19. Thirty Bench

Winery number 19 in the Wine Access 2011 Canadian Wine Awards Winery Performance Report

Address: 4281 Mountainview Rd., Beamsville, ON, Canada

Telephone: 905-563-1698

Website: thirtybench.com

Tastings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily until the end of October; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday to Friday, from Nov. 1; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays from Nov. 1

Established: 1994

Region: Niagara Peninsula

Proprietor: Andrew Peller Ltd.

Winemaker: Emma Garner

Former amateur winemaker Dr. Tom Muckle, Yorgos Papageorgiou and Frank Zeritsch founded the winery, one of Niagara’s first boutiques to do small-batch winemaking. A major quality transformation has taken place since being purchased by the Peller family in 2005. Prime Beamsville Bench vineyards planted in 1981, 1995 and 2000 yield some concentrated wines, led by a series of single-block rieslings. Most impressively for a cooler Bench site, however, the Thirty Bench Red has been one of the best Bordeaux-style blends in Niagara. Chardonnay, gewürztraminer and cabernet franc round out the portfolio. Brock University grad Emma Garner has taken over as head winemaker after five years as assistant winemaker. Library wines are available at the winery. (David Lawrason)