13th Street Winery

Creek Shores, Niagara, Canada

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About 13th Street Winery

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Celebrating over 20 years of winemaking in Niagara, 13th Street Winery’s mission is to create exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara with a focus on Gamay Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and traditional method sparkling wines.

Set amongst 50 acres of estate vineyards, 13th Street Winery is located halfway between Jordan and St. Catharines, on Fourth Avenue, just minutes off the QEW.
Winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas brings over 30 years of experience including a rich heritage of wine growing in his native Chablis, France. Owners Doug and Karen Whitty bring with them a family history of over 110 years of farming in Niagara. In 2017 Doug was named Grape King by the Grape Growers of Ontario and in 2019 awarded the Tony Aspler Cuvée Award of Excellence.

13th Street’s retail location features a contemporary Tasting Room & Wine Bar with an expansive tasting bar with floor to ceiling windows on two sides. Tastings are available during regular business hours in the wine boutique and seasonal patio fare is offered during the summer months.
The expansive grounds are home to a diverse sculpture collection and guests are encouraged to explore the gardens and vineyards as well as the newly opened Gallery at 13th Street Winery. The Gallery is home to an extensive collection of contemporary art and exhibits rotate regularly.

Also onsite is a local favourite - 13th Street Bakery - which features fresh baked goods (including their famous butter tarts) and an assortment of jams, jellies and preserves all made with Niagara produce as well as a large selection of artisanal Ontario cheeses, gourmet food items and unique gifts.
Discover our unique blend of WINE FOOD and ART!

Representative Biography

Jean-Pierre Colas, Winemaker

Jean-Pierre (JP) Colas is one of the most talented French-trained winemakers in the business. His winemaking philosophy is quite simple. He believes that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards, whereas winemaking techniques are only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes’ provenance and character. With this philosophy in mind, JP excels at crafting high-quality red wines paramount to the Niagara peninsula: Gamay Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. Likewise, JP guides the production of exceptional white wines, including world class Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer.

Between France and his current residency at 13th Street, Jean-Pierre travelled and worked extensively around the world, including Carmen Vineyards in Chile, Bodegas Chandon in Argentina, and Oyster Bay Winery in New Zealand. He has studied and worked under a number of exceptional winemakers including Michel Givors in Morgon, Beaujolais and Gilbert Picq, and Michel Laroche in Chablis, Burgundy.

“Cool Climate Chardonnay is my roots. Being born and raised in Chablis it runs in my blood!”
Jean Pierre Colas
Photo credit, Sandra Ozkur

Why We're Cool

Situated at 43 degrees north, our vineyards are at the northern extreme of viable viticulture so are inherently “cool.” Add to this our winemaker’s core philosophy of maximizing the impression of this terroir through minimal intervention in the winery, our Chardonnays are distinctly “cool” both in style and origin!

Rosehall Run Vineyard

Prince Edward County, Ontario

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About Rosehall Run Vineyard

Established in 2001 by winemaker Dan Sullivan, Rosehall Run was one of the earliest Prince Edward County wineries planted in the west central region known as Hillier. The 150-acre site was selected due to its proximity to Lake Ontario and the remarkable clay soil scattered with rock and shale fragments on a calcareous limestone base. Today there are 25 acres of thriving vinifera including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Tempranillo.

Dan and his team manage the vineyards proactively, practicing sustainable farming through the use of integrated pest management and early identification and prevention of potential pests and diseases. These gentle, environmentally-sound grape farming techniques extract the optimum fruit from our unique Prince Edward County terroir year after year. A focus on state-of-the-art winemaking led to the design and construction of a 7,200 sq ft winery facility and gravity-fed barrel cellar blasted deep into the limestone foundation. Each barrel is selected by Dan to ensure wines are not overpowered by the oak that plays a supporting role in his portfolio. Prior to bottling each barrel is selected individually and blended through a series of trials resulting in the final blend. Minimal handling ensures that the wine has retained the natural texture and flavor that emerged from the barrel.

Visitors to Prince Edward County can enjoy Rosehall Run’s critically acclaimed wines in a modern Tasting Barn surrounded by glass allowing for an abundance of beautiful natural light and stunning views of the vineyard.

Representative Biography

Lee Baker, Associate Winemaker

Lee Baker, Associate Winemaker
Associate Winemaker Lee comes to the Rosehall Run team with almost 20 years of Canadian winery experience including the Niagara Region, the Okanagan and most recently as the Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at two acclaimed Prince Edward County wineries. Lee is also a graduate of Brock University’s CCOVI Honours program.
Lee has developed a significant following for his wines that show both elegance and depth, including experimental small-lot wines made with as few interventions as possible. He believes that ‘natural’-style wine can be clean, well-balanced, and still show exceptional character.

Dan Sullivan, Co-Owner, Winemaker
With over 30 years’ experience, Dan Sullivan is now recognized as one of the top winemakers in Ontario. After 15 years honing his craft as an award-winning member of the Amateur Winemakers of Ontario, in 2000, Dan embarked on his dream of growing and making estate wines in Prince Edward County.

