Your June Wine Allocation

Thirty Bench Small Lot Pinot Noir

APPELLATION: VQA Beamsville Bench

STYLE: Medium-bodied and elegant

SWEETNESS: Dry, 2.1 g/L

40 00 12.8% abv 750ml

FLAVOUR PROFILE: Deep ruby red colour with a bouquet of black cherry and red currant, with nicely integrated notes of earth, oak, smoke, spice box, and red licorice. A medium-bodied, elegant Pinot Noir, with soft drying tannins. Fruit flavours of cherry and red berry, with an added note of earth and spice, unfold on the palate.

WINEMAKER’S NOTES: Pinot Noir (Clone 115) grapes were handpicked from our own Thirty Bench vineyard. Three different wood fermenters were treated separately, and all were fermented with an indigenous yeast. Barrel aged in French oak for 10 months.

BEST SERVED: Serve at a cool room temperature of 15 to 17˚C.

FOOD PAIRINGS: Enjoy with roasted duck breast; smoked duck; veal chops; beef tenderloin; roast beef; meaty, cheesy lasagna; pheasant; quail; turkey with wild mushroom stuffing; mushroom risotto.

THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT RIESLING ‘WILD CASK’

APPELLATION: VQA Niagara Peninsula

STYLE: Light to medium-bodied and refreshing

SWEETNESS: Medium-Dry, 24.4 g/L

10.5% abv 750ml

32 00

FLAVOUR PROFILE: Clear and bright with a lovely aroma of tangerine, white peach, and mineral. A light to medium-bodied Riesling with smooth yet refreshing acidity, and lovely texture. Wonderful flavours of juicy red apple, honeydew melon, and tropical fruit develop on the palate. Juicy orchard fruit flavours linger on the medium dry finish.

WINEMAKER’S NOTES: After daily visits to the vineyard and tasting the grapes to find that perfect taste profile, our winemaker chose to harvest the grapes in mid-October. The grapes were hand-picked from our on-site Dr. Muckle Vineyard. The juice was racked to both stainless steel and neutral 500 litre puncheon barrels.

BEST SERVED: Serve chilled at 10 to 12˚C.

FOOD PAIRINGS: Serve with pork tenderloin with tangy plum sauce; spiced pork tenderloin; fresh spring rolls and dipping sauces; apricot glazed baked ham; smoked salmon risotto; turkey with a dried fruit stuffing; grilled salmon with wild rice.

LOVED IT AND NEED MORE?

Thirty Bench Small Lot Ros

We can deliver more of your favourites right to your door. Call the Wine Club team at 1.866.440.4383 to re-order, and remember, members always get FREE DELIVERY on any additional 6+ bottles.

APPELLATION: VQA Beamsville Bench

STYLE: Light to medium-bodied and refreshing

SWEETNESS: Dry, 3.6 g/L

12.3% abv 750ml

32 00

FLAVOUR PROFILE: A bright orange pink in colour with a delicate aroma of red cherry, red currant, peach, and floral. A light to mediumbodied Rose with a refreshing mouthfeel. You’ll find notes of ripe red fruits, crab apple, red currant, earth, and red berry tea.

WINEMAKER’S NOTES: A blend of 54.9% Pinot Meunier, 25.1% Cabernet Franc and 20% Pinot Noir grapes were hand-picked and machine-picked from our estate vineyard. The Pinot Noir grapes were pressed and fermented in older oak barrels. The Pinot Meunier and Cabernet Franc were loaded directly into the press and fermented like a white wine in a stainless-steel tank. The wines were aged in neutral barrels, then blended just before bottling.

BEST SERVED: Serve chilled at 10 to 12˚C. Perfect for entertaining alfresco.

FOOD PAIRINGS: Serve with pork tenderloin in a rhubarb Rosé wine reduction; grilled calamari; pan-seared trout with a dried cranberry couscous; seafood salads; vegetarian pastas tossed with feta cheese; gourmet pizza topped with sun-dried tomato, basil, feta cheese and black olive.

Fiona Muckle

After a quiet winter on the Bench, with a limited number of snowy days for snowshoeing, we’re excited to see familiar and new faces back at the estate this Summer. This Summer, we’ll be sipping some 2022 releases that are anticipated to be excellent. We invite you to stop by the winery to enjoy a tasting flight experience or wines by the glass, inside our tasting room, or on our back patio along the Dr. Muckle vineyard.

We will continue to offer wine and food seminars throughout the year, as well as charcuterie boxes created by local caterer ‘In The Event by Maria’. These boxes can be made vegetarian and vegan by pre-order. We recommend pre-ordering a box online via myWineCountry.com a few days prior to your visit.

Hope to see you on the Bench soon!

Cheers,

Cheers,

Fiona Muckle, Estate Manager, thirty bench wine makers

Katie Dickieson Peller Estates

Sydney Valentino Wayne Gretzky Estates Okanagan

Elaine Vickers Red Rooster Winery

Jan Oishi Grey Monk Estate Winery

Emily Aubie Trius Winery

Emily Garner Thirty Bench Wine Makers

Katie Dickieson

You might say that Katie Dickieson was destined to be a winemaker. Growing up on a farm, Katie had a strong appreciation for the potential of each harvest and enjoyed the exciting challenge each harvest brought. As a graduate of the Food Science program at the University of Guelph, Katie learned there was a natural way to combine her love of agriculture, science, and sensory studies.

