white wine review is this excellent blend of Marsanne and Viognier from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO in today’s LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as part of the feature on wines to stock up on for the holidays.
It is produced by Kew Vineyards, a boutique winery focused on small-batch wine production situated on the Beamsville Bench in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. Kew Vineyards is housed in a 160+ year old homestead that was built by William Kew sometime in the mid-1800s. The Kew family lived in the home and operated a successful carriage making company from the house. Historically, the Kew homestead was known for mixing business with pleasure.
It is produced by Kew Vineyards, a boutique winery focused on small-batch wine production situated on the Beamsville Bench in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. Kew Vineyards is housed in a homestead dating back more than 160 years that was built by William Kew sometime in the mid-1800s. The Kew family lived in the home and operated a successful carriage-making company from the property, making the historic homestead a place where business and country life came together.
In the 1970s, the Kew family’s chapter ended and a new one began when Mr. Hermann Weis brought his own vine clones from the Mosel Valley in Germany and planted some of Niagara’s first Riesling vines surrounding the former Kew homestead. This marked the beginning of Kew Vineyards and, as a result, Mr. Weis also became a true pioneer of Ontario’s wine region.
Kew Vineyards has changed hands several times over the years and is currently owned by Arterra Wines Canada, which acquired the historic homestead and its 80+ acres of land, including vineyards, in 2023. The philosophy at Kew Vineyards is not only about beautiful wine, but also gracious country hospitality. The winery offers an opportunity to go off the beaten path, take your time, and enjoy the surroundings, blending old-world elegance with new-world charm. The wines at Kew Vineyards are an expression of passion for winemaking, the land, and the way wine celebrates daily life. In early 2024, Phillip Brown was named estate winemaker at Kew Vineyards.
I last enjoyed the 2020 Kew Marsanne, which included a splash of Viognier. In the 2024 vintage, it is composed of nearly equal parts of the two grapes, with the exact blend being 53% Marsanne and 47% Viognier. Kew Vineyards prides itself on its unique vineyard, which includes some of the oldest vines in Ontario, as well as a few varietals that are rarely grown in the region. The Marsanne vines, which are rare to find in Ontario, are particularly special as they remain unique to Kew and continue to thrive despite the cool climate and the challenges it presents.
The 2024 growing season in Niagara had near-perfect conditions, beginning with a mild winter and no spring frost events. Spring was warmer than usual, resulting in an early start to the season and early bud break. Summer was marked by above-average temperatures, with warm days and warmer-than-usual nights. The reduced diurnal temperature range contributed to grapes with intense flavours and colour development. During harvest in September, warm temperatures and some humidity linked to extreme weather events created disease risk for white varieties that had not yet been picked. From a very good-to-excellent vintage, let’s see how this 2024 Marsanne/Viognier blend from Niagara is tasting tonight…
Tasting Note:
KEW MARSANNE/VIOGNIER 2024 – VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#485334) (XD) – $22.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap, this blend of 53% Marsanne and 47% Viognier is rich and highly fragrant with lovely, ripe, lemon citrus, yellow & white florals, apple, and winter melon aromas flecked with anise, fennel, herbal complexity, plus hints of wood spice and vanilla. On the dry, full-ish bodied palate it is richly concentrated, ripe, and gently honeyed with delicious lemon citrus, apple, yellow & white floral, anise, herbs, and peppery spice flavours with hints of vanilla adding further complexity. There’s some warmth on the finely textured mid-palate, while acids are juicy and well-structured. The lemon citrus, apple, floral, and herbal flavours are joined by touches of leesy minerals on the exceptionally long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts
Several lovely wines by Kew Vineyards are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered direct from the winery in Niagara, as well as through Arterra Wines Canada.