Dan practices a hands-on approach to winemaking that begins in the vineyard. The wines he produces are balanced and elegant, a reflection of both terroir and vintage. Since his 2005 Pinot Noir debut which wine writer David Lawrason identified as one of Six Wines that Define Canada’s Future, estate grown Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays have garnered consistent local and international attention.

As an industry leader, Dan works with chefs, restaurateurs and fellow winemakers to raise the profile of Ontario's thriving local food and wine community. Dan is a founding member of i4C, a member of the Wine Council of Ontario Board of Directors, a member of the VQA Board of Directors and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Algonquin College Sommelier Certificate Program in Ottawa.

Why We're Cool

From our origin 17 years ago in Prince Edward County, Chardonnay has been the heart and soul of Rosehall Run Vineyards and the viniferous muse of winemaker Dan Sullivan for even longer. Dan has been making Ontario Chardonnay since his first crush 23 years ago.

Located in the most northerly DVA in Ontario, growing exceptional quality vinifera fruit can sometimes be daunting. Winter temperatures approaching -30 C can occur, necessitating vines and renewal canes be buried to overwinter under the soil. Mother Nature’s influence on the vines instills discipline on the grape growers of Prince Edward County. This influence extends into each bottle where the rocky calcareous limestone and lake moderated climate of our vineyard are evident. Rosehall Run has been producing racy, mineral-tinged Chardonnays since our first crush in 2004. For Dan, expressing the character and structure of the fruit is the highest homage that can be paid to the earth from which it originates.

Dan was an early champion of handling barrel fermentation and elevage exclusively in 500 L oak puncheons. By using this larger format cooperage and limiting batonnage, the fruit, acidity and nuance of our rocky soils are treated with the utmost respect. The results speak for themselves as our wines continue to be an iconic expression of what it means to be 'County' in the world of wine.

Today Rosehall Run offers three 100 % estate grown iterations of Chardonnay: Our traditional method Blanc de Blancs sparkler CEREMONY, our unoaked Hungry Point Chardonnay and finally our iconic barrel-fermented JCR Rosehall Vineyard Chardonnay, named for our co-founder John Campbell Reston. Each wine expresses the place first and displays the beautiful diversity of style that can be achieved with Chardonnay. We also produce the carefully crafted, exemplary value ‘Liberated’ Chardonnay available at the LCBO.

Trius Winery

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada

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About Trius Winery

Trius Winery captures the essence of Niagara Wine Country with an extensive collection of terroir-driven wines made by Emma Garner. Trius Winery Restaurant was Niagara-on-the-Lake’s first winery restaurant and Chef Frank Dodd prides himself on sourcing local ingredients. Enjoy a range of wines and food from Niagara-on-the-Lake's only Michelin Guide recommended restaurant.

Representative Biography

Emma Garner, Director of Winemaker & Ben Minaker, Winemaker

After graduating from Brock University’s Oenology and Viticulture program, she began her career at Trius before gaining experience in renowned wine regions including Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and British Columbia. Emma returned to Trius with a wealth of global insight and has played a key role in shaping Canada’s largest traditional method sparkling wine program. Her wines have earned both national and international acclaim, including a gold medal at the International Wine Challenge in the UK. In 2015, she was named Ontario Winemaker of the Year. A champion for Ontario wines and a mentor to emerging winemakers, Emma brings passion, precision, and leadership to every bottle. Under her guidance, Trius continues to craft expressive, world-class wines that reflect the character of Niagara.

Ben Minaker, Winemaker
Ben joined the Trius team in July 2020, bringing with him international winemaking experience spanning from Bordeaux to New Zealand before ultimately putting down roots in the Niagara Peninsula. He holds a Winery and Viticulture Technician diploma from Niagara College, along with his WSET Level 3 certification and Certified Sommelier designation.

Why We're Cool

At Trius we work with some of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards and most experienced growers on the Peninsula.
With over 350 acres under contract and covering most of the VQA sub-appellations, our Winemaking and Vineyard teams work closely with key growers to nurture high potential sites and foster long term relationships.
Together we have established individual viticultural programs which balance the uniqueness of site and the nuances of vintage variation but always with the highest level of Chardonnay varietal expression top of mind.
The Niagara Peninsula is innately cool and with our extreme sites offering even greater challenges we have an opportunity for extended Fall ripening for maximum flavour development and full expression of site and season.
Sites such at the Oliveira Vineyard embrace these elements as of one of the coolest sites on the Peninsula and one which consistently resonates with our team year after year.
This Lincoln Lakeshore vineyard is nestled close to Lake Ontario and benefits directly from distinct moderating influences which provide both Spring frost protection and enhance late season ripening. Coupled with the impeccable viticultural attention the Oliveira family bring, we seek to amplify this unique ‘single vineyard’ site by utilizing native yeast and restraining the urge to guide and influence at the winery.

Domaine Queylus

Twenty Bench, Niagara, Canada

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About Domaine Queylus

Domaine Queylus is located atop the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario’s renowned winemaking region, the Niagara Peninsula.

