to settle in. Yield and growth are becoming more balanced compared to its more unruly early years. This vintage is on par with last year’s Chardonnay. With no changes in the winemaking approach, I can’t help but wonder if the site itself is starting to speak—shaping a style that gently shifts with Mother Nature’s influence, yet remains anchored by the consistency of clone and place. I’m beginning to notice recurring flavors and a distinct profile emerging from this block. It’s exciting to watch a true identity take form. —————————————————————— NOTES: The 2023 Mason Vineyard Chardonnay was hand picked and whole cluster pressed then settled in a cold tank. It was then racked while keeping fluffy lees and then left to go through a primary and secondary wild fermentation. Once complete, it spent 17 months élevage in oak – about 10% second fill, 30% third fill and the remainder neutral barrels. It has gone through complete malolactic with a light bentonite fining. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Open and expressive on the nose, redolent of fresh golden delicious apple, wild flowers, pine pollen, and wet stone. Powerful on the palate with tremendous concentration and intensity. The balance is first rate with all elements in perfect harmony. This is indeed a rich wine, but it never feels heavy or cumbersome. The fruit notes on the nose carry forth beautifully on the tongue and are underscored by a profound vein of stony and saline minerality that seems to linger forever on the extended finish. This is an example of Chardonnay from Twenty Mile Bench that showcases elegance and poise. There is no doubt that this outstanding wine has a long life ahead of it. PRICE: $48 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/40204667-dabc-4224-a8fe-cea1dbbcb144/Mason%2BVineyard%2BMatriarch%2BPinot%2BNoir.jpg Estate Wines 2025-TD edit - 2023 ‘The Matriarch’ Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir, Clone 115,667,777 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 4th 2024 pH : 3.88 TA : 5.47 Alcohol : 12.4% Residual Sugar : 0.92g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Much like the Chardonnay, the Pinot Noir is holding steady between the 2022 and 2023 vintages. I recently had the chance to taste them side by side with a great sommelier. It’s always a tricky comparison—2023 was a sample pulled just the night before bottling, while the 2022 had a full year in bottle. Tasting a new vintage like that means projecting its potential, imagining how it will evolve. It’s a fun exercise, but not an easy one, and having thoughtful feedback is always valuable. The 2023 is already showing the hallmark traits of this Bench site: structure, tannins, and that signature earthiness. The vintage wasn’t without its challenges. We saw some unforgiving rains in August, so we made a point to open up the canopy as much as possible for better airflow. We thinned the fruit—twice. Then came the dry miracle of September. Without that sun and stretch of minimal precipitation, the entire harvest—across all varietals—would have looked very different. Looking back, 2023 delivered a nice balance: good sugar maturity, bright acidity, and clean fruit. It was a long harvest, but one ultimately saved by September. —————————————————————— NOTES: For as challenging as this wine is to grow/make, being Pinot, it is recognizable year after year. Even with vintage variation, I feel like I can recognize common denominators – plus, being that it is so young right now, there is an excitement to see where it will lead. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: This wine exudes richness and depth on the nose, displaying notes of damp earth, beet root, black and red berry fruit, iron and game meat. Complex and serious. Brisk acidity coupled with a fleshy mid-palate and supple tannins. Gorgeous mouthfeel. This is focused and driven with loads of tension and mineral energy, capped off by a glorious finish. It will change with each glass early on in its bottle age - on the second day, the wine further unfolds to reveal a gorgeous floral perfume and even more expression of the fruit. This needs some time in bottle to really show all of its layers and it’s fun to anticipate where this wine might go over the years to come. PRICE: $60 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/64550bf1-9195-4770-9f0e-281fbb5c744e/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCab%2BSauv%2BSized%2BWeb.jpg Estate Wines 2025-TD edit - 2023 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 169 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 16th, 2023 pH : 3.85 TA : 5.45 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar: 0.49g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 60% second fill, 40% third fill. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: We have some truly exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon here on the bench, despite my distaste for it. Let me explain. In my experience, I'm always surprised by its ease in vineyard management and the wine quality after 18 months of élevage. I remember a customer once asked me, "Didn’t you say that Cab Sauv is the easiest grape to grow in your vineyard? Doesn't that make it the most economical?" It was a great question—and they were right. After some thought, I feel I need to clarify why I don't love making Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon. My vision has always been to create wines that are a pure expression of Ontario. In the case of Mason Vineyard, by not adding things like tannins, yeast, or sugar, I feel like it’s falling short of what the market expects. It’s a tough sell, with warmer climates dominating the shelves. This doesn't mean it's a "bad wine"—but it’s not what a typical consumer would expect when they open the bottle, unless they know my story and philosophy. Which is why all of you love it so much: because we share this ideology. I selected the best barrels for this penultimate vintage. Another cool year with elegant tannins and ripe fruit—exactly what you’d expect from Mason Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. —————————————————————— NOTES: We harvested in late November and destemmed, with whole berries straight to tank. It’s a small lot—just five rows of vines—so we don’t get much tonnage. This has an impact on fermentation temperature and extraction; we need heat, and without enough mass in the tank, that can be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, the ferment went to dryness without any issues, and it was likely barreled down just before the Christmas holidays. I didn’t make a note of the exact date… figures I’d forget to write that down for Cab Sauv! Given the later pick, my hunch is it was likely around 24 days. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Classic nose evocative of cassis, cigar box, sappy brambles, graphite and fresh herbs. Full bodied but streamlined with crunchy acidity and sturdy tannins that portend a long life in the cellar. This is firmly structured indeed, but with notable class and polish. An honest and traditional cool climate Cabernet. No jammy fruit and sweet vanilla oak here, but rather plenty of character, savoury complexity and nuance. A great contender for the cellar. I’d love to see where this ends up in a decade or so. