2020 - A Silver Lining for Ontario Wine Lovers

Despite the rollercoaster ride that was 2020, Ontario wine lovers may have reason to rejoice!

Nik Antunovich, winemaker and viticulturist at CHV, was one of many across the province to talk to Rick VanSickle of Wines in Niagara about the promise of the vintages to come out of 2020.

The summer and fall of 2020 was exceptional for Lake Erie North Shore but spring was challenging.

Bud burst was early for LENS, which caused a problem for us initially. CHV vineyards sustained frost with the Merlot, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris being damaged heavily. Riesling was untouched, though some natural thinning occurred in the Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.

Summer was filled with cloudless skies, vines were under a little water stress but rainfall occurred every time we started to worry about drought. This was perfect growing weather with canopy density and architecture naturally controlled, not too light and not too dense.

We hedged only twice and leaf/shoot removal was easy as the canopy was naturally controlled. Disease never showed up on our estate and we could pick at will. Alcohol wasn’t too much of a challenge except in the Chardonnay.

Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc did very well but our most exciting new addition will be a bone dry Riesling. We kept a section of a block and hung on until the acidity dropped to a level suitable for a bone-dry style with 0 g/l of RS. Sugar never raged, picked at 22 Brix, as the canopy was on the light side.

This was spontaneously fermented in a neutral 500L barrel and will be bottled this spring with no additions except for a small amount of bentonite and SO2.

The Reserve Cabernet Franc will again be exceptional, 2019 had nothing on the 2020 as far as weather but if the 2020 matches this wine and more it will be iconic for this winery and region. Don’t expect to see it on shelves before the end of 2022. 

You can read the full article HERE.