A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 746: On Seven

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Vittorio De Stefano with his first On Seven Chardonnay

On Seven is Niagara’s newest winery, located on Line 3 in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The name speaks to the acreage that Vittorio De Stefano and his wife Sula purchased in 2009.

With consulting winemaker Peter Gamble, the couple replanted the vineyard (clay-loam soil with calcareous sediment) to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The goal was to produce “classic” (read Burgundian) wines. It took 8 years of hard work in the organically-farmed vineyard to achieve the first On Seven vintage – the 2017 Pursuit Chardonnay (107 cases of twelve bottles, priced at $45 a bottle, vinified at Southbrook Winery).

The plan, De Stefano explained, is to have three tiers of Chardonnay – “Dedication,” the entry level wine, “Pursuit” and the flagship wine, called “Devotion.”

The inaugural vintage of Chardonnay is most impressive. If I had tasted it blind I would have thought it was a Chassagne-Montrachet.

My notes read: “Old gold colour; spicy, toasty, apple nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, rich, lemon, apple, peach and caramel flavours with well-integrated French oak carried on racy acidity A seamless sine with a lovely mouth-feel and great length, ending on a delightful floral note. (94)”

On Seven Pursuit Chardonnay 2017

Now I can’t wait to taste the debut Pinot Noir.

Other wines tasted:

Kacaba Sustainable Cabernet 2017 (Niagara Escarpment – $24.95)
63% Cabernet Franc, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby in colour; spicy, blackcurrant nose with a smoky note; medium-bodied, dry, minty, smoky currant flavour, ending on supple, ripe tannins. (89)

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2017 (Niagara – $44.95)
Bright straw in colour; spicy, peach and apple bouquet with a touch of oak; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple and pear flavours with well-integrated oak; lovely mouth-feel and a seamless integration of oak. Great length. (93)

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2017 (Niagara Peninsula – $44.95)
Medium ruby colour; minerally, raspberry with oak spice and a note of violets; medium-bodied, dry, Volnay-style; elegant, beautifully balanced, finely textured with ripe tannins that give structure on the finish. (92)

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir and Chardonnay 2017

Lakeside Cellars Portage Red 2016 (Okanagan Valley – 44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot; $24)
Deep ruby-purple in colour; cedary, spicy, plum and currants on the nose with a savoury-herbal note; medium-bodied, dry, mouth-filling, plum, blueberry and blackcurrant flavours; firmly structured with gripping tannins on the finish. (88.5)

Lakeside Cellars Cabernet Franc 2016 (Okanagan Valley – $26)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, toasty, baked plum tart nose; medium-bodied, dry, blueberry flavour with balancing acidity and nicely integrated oak. Firmly structured, with ripe, grainy tannins. Reminiscent of Saint-Emilion. (90)

Lakeside Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (Okanagan Valley – $26)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, plum and blackcurrant nose with vanilla oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, blackcurrant and black raspberry flavours; lovely mouth-feel with ripe tannins. A beautifully balanced wine with ripe tannins and a coffee bean note on the finish.  (91)

Lakeside Cellars Syrah 2016 (Okanagan Valley – $26)
Deep purple-ruby in colour; cedary, lightly smoky nose of blackberries and toasty oak; medium-bodied, dry, savoury, plum, blackberry and dried herb flavours; beautifully balanced with lively acidity and finishing on ripe tannins. Great length. (90)

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Lakeside wines

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1 Response to A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 746: On Seven

  1. Dale says:

    Started checking into on seven…are they still a thing? website goes to,go,daddy

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