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/04419b2a-a8f4-4a93-bcdb-e668ff9b3648/Mason%2BVineyard%2BLanded%2BCab%2BFranc.jpg Estate Wines 2025-TD edit - 2023 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc, Clone unknown Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 6th 2023 pH : 3.72 TA : 5.36 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.55g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 10% new oak, 10% second fill, 30% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: The Cabernet Franc vines are definitely showing their age. Yields are down, and some of the vines are clearly tired. This past harvest, we had to sort more aggressively for ripeness—and it’s clear: it’s time to replant. I can’t replace the entire block all at once, so I’m beginning a replanting program this year, starting with four rows. It’s a major undertaking—labor-intensive, costly, and always accompanied by that lingering question: how will I irrigate, if it comes to that? That part hasn’t changed—it keeps me up at night. Still, it’s the right move. It’ll be bittersweet to see those old, crooked vines (the ones I once tried to straighten) pulled from the ground. But there’s something rewarding about planting fresh vines, lined up perfectly. Just thinking about how much easier row maintenance will be brings a bit of relief. —————————————————————— NOTES: As usual, we picked in early November. The fruit was destemmed but not crushed—whole berries went straight to tank. After a short cold soak, we fired up the heating jackets and the ferment took off. The wine stayed on skins for a total of 28 days before being pressed off to barrel, just ahead of the Christmas holiday. My goal remains the same: to craft a pure expression of Niagara Bench Cabernet Franc. I’m always grateful for how well this wine is received—especially by those who truly appreciate what Cabernet Franc can be. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Aromatic and complex bouquet of raspberry, cranberry, wild cherry, fruitcake, orange zest, vanilla, pipe tobacco, warm leather and savoury herbs. You are greeted on the palate by a wave of mouthwatering acidity which provides the backbone of this taut and tightly wound, medium-bodied Cabernet Franc. The flavours are lively and red fruit dominant with sappy, woodsy notes adding dimension and depth. The tannins are present, but very well managed and never obtrusive. Honest and authentic with great concentration, intensity and persistence. This is tasting great right now, but it will really sing after a few years in the cellar, allowing the already bewitching nose to become even more fragrant and that youthful rasp of acid to mellow. PRICE: $60 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6242bfd6-e315-4314-b142-d00a3e75fcb7/J2198-Mason+Vineyard+Place+and+Time+BDX+2023+Comp+FNL-+web+BG.png Estate Wines 2025-TD edit - 2023 ‘The Place and Time’ Bordeaux Blend | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 58% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot Vineyard: Mason Vineyard and Edgerock Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 6 (CF), 16 (CS), Nov 24 (PV) 2023 pH : 3.79 TA : 5.71 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.99g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with all neutral. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: The Story Behind the Blend Naming this wine wasn’t easy. For a while, it was simply called “Bordeaux Blend,” because nothing else quite felt right. Then it hit me—these varietals have been growing side by side for years, and the decision of when to bring them together is just as important as where they were grown. When I tasted through the barrels, I selected only the very best barrels of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for The Landed and The Outlier. What remained became the exciting part: seeing what the rest could do when blended together. Honestly, I almost named this wine Public Opinion, because it was you—our customers—who kept asking for this combination. And in 2023, we finally made it happen. Working with JL on the Petit Verdot was a huge inspiration. He brought the experience and insight I lacked with the grape, and his collaboration opened up new possibilities. It made me wonder: why not blend all three? I have to give credit where it’s due—Petit Verdot is the quiet hero here. At just 17%, it anchors the blend beautifully. It’s true what they say: a little Petit Verdot goes a long way. You can absolutely feel its impact—bringing focus, depth, and a certain energy that ties everything together. It’s a powerhouse, even in small amounts. —————————————————————— NOTES: Each varietal was wild fermented individually at harvest and remained on skins for more or less 22+ days and was aged in barrel for 18 months. Sometimes a wine from one barrel can have it all - multiple layers, concentration, acidity, and balance etc… Other barrels might be one dimensional powerhouses (ex. all fruit and not much else) or expressively shy but amazing texture on the mid-palate. Shifting and combining different combinations of three different varietals requires focus, an open mind and of course a bit of a technical palate. These are black teeth blending sessions. Hope you find this wine as easy to drink and pair as I do. Blending three different varietals requires focus, an open mind, and, of course, a bit of a technical palate. These are the “black teeth” blending sessions, where everything comes together, and there is reward for hard work. I hope you find this wine as easy to drink and pair as I do. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Medium-plus intensity cherry hue. Beautifully fragrant nose of cedar, rose petal, tobacco, woodsmoke, bacon fat, black currant, tomato leaf and graphite. Significant aeration lets the fruit notes really pop and a beautifully pure framboise character arises. Medium weight but firmly structured with well-measured acidity and firm tannins. Great balance and length. Very sophisticated. This wine has more than enough stuffing to continue developing and gaining interest with some significant cellaring, but it is so pretty and elegant at the moment and is drinking beautifully right out of the gate. Pop some open and decant for current enjoyment but squirrel some more away as a future treasure for the years to come. PRICE: $48 https://www.masonvineyard.com/collab-wines-2025 daily 0.75 2025-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1634674251241-8QWJDSZ9JDQC9N2NG83W/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Series+Logo+Med+BLK.png Collab Wines 2025- TD edit - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/56659ae1-3bc7-46f5-aad4-07a72f09f973/J2279-Mason+Collab+Petit+Verdot+2023+Comp+FNL-web+BG.jpg Collab Wines 2025- TD edit - 2023 Mason + Groux — Petit Verdot Winemakers: Kelly Mason + JL Groux Varietals: 100% Petit Verdot Vineyard: Edgerock Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 24th, 2023 pH : 3.88 TA : 6.6 Alcohol : 13.5% Residual Sugar : 0.6g/L Fermentation : Wild ferment in stainless, destemmed whole berries to tank (no crushing), full malolactic and on skins for 30 days. Ageing : Aged in French oak, for 18 months. