Winemaking Notes

When the winery was founded, our family planted a small portion of our vineyard to a little known French-American hybrid grape variety, Vignoles. We were inspired by early trips to the Finger Lakes where we tasted a select few late harvest and botrytis-affected wines made from Vignoles that were exceptional.

After much research, in 2009 a small quantity was made from grapes frozen on the vine and pressed while frozen. The wine was a great success and we were excited to be able to make this wine in a larger quantity the following season.

In 2010, our Vignoles harvest was picked by hand and basket-pressed at temperatures below -8°C. The intensely sweet juice was allowed to settle before being fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel. The wine was then sterile filtered and bottled in March 2011, after being aged in tank for a short period. We are excited to be able to share our limited quantity – only 39 cases! - 2010 vintage with our Wine Lodge visitors and online.

Because Vignoles is a grape variety that is not eligible for making VQA wines, this is not a VQA wine.

Awards and Accolades

We tasted the wine in September 2010 with Rick Van Sickle of winesinniagara.com, and here’s what he had to say about it:

“I only mention [the 2009 Vignoles] (that’s not available to the public) because it’s so damn good... it’s gorgeous with lovely lemon, honey, apricot flavours balanced by high acids. Yummy stuff and I hope Fielding finds a market for this wonderful wine.”

Technical Details

Cooperage: 100% stainless steel
Harvest Date: December 9, 2010
Alcohol: 8.0%
Residual Sugar: 210g/l (sugar code = 20)
Total Acidity: 11.5 g/l
pH: 3.45

Release Date

October 26, 2011

Availability

Winery and online.