Katie has explored and worked at wineries overseas including Onihi Hills and Man O’ War Vineyards in New Zealand, where she gained experience with cool climate Pinot Noir and Bordeaux varietals. Katie also worked at Domaine du Monteillet in the Rhone Valley, France, and in the Okanagan Valley. Katie ventured back to Niagara to join the Peller Estates team as winemaker in June 2012 where she produces terroir driven wines in a region that she’s passionate about.

A self-proclaimed ‘foodie’, Katie enjoys crafting wines that marry perfectly with Chef Jason Parsons’ dishes; wines that are well-balanced, with the perfect freshness, acidity, and structure.

What is your favourite spring wine?

I am loving the Private Reserve Chardonnay right now. The perfect lift of pear, white flowers, plus a bit of structure and weight from some barrel ferment.

Sydney Valentino

Sydney was born in Winnipeg and raised in Kelowna. She has degrees in Chemistry and Teaching from The University of British Columbia and studied winemaking at Okanagan College in Penticton. She is proud to be the third in a line of female-only winemakers to take the helm of the Gretzky Okanagan Winemaking team.

Sydney was named head winemaker for Wayne Gretzky Okanagan in 2019 but has been working closely with the winemaking team in Kelowna for over 10 years. She was previously the head winemaker for Conviction Wines. She has been inspired by some of the Okanagan’s leading wine pioneers - including working with Howard Soon for 5 years before his retirement.

What is your favourite spring wine?

Wayne Gretzky Estates Rosé and Wayne Gretzky Estates Sauvignon Blanc.

winemaker ELAINE VICKERS

Red Rooster Winery

After completing a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Victoria, Elaine moved to Vancouver for her first career as a cancer researcher. This move ended up plunging her in wine culture that quickly turned an interest in wine into a passion for it. After completing WSET wine education courses, working at a wine shop on weekends, and job shadowing at a local winery; she decided it was time for a career change. Elaine earned a graduate degree in oenology at the prestigious University of Adelaide in Australia. It was an immersive, hands-on experience that continues to inform her winemaking approach today.

Upon returning to British Columbia, she worked her inaugural Okanagan harvest at Jackson-Triggs before joining Blasted Church Winery in 2010. She quickly progressed from cellar hand to assistant winemaker then winemaker, under the careful guidance of her mentor Mark Wendenburg. He refocused her scientific mind to embrace winemaking artistry quickly and it paid off when their wines gained acclaim and recognition, including a coveted BC Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Award for the 2012 Holy Moly, a 100% Petit Verdot. Elaine joined the winemaking team at Andrew Peller Ltd. as the harvest winemaker for the 2018 vintage at Black Hills Estate Winery. In August 2019, she moved into the position of winemaker at Red Rooster Winery.

What is your favourite spring wine?

I seem to be reaching for either our Chardonnay Sur Lie or the Pinot 3 this Spring. Something refreshing, but with some weight.

Jen Oishi was born and raised in the Okanagan. Growing up surrounded by orchards and vineyards piqued her interested in the wine industry. After completing her degree in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia, Jen joined the Gray Monk team as a laboratory technician in 2011. It was here that she was able to pair her love of science with the artistic side of winemaking.

Jen worked closely with long time winemaker, Roger Wong. Under his mentorship, she learned many aspects of winemaking from the vineyard to the glass, helping her transition from laboratory technician to assistant winemaker in 2015 and now to winemaker in 2020. Jen believes that each glass of wine tells a story about the place it came from - influenced by the vineyard, the winery, and the history. She hopes to share a bit of Gray Monk’s story with you.

What is your favourite spring wine?

Our Siegerrebe is always a favorite spring wine for me. It is incredibly aromatic and floral. It pairs great with fresh salads. I am also looking forward to the release of our Gray Monk Estate Rotberger, which is a light pink, easy-drinking patio wine that pairs great with Easter dinner.

Emily discovered her passion for wine while completing a doctorate in chemistry and decided to change her career path to become a winemaker. She studied oenology and viticulture at Brock University before travelling to work vintages in Australia, New Zealand, and British Columbia.

In 2015 she returned to Ontario and joined the winemaking team at Andrew Peller Limited. In 2016 Emily spent a year as a postdoctoral researcher at Brock University studying the effect of harvesting grapes following severe frost and the results on wine quality. Emily is a passionate winemaker who is focused on premium winemaking and continuously challenging convention to push our vineyards and our wines to the next level.

What is your favourite spring wine?

I love the Trius Sauvignon Blanc at any time of year. The bright and refreshing flavours pair well with most seasonal spring ingredients.

Emma’s passion for great wine and food was fueled by travel to Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and British Columbia while completing Brock University’s Oenology and Viticulture program. In 2005, Emma embarked on a small journey west from her position at Trius Winery to Thirty Bench Wine Makers. After spending five years getting to know the nuances of the Beamsville Bench, Emma was thrilled to become Winemaker for this one-of-a-kind winery that had won a special place in her heart.

Emma’s approach to winemaking is allowing the vineyard to express its own voice by making wine with minimal intervention. In 2015, she was awarded Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards and Thirty Bench was recognized by WineAlign as Canada’s Best Small Winery. Thirty Bench is one of the most awarded wineries in Canada, winning many gold and platinum awards from national as well as international competitions. The 2015 Small Lot Cabernet Franc won the coveted Best in Show distinction by Decanter Magazine, the first Canadian winery to win this award.

What is your favourite spring wine?

I really enjoy bubbles, so the Thirty Bench Sparkling Riesling is a wine I enjoy in the Spring (well, all year actually!).

Thirty Bench Wine Makers