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Years ago, I bought a bottle of Petit Verdot from Stratus. It was rare to see this as a stand alone grape – it is often used in small percentages for its contribution of a fragrant nose, tannin, or colour to a blend. In reading, seems some New World areas are producing it as a stand alone grape. JL’s Petit Verdot was an amazing wine – so dark, lots of structure and concentration. I never really forgot about it. Jean-Laurent (JL) Groux is a true pioneer of Niagara winemaking. Early in his remarkable career, the first wine he ever made was a Petit Verdot. While learning at Château Giscours (Bordeaux), the winemaker entrusted him with the responsibility of crafting that very wine. JL, like any eager intern, was thrilled at the thought of working in a beautiful chateau. That excitement quickly shifted when he was led to a stone cellar with two concrete tanks, and the winemaker simply said, “This is where you’ll make the Petit Verdot.” He began learning typical fermentation aromas of the grape and how to work with its structure, acid and tannins. He is known as one of the Greats in Niagara and an expert in crafting intricate assemblages of various grapes. As a winemaker who prefers working with varietals as stand-alone grapes, how fun—and ironic—it was for me to work with Petit Verdot, one of the most commonly blended grapes, and not be able to blend at all. Here we were: JL, with deep blending experience and intimate knowledge of the grape; and me, with an aversion to blending and zero experience with Petit Verdot. How lucky was I to have his time, intelligence, and expertise? His generosity in mentoring me through my first experience with this variety was invaluable. It gave me the chance not only to learn from his depth of knowledge, but also to get to know him better. I’m truly touched that he said yes to this collaboration. —————————————————————— NOTES: For the wine aficionados out there, Petit Verdot requires a long hangtime. As you can see, we harvested in the last week of November (with very cold processing). The acid degradation is slow, and despite the extended hangtime, the must came in at a total acidity of 11.28 g/L (8.19 g/L malic) at harvest. JL shared that sometimes he ages this wine for up to three years in barrel. After tasting some of his past wines, we agreed that the key is not to crush the grapes at harvest in order to minimize tannin extraction from this naturally tannin-rich varietal. The wine underwent wild fermentation, both primary and secondary, and we didn’t hold back on extraction. It stayed on skins for 30 days post-fermentation. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Wow! Opaque and black as ink in the glass, with only the rim betraying the purple ruby colour. The nose is tight and quite closed at the moment but will open up in time to show the full range of its personality. The aromas hint at licorice root, stewed black plums, juniper berries, green peppercorns, pink grapefruit and tar. On the palate the wine is deep and brooding with good acid, grippy tannins and a plush core of sweet, ripe fruit. The balance is exquisite, with the sturdy structure countered by a nice degree of flesh. This is a weighty wine that would be a great foil for a slab of meat, grilled rare over a wood fire and rubbed with rosemary. Put some aside in the cellar to see what this wine starts to say as it gets some age under its belt. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/afd55d41-e950-451e-a466-2d7ad4e6a74a/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+CF+Rose+web.jpg Collab Wines 2025- TD edit - 2024 Mason + Husband — Rosé Winemakers: Mason + Husband Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2024 pH : 3.57 TA : 6.51g/L Alcohol : 12% Residual Sugar : 3g/L Fermentation : Wild ferment, full malolactic
 Ageing : Stainless —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Brooke and I have been collaborating on rosé since 2020, and this marks our third time working with Cabernet Franc for this wine. This year, we sourced fruit from young vines on Grimsby Hillside—always aiming to try something a little different each vintage. Literally, we could have filled a journal just on the fermentation of this wine, as it gave us the longest ferment in history! The slow, cold ferment was a blessing, preserving the aromatics and freshness. Here’s how it went down: we picked on October 3rd, and it was still fermenting on December 10th. This long fermentation came with its fair share of stress, and it led us to draw the line—no more wild ferment next time. The anxious taste tests every other day and lab work became routine, but we were committed to seeing it through. This ferment lasted longer than some intern contracts, stopping at 3 grams of residual sugar, and that was it—done. As much as we aim to avoid residual sugar, this was ultimately the best choice for the wine. The young vines, while full of potential, were a bit unbalanced, and as we know, Cabernet Franc is notorious for its acidity. That extra acidity from this grape helped balance things out. Similar to our past rosés, the mid-palate shows texture with layers of flavor. As fellow wine enthusiasts, we hope you’ll appreciate this wine for all its nuances. —————————————————————— NOTES: These grapes were destemmed and whole berries into the press on a gentle pressing cycle. The must is then settled in a chilled tank for 48 hours and racked clean to a new tank. No oak was used. Wild yeast generally become sluggish anywhere above 13% alcohol, and this rule of thumb is exactly true with our Rosé – hence the tiniest amount of residual sugar. We always like to make bone dry wines, but here we backed off and let the wine just be. The profile speaks for itself and the wine in bottle is refreshing and balanced. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: This is “ballet slipper” pink in the glass. Quiet on the nose, but offering up delicate rhubarb, sour cherry and strawberry with a whiff of reductive gunflint adding complexity and intrigue. There is just a small trace of residual sugar here, but the wine is essentially dry on the palate. The intense fruit flavour, ample body and velvety texture are more than capable of providing a distinct sensation of sweetness without relying on the artifice of excess sugar. There is sufficient acidity to keep things fresh and lively, but the real story here is the amazing purity of fruit and the outstanding concentration and intensity. There is a weight and seriousness to this wine that isn’t often encountered in rosé. The red fruit aromas are nicely replayed in the mouth and underscored by a stony mineral note. The finish is long and elegant. Tremendous effort here from Kelly and Brooke! PRICE: $28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/5fd7cc85-3709-4e08-bdc2-a144b4a31313/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+web.jpg Collab Wines 2025- TD edit - 2024 Mason + Husband — Viognier Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: 100% Viognier Vineyard: Grimsby Hillside Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 28th, 2023 pH : 3.6 TA : 5.25 Alcohol : 12.0% Residual Sugar : 0.4g/L Fermentation : Wild Ferment Ageing : 18 months in neutral barrels on lees. