Tawse Winery

About Tawse Winery

Tawse is a family-owned estate winery located on the lower slopes of the Niagara Escarpment. At Tawse, organic farming practices are the foundation of everything we do as it directly impacts the health of our soils, the quality of our grapes, and the complexity of our wines. For over 20 years we have united traditional winemaking techniques with state-of-the-art technology to create a portfolio of award-winning wines that reflect the terroir and express a sense of place.

Representative Biography

Jessica Otting, Winemaker

Jessica Otting is an accomplished winemaker with experience at renowned wineries across the globe. Starting her career at just 17, she quickly discovered her passion and dedication to winemaking. After graduating from Niagara College's Winery & Viticulture Technician Program in 2011, she refined her craft through hands-on experience at leading wineries, developing her expertise in cool-climate wines.

Since joining Tawse Winery in 2014, Jessica’s talent and vision propelled her to Head Winemaker by 2020. Known for crafting premium organic wines that express the unique terroir of the Vineland Bench, she combines technical excellence with a collaborative approach, continuously driving Tawse’s pursuit of quality and innovation.

Why We're Cool

Our winemaker Jessica Otting is a firm believer in terroir and works with Chardonnay from several vineyards to showcase their unique flavour profiles. The soils vary widely, from the high limestone content of the Quarry Road Vineyard to the clay and loam combination of the Robyn's Block Vineyard. The vineyard and winemaking teams pay careful attention to detail through the whole process from sustainable vineyard practices to hand-picking at the ideal ripeness.

The Chardonnays are all fermented with indigenous yeast in a thoughtful blend of new and old 228L and 500L French oak barrels where they are aged for 12 months on their lees. Once the oak maturation is complete, the wine rests in stainless steel tanks for about 6 months prior to bottling to allow wood integration and bright acid preservation. This approach results in complex, well-balanced Chardonnays that highlight both the unique characteristics of each vineyard and the winemaker's skillful craftsmanship.