We began our winemaking story in 2010 with our first vintage and opened our winery retail store and tasting room in 2014. Selecting only varieties which we have identified as perfectly adaptable to our vineyard’s complex soils and microclimate, we craft premium cool-climate wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Representative Biography

Kelly Mason, Winemaker

Kelly was born and raised in Montreal. Her winemaking career began in 2007 in the Carneros subregion of Napa Valley with an internship at Saintsbury Winery under a Burgundian winemaker.

She then studied Winemaking at Brock University before working first at Tawse Winery and then at Le Clos Jordanne, always focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. She also owns and farms the Mason Vineyard on the 20 Mile Bench, planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc.

Kelly joined the Domaine Queylus team in the summer of 2013 and became Head Winemaker in 2018.
“When you get the harvest date just right and take a hands-off winemaking approach, cool climate Chardonnay will express the vineyard site beautifully. It allows Niagara to showcase different Chardonnay profiles based on our appellations – what is sometimes referred to as boring varietal becomes complex and interesting as the terroir differs from one producer to the next.” - Kelly Mason

Brooke Husband, Assistant Winemaker
Brooke graduated from the Niagara College Winery and Viticulture program in 2018 and during her studies she worked at Domaine Queylus for her first harvest. She then worked in the Okanagan Valley at Black Hills Estate Winery. When she returned to Niagara, she knew her passion was wild fermented Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Brooke has worked at Domaine Queylus now for 5 harvests. In 2022 received the KML Top-30-Under-30 award for Hospitality in Canada, and in 2023 she was awarded The Paul Pender Rising Star Award from the Ontario Wine Awards.

Why We're Cool

The parcels of land selected for their Chardonnay plantings are their closest vines to Lake Ontario. With a terroir unlike the Bench, the sandier soil texture and temperate ‘Lake effect’ of the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation imbues the resulting wines with a honeyed character, elegance and subtlety. The gentle warmth from Lake Ontario in autumn allows us to ‘hang’ the fruit a little longer to achieve complexity and ripeness without risking higher alcohol levels.

Both of their Chardonnays are single-vineyard wines, with the southern block (Clones 95 and 76) bringing a certain nobility, texture and citrus fruit flavour to the ‘Chardonnay Réserve,’ while the northern block (clones 124 and 548) gives the ‘Chardonnay Tradition’ a straightforward, textured fruitiness and backbone of acidity which highlights the minerality of this site. As their vines continue to come into equilibrium, they aim to craft barrel-fermented, Burgundian-style Chardonnays with understatement, subtlety and great texture, Chardonnays that showcase the potential of the relatively unknown Niagara Lincoln Lakeshore terroir.

Malivoire Wine

Beamsville Bench , Canada

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About Malivoire Wine

Since planting its first vineyard in 1996, Malivoire has pioneered an innovative, eco-centric approach to wine growing.

Intent study of the soil and climate of the Niagara Peninsula’s Beamsville Bench inspired the planting of carefully selected cool-climate grape varieties. Optimizing the topography of the Bench, Malivoire became the first in Niagara to guide wine from grape to bottle with gravity. Gentle, minimal handling is a signature concept in Malivoire’s quest for elegance and complexity in its wines. The hillside winery, situated in the middle of a sustainably farmed vineyard, adds natural drama. Elegant and authentic cool-climate Chardonnay has been a focus for Malivoire since its inception. The single vineyard Moira Chardonnay has been regularly cited as one of Canada’s top wines with a proven ability to age. Malivoire’s Mottiar vineyard Chardonnay has drawn similar accolades and offers a distinct terroir counterpoint to the Moira vineyard. Malivoire’s current annual production is 25,000 cases.

Representative Biography

Shiraz Mottiar, Director of Winegrowing

Shiraz was in the first graduating class at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).
Upon graduation, he joined Malivoire Wine Company in 2000 and was promoted to Winemaker in 2005. In 2017 Shiraz was awarded Quench Magazine's Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards, and in 2021, Malivoire was recognized by WineAlign as Canadian Winery of the Year at the National Wine Awards.
Shiraz currently chairs CCOVI’s Advisory Council, is a committee member of Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario, and has also been a Board member and Education committee member of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C). Now the winery’s Winegrowing Director, Shiraz continues to guide the winery and industry towards a more sustainable future. Shiraz has also farmed his own vineyards since 1999.

Why We're Cool

Martin Malivoire was a believer in the cool climate style of wine from the beginnings of his winery in 1996. Informed by thorough study of the Niagara Peninsula’s Beamsville Bench, Martin identified and planted chardonnay and other cool-climate varieties that demonstrated the highest suitability to his vineyards’ soils and microclimates.

The winery was built to enable gravity flow as a production tool. This reflected Martin’s conviction that gentle, minimal handling in the cellar engenders wines that speak most vividly of their origins. In his mind, and the mind of our Winemaker, the traits of cool climate chardonnays are vibrant fruitiness, clarity and minerality, with stylistic elegance, complexity and balance.