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: This is the fourth release of our Collab Viognier. After the 2020 vintage, we realized this wine had found a following—and to be honest, that made the second release feel like a bit of pressure. But we learned quickly. Each vintage has deepened our understanding of both the varietal and the vineyard. Pick day has become one of our most anticipated of the season, and during fermentation, our daily health checks are genuinely a joy—this wine always smells and tastes incredible. Viognier isn’t the easiest grape to find—or grow—in Niagara, but we’ve now made it for five vintages, and we’ve become pretty attached. —————————————————————— NOTES: This year, we took a different approach and experimented with press fractions, a technique commonly used in Champagne. The press juice was separated into heads, hearts, and tails. The heads are the initial juice, often containing more solids and in our case, some mud. The hearts are the cleanest, most fruity, and expressive fraction, while the tails are pressed at a higher pressure, resulting in more phenolics and a heavier profile—something we particularly appreciated with Viognier. To kickstart the wild fermentation, we added a few whole clusters to the tank, then transferred the fermenting must to barrel. We kept the barrels in a cooler room to encourage a slower fermentation, which helps preserve the aromatics. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation and the natural ferment completed to dryness, leaving no residual sugar in the 2023 vintage. As with the 2022 vintage, we only made a limited number of cases of this wine, so be sure to grab yours before it’s gone. Don’t hesitate, or it’ll be sold out. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Subtle but complex and attractive nose upon pouring: almond, peach pit, honeysuckle, tropical fruit, light spice notes. Aromas open up to be more expressive with a bit of time and air. Bold on the attack with vibrant acidity, pronounced minerality, rich weight and suave texture, finishing with impressive length. Classy, yet with a characteristic dash of Viognier exuberance. This is true to the generous nature of the variety but with great freshness and polish. Exceptional wine. PRICE: $39 https://www.masonvineyard.com/mason-circle daily 0.75 2025-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c18d59ce-dad8-4143-98d5-4a8d19c930bb/Mason+Vineyard+PN+2020+on+Stool+cc.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/dec8f4e1-b06a-4283-ac14-b02a2e5d5150/08182023+MASON+X+RICKY+OLIVIA+0002+cc.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/96b61f4f-9494-4ddf-8707-39ce5a0b1a55/File+2024-07-10%2C+11+07+06+%281%29.jpeg https://www.masonvineyard.com/summer2025releasewines daily 0.75 2025-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/40204667-dabc-4224-a8fe-cea1dbbcb144/Mason%2BVineyard%2BMatriarch%2BPinot%2BNoir.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/64550bf1-9195-4770-9f0e-281fbb5c744e/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCab%2BSauv%2BSized%2BWeb.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/8b1499d8-f8f6-4abe-9547-6e6279227000/J2198-Mason+Vineyard+Place+and+Time+BDX+2023+Comp+FNL-web.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/04419b2a-a8f4-4a93-bcdb-e668ff9b3648/Mason%2BVineyard%2BLanded%2BCab%2BFranc.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f2384c15-fb2a-445e-bfcd-a400deed234f/Mason%2BVineyard%2BChard%2BSized%2Bweb.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/850d008a-85cc-4390-844a-f3ffe7d60b50/J2279-Mason+Collab+Petit+Verdot+2023+Comp+FNL-+web.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/afd55d41-e950-451e-a466-2d7ad4e6a74a/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+CF+Rose+web.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c45785a7-943f-40bf-91f9-18c2dbd24e64/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+web.jpg Summer 2025 Release Wines https://www.masonvineyard.com/collab-wines-2025-1 daily 0.75 2025-08-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1634674251241-8QWJDSZ9JDQC9N2NG83W/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Series+Logo+Med+BLK.png Collab Wines - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/56659ae1-3bc7-46f5-aad4-07a72f09f973/J2279-Mason+Collab+Petit+Verdot+2023+Comp+FNL-web+BG.jpg Collab Wines - 2023 Mason + Groux — Petit Verdot Winemakers: Kelly Mason + JL Groux Varietals: 100% Petit Verdot Vineyard: Edgerock Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 24th, 2023 pH : 3.88 TA : 6.6 Alcohol : 13.5% Residual Sugar : 0.6g/L Fermentation : Wild ferment in stainless, destemmed whole berries to tank (no crushing), full malolactic and on skins for 30 days. Ageing : Aged in French oak, for 18 months. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Years ago, I bought a bottle of Petit Verdot from Stratus. It was rare to see this as a stand alone grape – it is often used in small percentages for its contribution of a fragrant nose, tannin, or colour to a blend. In reading, seems some New World areas are producing it as a stand alone grape. JL’s Petit Verdot was an amazing wine – so dark, lots of structure and concentration. I never really forgot about it. Jean-Laurent (JL) Groux is a true pioneer of Niagara winemaking. Early in his remarkable career, the first wine he ever made was a Petit Verdot. While learning at Château Giscours (Bordeaux), the winemaker entrusted him with the responsibility of crafting that very wine. JL, like any eager intern, was thrilled at the thought of working in a beautiful chateau. That excitement quickly shifted when he was led to a stone cellar with two concrete tanks, and the winemaker simply said, “This is where you’ll make the Petit Verdot.” He began learning typical fermentation aromas of the grape and how to work with its structure, acid and tannins. He is known as one of the Greats in Niagara and an expert in crafting intricate assemblages of various grapes. As a winemaker who prefers working with varietals as stand-alone grapes, how fun—and ironic—it was for me to work with Petit Verdot, one of the most commonly blended grapes, and not be able to blend at all. Here we were: JL, with deep blending experience and intimate knowledge of the grape; and me, with an aversion to blending and zero experience with Petit Verdot. How lucky was I to have his time, intelligence, and expertise? His generosity in mentoring me through my first experience with this variety was invaluable. It gave me the chance not only to learn from his depth of knowledge, but also to get to know him better. I’m truly touched that he said yes to this collaboration. —————————————————————— NOTES: For the wine aficionados out there, Petit Verdot requires a long hangtime. As you can see, we harvested in the last week of November (with very cold processing). The acid degradation is slow, and despite the extended hangtime, the must came in at a total acidity of 11.28 g/L (8.19 g/L malic) at harvest. JL shared that sometimes he ages this wine for up to three years in barrel. After tasting some of his past wines, we agreed that the key is not to crush the grapes at harvest in order to minimize tannin extraction from this naturally tannin-rich varietal. The wine underwent wild fermentation, both primary and secondary, and we didn’t hold back on extraction. It stayed on skins for 30 days post-fermentation. