13. Lailey Vineyard Wines

Winery number 13 in the Wine Access 2012 Canadian Wine Awards Winery Performance Report

Address: 15940 Niagara Pkwy., Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada

Phone: 905-468-0503

Tastings: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday and holidays, May to October; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., daily, November to April

Established Date: 2000

Region: Niagara Peninsula

Proprietors: Donna and David Lailey, Tonya Lailey and Yves Starreveld, Derek and Judith Barnett

Winemaker: Derek Barnett

Highly regarded, environmentally conscious grower Donna Lailey was one of the first to plant red vinifera in what is now the Niagara River sub-appellation, providing winemaker Derek Barnett with a great source of concentrated fruit. Barnett’s small-batch winemaking reveals intense, complex, well-structured reds capable of considerable aging. Impromptu is the flagship: a blend of syrah, petit verdot and malbec. Recently, Barnett has begun experimentation with Canadian oak. Crisp, dry riesling, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are always worth exploring, too. Barnett also makes some of Niagara’s best pinot noirs in several tiers and his 2010s, released in 2012, are stunning, especially the Lot 48 pinot. (Rick VanSickle)