Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut

GRAPE VARIETIES: 70-80% Chardonnay with 20-30% Pinot Noir.

REGION: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 

COUNTRY: Canada 

ALCOHOL: 12%

ACIDITY: 6.5 (g/L)

Named in memory of Henry’s wife, widow, and family matriarch, Catharine Smith, this wine is composed from the traditional grape varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to make a Niagara expression of a time honoured wine style. The secondary fermentation is done in-bottle and the wine is aged for up to 36 months on the lees. Elegant, toasty, and complex. All grapes are farmed by family-owned vineyards.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

• Made from the blending of 70-80% Chardonnay with 20-30% Pinot Noir.
• Hand-picked, bunch selected, then chilled for 24 hours.
• Partially filled baskets are hand-placed into the press.
• All juice is press-fractioned to separate the finest cut.
• A small percentage of the Chardonnay is barrel fermented.
• Secondary fermentation in bottle followed by a further aging of up to 36 months on the lees.

FOOD PAIRINGS: 

Salmon caviar with sour cream; Malpeque oysters with a hint of lemon. Or add 1 oz of Riesling Icewine or 1 oz of Cabernet Franc Icewine to 3 oz of Cuvée Catharine to make a Kir Catharine or a Blushing Kir Catharine respectively.

REVIEWS:

92 Points - Jamie Goode, Wineanorak Global Wine Journal (10/31/2022)

92 Points - Chris Waters, Globe & Mail (09/01/2022)