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Wow! Opaque and black as ink in the glass, with only the rim betraying the purple ruby colour. The nose is tight and quite closed at the moment but will open up in time to show the full range of its personality. The aromas hint at licorice root, stewed black plums, juniper berries, green peppercorns, pink grapefruit and tar. On the palate the wine is deep and brooding with good acid, grippy tannins and a plush core of sweet, ripe fruit. The balance is exquisite, with the sturdy structure countered by a nice degree of flesh. This is a weighty wine that would be a great foil for a slab of meat, grilled rare over a wood fire and rubbed with rosemary. Put some aside in the cellar to see what this wine starts to say as it gets some age under its belt. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/7b776d2a-908c-4d5d-84ee-45034ce8da27/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCollab%2BRos%C3%A9%2B2024+-+sold+out.png Collab Wines - 2024 Mason + Husband — Rosé Winemakers: Mason + Husband Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2024 pH : 3.57 TA : 6.51g/L Alcohol : 12% Residual Sugar : 3g/L Fermentation : Wild ferment, full malolactic
 Ageing : Stainless —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Brooke and I have been collaborating on rosé since 2020, and this marks our third time working with Cabernet Franc for this wine. This year, we sourced fruit from young vines on Grimsby Hillside—always aiming to try something a little different each vintage. Literally, we could have filled a journal just on the fermentation of this wine, as it gave us the longest ferment in history! The slow, cold ferment was a blessing, preserving the aromatics and freshness. Here’s how it went down: we picked on October 3rd, and it was still fermenting on December 10th. This long fermentation came with its fair share of stress, and it led us to draw the line—no more wild ferment next time. The anxious taste tests every other day and lab work became routine, but we were committed to seeing it through. This ferment lasted longer than some intern contracts, stopping at 3 grams of residual sugar, and that was it—done. As much as we aim to avoid residual sugar, this was ultimately the best choice for the wine. The young vines, while full of potential, were a bit unbalanced, and as we know, Cabernet Franc is notorious for its acidity. That extra acidity from this grape helped balance things out. Similar to our past rosés, the mid-palate shows texture with layers of flavor. As fellow wine enthusiasts, we hope you’ll appreciate this wine for all its nuances. —————————————————————— NOTES: These grapes were destemmed and whole berries into the press on a gentle pressing cycle. The must is then settled in a chilled tank for 48 hours and racked clean to a new tank. No oak was used. Wild yeast generally become sluggish anywhere above 13% alcohol, and this rule of thumb is exactly true with our Rosé – hence the tiniest amount of residual sugar. We always like to make bone dry wines, but here we backed off and let the wine just be. The profile speaks for itself and the wine in bottle is refreshing and balanced. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: This is “ballet slipper” pink in the glass. Quiet on the nose, but offering up delicate rhubarb, sour cherry and strawberry with a whiff of reductive gunflint adding complexity and intrigue. There is just a small trace of residual sugar here, but the wine is essentially dry on the palate. The intense fruit flavour, ample body and velvety texture are more than capable of providing a distinct sensation of sweetness without relying on the artifice of excess sugar. There is sufficient acidity to keep things fresh and lively, but the real story here is the amazing purity of fruit and the outstanding concentration and intensity. There is a weight and seriousness to this wine that isn’t often encountered in rosé. The red fruit aromas are nicely replayed in the mouth and underscored by a stony mineral note. The finish is long and elegant. Tremendous effort here from Kelly and Brooke PRICE: $28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/cd1428aa-1074-4c40-880a-a28d1074ec4f/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCollab%2BViognier-+sold+out.jpg Collab Wines - 2024 Mason + Husband — Viognier Winemakers: Kelly Mason + Brooke Husband Varietals: 100% Viognier Vineyard: Grimsby Hillside Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 28th, 2023 pH : 3.6 TA : 5.25 Alcohol : 12.0% Residual Sugar : 0.4g/L Fermentation : Wild Ferment Ageing : 18 months in neutral barrels on lees. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: This is the fourth release of our Collab Viognier. After the 2020 vintage, we realized this wine had found a following—and to be honest, that made the second release feel like a bit of pressure. But we learned quickly. Each vintage has deepened our understanding of both the varietal and the vineyard. Pick day has become one of our most anticipated of the season, and during fermentation, our daily health checks are genuinely a joy—this wine always smells and tastes incredible. Viognier isn’t the easiest grape to find—or grow—in Niagara, but we’ve now made it for five vintages, and we’ve become pretty attached. —————————————————————— NOTES: This year, we took a different approach and experimented with press fractions, a technique commonly used in Champagne. The press juice was separated into heads, hearts, and tails. The heads are the initial juice, often containing more solids and in our case, some mud. The hearts are the cleanest, most fruity, and expressive fraction, while the tails are pressed at a higher pressure, resulting in more phenolics and a heavier profile—something we particularly appreciated with Viognier. To kickstart the wild fermentation, we added a few whole clusters to the tank, then transferred the fermenting must to barrel. We kept the barrels in a cooler room to encourage a slower fermentation, which helps preserve the aromatics. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation and the natural ferment completed to dryness, leaving no residual sugar in the 2023 vintage. As with the 2022 vintage, we only made a limited number of cases of this wine, so be sure to grab yours before it’s gone. Don’t hesitate, or it’ll be sold out. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTE: Subtle but complex and attractive nose upon pouring: almond, peach pit, honeysuckle, tropical fruit, light spice notes. Aromas open up to be more expressive with a bit of time and air. Bold on the attack with vibrant acidity, pronounced minerality, rich weight and suave texture, finishing with impressive length. Classy, yet with a characteristic dash of Viognier exuberance. This is true to the generous nature of the variety but with great freshness and polish. Exceptional wine. PRICE: $39 https://www.masonvineyard.com/estate-wines-2025-1 daily 0.75 2025-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1629814005313-XC6JCZO0KVM9ZKDB9NC6/Mason+Vineyard+Kelly+Trigger+Hand+sm.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/40204667-dabc-4224-a8fe-cea1dbbcb144/Mason%2BVineyard%2BMatriarch%2BPinot%2BNoir.jpg Estate Wines - 2023 ‘The Matriarch’ Pinot Noir | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir, Clone 115,667,777 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 4th 2024 pH : 3.88 TA : 5.47 Alcohol : 12.4% Residual Sugar : 0.92g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: Much like the Chardonnay, the Pinot Noir is holding steady between the 2022 and 2023 vintages. I recently had the chance to taste them side by side with a great sommelier. It’s always a tricky comparison—2023 was a sample pulled just the night before bottling, while the 2022 had a full year in bottle. Tasting a new vintage like that means projecting its potential, imagining how it will evolve. It’s a fun exercise, but not an easy one, and having thoughtful feedback is always valuable. The 2023 is already showing the hallmark traits of this Bench site: structure, tannins, and that signature earthiness. The vintage wasn’t without its challenges. We saw some unforgiving rains in August, so we made a point to open up the canopy as much as possible for better airflow. We thinned the fruit—twice. Then came the dry miracle of September. Without that sun and stretch of minimal precipitation, the entire harvest—across all varietals—would have looked very different. Looking back, 2023 delivered a nice balance: good sugar maturity, bright acidity, and clean fruit. It was a long harvest, but one ultimately saved by September. —————————————————————— NOTES: For as challenging as this wine is to grow/make, being Pinot, it is recognizable year after year. Even with vintage variation, I feel like I can recognize common denominators – plus, being that it is so young right now, there is an excitement to see where it will lead. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: This wine exudes richness and depth on the nose, displaying notes of damp earth, beet root, black and red berry fruit, iron and game meat. Complex and serious. Brisk acidity coupled with a fleshy mid-palate and supple tannins. Gorgeous mouthfeel. This is focused and driven with loads of tension and mineral energy, capped off by a glorious finish. It will change with each glass early on in its bottle age - on the second day, the wine further unfolds to reveal a gorgeous floral perfume and even more expression of the fruit. This needs some time in bottle to really show all of its layers and it’s fun to anticipate where this wine might go over the years to come. PRICE: $60 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/b79ab1af-a939-40ad-9ea1-9a5c82a7a7f1/Mason%2BVineyard%2BChard%2BSold+out.jpg Estate Wines - 2023 ‘L’avenir’ Chardonnay | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Chardonnay, Clone 76 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : October 10th, 2023 pH : 3.6 TA : 5.5 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.8g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: We’re now on the third release of L’avenir Chardonnay. As I write this, the vines have been in the ground for eight years. The 2024 vintage is quietly aging in barrel, while the 2025 growing season is already underway. Time moves quickly. This is a special block—one that’s beginning to settle in. Yield and growth are becoming more balanced compared to its more unruly early years. This vintage is on par with last year’s Chardonnay. With no changes in the winemaking approach, I can’t help but wonder if the site itself is starting to speak—shaping a style that gently shifts with Mother Nature’s influence, yet remains anchored by the consistency of clone and place. I’m beginning to notice recurring flavors and a distinct profile emerging from this block. It’s exciting to watch a true identity take form. —————————————————————— NOTES: The 2023 Mason Vineyard Chardonnay was hand picked and whole cluster pressed then settled in a cold tank. It was then racked while keeping fluffy lees and then left to go through a primary and secondary wild fermentation. Once complete, it spent 17 months élevage in oak – about 10% second fill, 30% third fill and the remainder neutral barrels. It has gone through complete malolactic with a light bentonite fining. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Open and expressive on the nose, redolent of fresh golden delicious apple, wild flowers, pine pollen, and wet stone. Powerful on the palate with tremendous concentration and intensity. The balance is first rate with all elements in perfect harmony. This is indeed a rich wine, but it never feels heavy or cumbersome. The fruit notes on the nose carry forth beautifully on the tongue and are underscored by a profound vein of stony and saline minerality that seems to linger forever on the extended finish. This is an example of Chardonnay from Twenty Mile Bench that showcases elegance and poise. There is no doubt that this outstanding wine has a long life ahead of it. PRICE: $48 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/64550bf1-9195-4770-9f0e-281fbb5c744e/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCab%2BSauv%2BSized%2BWeb.jpg Estate Wines - 2023 ‘The Outlier’ Cabernet Sauvignon | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 169 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 16th, 2023 pH : 3.85 TA : 5.45 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar: 0.49g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 60% second fill, 40% third fill. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: We have some truly exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon here on the bench, despite my distaste for it. Let me explain. In my experience, I'm always surprised by its ease in vineyard management and the wine quality after 18 months of élevage. I remember a customer once asked me, "Didn’t you say that Cab Sauv is the easiest grape to grow in your vineyard? Doesn't that make it the most economical?" It was a great question—and they were right. After some thought, I feel I need to clarify why I don't love making Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon. My vision has always been to create wines that are a pure expression of Ontario. In the case of Mason Vineyard, by not adding things like tannins, yeast, or sugar, I feel like it’s falling short of what the market expects. It’s a tough sell, with warmer climates dominating the shelves. This doesn't mean it's a "bad wine"—but it’s not what a typical consumer would expect when they open the bottle, unless they know my story and philosophy. Which is why all of you love it so much: because we share this ideology. I selected the best barrels for this penultimate vintage. Another cool year with elegant tannins and ripe fruit—exactly what you’d expect from Mason Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. —————————————————————— NOTES: We harvested in late November and destemmed, with whole berries straight to tank. It’s a small lot—just five rows of vines—so we don’t get much tonnage. This has an impact on fermentation temperature and extraction; we need heat, and without enough mass in the tank, that can be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, the ferment went to dryness without any issues, and it was likely barreled down just before the Christmas holidays. I didn’t make a note of the exact date… figures I’d forget to write that down for Cab Sauv! Given the later pick, my hunch is it was likely around 24 days. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Classic nose evocative of cassis, cigar box, sappy brambles, graphite and fresh herbs. Full bodied but streamlined with crunchy acidity and sturdy tannins that portend a long life in the cellar. This is firmly structured indeed, but with notable class and polish. An honest and traditional cool climate Cabernet. No jammy fruit and sweet vanilla oak here, but rather plenty of character, savoury complexity and nuance. A great contender for the cellar. I’d love to see where this ends up in a decade or so. PRICE: $55 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/04419b2a-a8f4-4a93-bcdb-e668ff9b3648/Mason%2BVineyard%2BLanded%2BCab%2BFranc.jpg Estate Wines - 2023 ‘The Landed’ Cabernet Franc | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc, Clone unknown Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 6th 2023 pH : 3.72 TA : 5.36 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.55g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with 10% new oak, 10% second fill, 30% third fill and remainder in neutral oak. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: The Cabernet Franc vines are definitely showing their age. Yields are down, and some of the vines are clearly tired. This past harvest, we had to sort more aggressively for ripeness—and it’s clear: it’s time to replant. I can’t replace the entire block all at once, so I’m beginning a replanting program this year, starting with four rows. It’s a major undertaking—labor-intensive, costly, and always accompanied by that lingering question: how will I irrigate, if it comes to that? That part hasn’t changed—it keeps me up at night. Still, it’s the right move. It’ll be bittersweet to see those old, crooked vines (the ones I once tried to straighten) pulled from the ground. But there’s something rewarding about planting fresh vines, lined up perfectly. Just thinking about how much easier row maintenance will be brings a bit of relief. —————————————————————— NOTES: As usual, we picked in early November. The fruit was destemmed but not crushed—whole berries went straight to tank. After a short cold soak, we fired up the heating jackets and the ferment took off. The wine stayed on skins for a total of 28 days before being pressed off to barrel, just ahead of the Christmas holiday. My goal remains the same: to craft a pure expression of Niagara Bench Cabernet Franc. I’m always grateful for how well this wine is received—especially by those who truly appreciate what Cabernet Franc can be. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Aromatic and complex bouquet of raspberry, cranberry, wild cherry, fruitcake, orange zest, vanilla, pipe tobacco, warm leather and savoury herbs. You are greeted on the palate by a wave of mouthwatering acidity which provides the backbone of this taut and tightly wound, medium-bodied Cabernet Franc. The flavours are lively and red fruit dominant with sappy, woodsy notes adding dimension and depth. The tannins are present, but very well managed and never obtrusive. Honest and authentic with great concentration, intensity and persistence. This is tasting great right now, but it will really sing after a few years in the cellar, allowing the already bewitching nose to become even more fragrant and that youthful rasp of acid to mellow. PRICE: $60 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6242bfd6-e315-4314-b142-d00a3e75fcb7/J2198-Mason+Vineyard+Place+and+Time+BDX+2023+Comp+FNL-+web+BG.png Estate Wines - 2023 ‘The Place and Time’ Bordeaux Blend | Unfiltered Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 58% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot Vineyard: Mason Vineyard and Edgerock Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date : November 6 (CF), 16 (CS), Nov 24 (PV) 2023 pH : 3.79 TA : 5.71 Alcohol : 12.5% Residual Sugar : 0.99g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months with all neutral. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: The Story Behind the Blend Naming this wine wasn’t easy. For a while, it was simply called “Bordeaux Blend,” because nothing else quite felt right. Then it hit me—these varietals have been growing side by side for years, and the decision of when to bring them together is just as important as where they were grown. When I tasted through the barrels, I selected only the very best barrels of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for The Landed and The Outlier. What remained became the exciting part: seeing what the rest could do when blended together. Honestly, I almost named this wine Public Opinion, because it was you—our customers—who kept asking for this combination. And in 2023, we finally made it happen. Working with JL on the Petit Verdot was a huge inspiration. He brought the experience and insight I lacked with the grape, and his collaboration opened up new possibilities. It made me wonder: why not blend all three? I have to give credit where it’s due—Petit Verdot is the quiet hero here. At just 17%, it anchors the blend beautifully. It’s true what they say: a little Petit Verdot goes a long way. You can absolutely feel its impact—bringing focus, depth, and a certain energy that ties everything together. It’s a powerhouse, even in small amounts. —————————————————————— NOTES: Each varietal was wild fermented individually at harvest and remained on skins for more or less 22+ days and was aged in barrel for 18 months. Sometimes a wine from one barrel can have it all - multiple layers, concentration, acidity, and balance etc… Other barrels might be one dimensional powerhouses (ex. all fruit and not much else) or expressively shy but amazing texture on the mid-palate. Shifting and combining different combinations of three different varietals requires focus, an open mind and of course a bit of a technical palate. These are black teeth blending sessions. Hope you find this wine as easy to drink and pair as I do. Blending three different varietals requires focus, an open mind, and, of course, a bit of a technical palate. These are the “black teeth” blending sessions, where everything comes together, and there is reward for hard work. I hope you find this wine as easy to drink and pair as I do. —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Medium-plus intensity cherry hue. Beautifully fragrant nose of cedar, rose petal, tobacco, woodsmoke, bacon fat, black currant, tomato leaf and graphite. Significant aeration lets the fruit notes really pop and a beautifully pure framboise character arises. Medium weight but firmly structured with well-measured acidity and firm tannins. Great balance and length. Very sophisticated. This wine has more than enough stuffing to continue developing and gaining interest with some significant cellaring, but it is so pretty and elegant at the moment and is drinking beautifully right out of the gate. Pop some open and decant for current enjoyment but squirrel some more away as a future treasure for the years to come. PRICE: $48 https://www.masonvineyard.com/tastings-and-experiences daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/db1e2f69-359f-47fc-bad1-53edbf766585/08182023+MASON+X+RICKY+OLIVIA+0020+cc.jpg https://www.masonvineyard.com/taste-the-vineyard daily 0.75 2025-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/6242140c-5bfd-457d-801d-99ab8ab32808/Vineyard.jpg https://www.masonvineyard.com/sip-and-savour daily 0.75 2025-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/2159d260-100f-4d62-9a51-79375d16fb41/Sip+and+Savor+2.jpg https://www.masonvineyard.com/la-propritaire daily 0.75 2025-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/cfb95914-a2b6-441f-ab3a-13669b4c4ca2/Dining+Room+Photo.jpg https://www.masonvineyard.com/magnums-2025 daily 0.75 2025-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1635441584159-JX3KJ27EF9DMH3GKO69H/Mason+Vineyard+Pinot+Noir+Gen+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/e3c066ba-b392-4829-92a1-130f5b63ee3f/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Ros%C3%A9+2023+sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/f7922a2b-189f-44c8-b4a8-5a8168fe3cc0/Mason+Vineyard+Shop+Page+CF+Sm.jpg Magnums | Private Shop 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.masonvineyard.com/summer2025releasewines-1-1 daily 0.75 2025-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c45785a7-943f-40bf-91f9-18c2dbd24e64/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+web.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/64550bf1-9195-4770-9f0e-281fbb5c744e/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCab%2BSauv%2BSized%2BWeb.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/40204667-dabc-4224-a8fe-cea1dbbcb144/Mason%2BVineyard%2BMatriarch%2BPinot%2BNoir.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/8b1499d8-f8f6-4abe-9547-6e6279227000/J2198-Mason+Vineyard+Place+and+Time+BDX+2023+Comp+FNL-web.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/04419b2a-a8f4-4a93-bcdb-e668ff9b3648/Mason%2BVineyard%2BLanded%2BCab%2BFranc.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/64550bf1-9195-4770-9f0e-281fbb5c744e/Mason%2BVineyard%2BCab%2BSauv%2BSized%2BWeb.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/04419b2a-a8f4-4a93-bcdb-e668ff9b3648/Mason%2BVineyard%2BLanded%2BCab%2BFranc.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/5c0dd21e-9c25-4667-bc04-f26b27eb6133/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Blanc+de+Blanc+2020+sm.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d09a2347-2c97-4214-988c-955a60e843e8/Mason+Vineyard+Brut+Ros%C3%A9+2020+sm.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/850d008a-85cc-4390-844a-f3ffe7d60b50/J2279-Mason+Collab+Petit+Verdot+2023+Comp+FNL-+web.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/afd55d41-e950-451e-a466-2d7ad4e6a74a/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+CF+Rose+web.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/c45785a7-943f-40bf-91f9-18c2dbd24e64/Mason+Vineyard+Collab+Viognier+web.jpg Shop Main J28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/d02198dd-7fbb-4b66-a19e-b68b20c67b1d/MV-logoblack.jpg Shop Main J28 https://www.masonvineyard.com/a-summer-mixer-event daily 0.75 2025-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/a0871ec3-4d1e-404a-9104-11a6b89c082d/04242025+Mason+0281.jpeg https://www.masonvineyard.com/onebarrelallocation daily 0.75 2025-09-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/1f9087bd-91cf-4f9e-95d6-88e79512aca6/Vineyard.jpg Hidden One Barrel Allocation - Make it stand out Mason Vineyard Estate Wines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e4a747a54eaf614d56af67/3a04f815-9995-45b8-892d-da241f196c22/IMG_4324.png Hidden One Barrel Allocation - 2023 ‘One Barrel Allocation’ Pinot Noir Winemaker: Kelly Mason Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir, Clone 115, 667, 777 Vineyard: Mason Vineyard Viticultural Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench —————————————————————— Pick Date: October 4th, 2024 pH : TA : Alcohol : % Sugar : g/L Fermentation: Wild Ferment Ageing: French Oak, Burgundy barrels, 17 months in mainly neutral oak with use of second and third fill barrels. —————————————————————— WINEMAKER JOURNAL: When wine first goes to barrel for élevage, the winemaker’s job is simply to let it rest. For this block, that rest lasted 16 months. And even with experience of the site, even knowing my coopers and barrel choices, there’s always an element of the unknown — each vintage brings its own variation. Traditionally, I’ve blended all the barrels from this block together. However, when I began blending in early 2025 for 2023 The Matriarch, two barrels stopped me in my tracks. They reminded me of the 2015 vintage off my farm — the very first time I was able to both grow and make Pinot off my vineyard. Tasting these two barrels was like stepping back in time. The wine moved me. Earthy, bright acidity with dark fruit, and always the cherry notes that mark this block — but the texture was different. Slightly silky, already showing a quiet confidence. My first thought was: I wish I could just put these two barrels straight into a bottle. At first, I planned to keep a few bottles for myself — sharpie on the glass, tuck them away in the cellar, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized: if I didn’t share it, I’d always regret it. Was it the most business-savvy decision? Probably not. Small lots come with extra costs and complexity. But wine isn’t always about business — sometimes it’s about following that instinct, that tug that says, this deserves to exist on its own. So, I went with it. I split those two special barrels in half and made a single barrel’s worth of this wine. A tiny lot, but one I couldn’t ignore. —————————————————————— NOTES: —————————————————————— TASTING NOTES: Kelly will fill these in and can go into the hidden page and edit. Just leave me some space please. 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