Broken Needle | Pinot Noir Rosé

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Tastes of strawberry, honeydew and apricot. Scents of watermelon candy, elder flower and ripe plum. Light and refreshing. Pairs well with fresh vegetables and soft cheeses. 

Wine Facts

• Made 100% from Pinot Noir. The colour of the Rosé comes from the skins.
• Pinot Noir is known as the heartbreak grape. It's finicky but winter hardy.
• A Rosé is often confused with a blush. Rosé is made from a red grape, where a Blush is red and white combined, like our Bloom canned Rosé.
• This wine is great on hot days as it's a perfect patio sipper in the sun!

Naming History

Tobacco leaves were stitched together on a tobacco stick prior to being hung to dry. Sometimes the sewing needle would break, halting production.

Dry | 13.0% alc./vol. | RS 3.0 g/L | Vintage: 2020 Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Sparks | Sparkling Blend

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Pale lemon in colour with a rich and persistent mousse. Displays scents and flavours of apricot, lemon curd, fresh cut nectarine, jasmine flower and young thyme Finishes clean and dry with well-balanced acidity. Perfect for toasting celebratory events and everyday occasions. 

Wine Facts

• A blend of 100% estate grown Riesling and Chardonnay grapes.
• Produced using the Charmat/Cuvé Close Method.
• Food-friendly because of acidity and bubbles. Not just for special occasions!
• Identified as "Sparkling" or "Bubbly." Often mistaken for "Champagne" which is only from the Champagne region in France. Traditional Champagne is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Dry | 12.5% alc./vol. | RS 16.4 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Bloom | Rosé

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Light pink in colour, Bloom has hints of ripe nectarine, pear, strawberry and rose petal. This is a delicious summer beverage that pairs well with veggies skewers on the BBQ, chicken, salmon or fresh salads.

Wine Facts

• Made from a blend consisting primarily of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Cabernet Franc.
• Bloom is the perfect accessory to your day by the water or on the golf course with its convenient slim can design.
• Refreshingly unpretentious, this rosé is best served chilled.
• This wine is great on hot days as it's a perfect patio sipper in the sun!

Naming History

Named after the colourful and beautiful bloom that appears on the top of mature Tobacco plants. In Tobacco production, the flowers were cut off as the plants reached maturity. 

Dry | 12.7% alc./vol. | RS 11.4 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Cureman's Chard | Chardonnay

Tasting & Pairing Notes

After being hand-picked and whole cluster pressed, these Chardonnay grapes were fermented in French oak barrels. The wine contains ripe and rich flavours of lemon, honey, melon, and vanilla. Chardonnay pairs well with buttery & nutty flavors. It is also paired routinely with seafood dishes based on shellfish like crab, lobster, shrimp, and mussels. You'll also find that it pairs very well with flaky white fish like halibut as well as salmon.

Wine Facts

• Chardonnay can be produced in different styles. Cureman's Chard is more in the California style, buttery, creamy & rich.
• Our Chardonnay is lightly oaked as it is produced in the fourdes (large oak casks - 1500 litres) which has less surface contact than the 300 litre oak barrels.
• It goes through a second fermentation called malolactic fermentation right in the tank, which turns malic acid (think apple) into smooth acid, like lactic acid.
• Chardonnay is the most planted white grape in the world.

Naming History

Monitoring the kiln around the clock was of vital importance to ensure the curing method was done properly; too low or too high heat spoiled the entire kiln of tobacco. This job of curing was entrusted to the Cureman in the early days of using wood or oil to heat the flues inside the kilns.

Dry | 12.5% alc./vol. | RS 5.0 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Harvest Party White | Blend

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Complex and smooth with hints of caramel apple and wet rock. This blend is made with three of the white varietals grown on our farm - Riesling, Savagnin, and Chardonnay. Finishes with a punch of citrus. Being a blend, it lends itself well to a variety of white pairings including Thai chicken curry, lobster, antipasto, and grilled caesar salads.

Wine Facts

• Equal blend of three white varietals grown on our estate.
• All varietals are produced separately and then blended together based on the winemaker's palate.
• Available in local LCBO stores.
• The band Mumford & Sons chose Harvest Party White as the official wine for the Gentlemen of the Road stopover in Simcoe.

Naming History

A Harvest Party was a gathering that was held at the end of the tobacco harvesting season. All of the people that worked throughout the season would celebrate together with food and drinks to mark the occasion.

Dry | 12.3% alc./vol. | RS 7.0 g/L | Vintage: 2020
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Horse and Boat | Riesling

Tasting & Pairing Notes

This 100% estate grown Riesling captures all of the fruitiness, floral tones, and citrus notes that are traditional with our Rieslings. A truly balanced wine with harmony between sweetness and acidity.

Wine Facts

• Don't be shocked if you have a smell of petrol on the nose, that's an attribute of the wine.
• This wine has a beautiful balance between acidity and alcohol. Profiles place of origin (terroir) better than any other grape.
• This is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks (No oak).
• Our number one selling white wine. Riesling retains its acidity as it ages making it break the five year white rule.

Naming History

On the tobacco farm a horse was used to pull a wooden boat behind as it was filled with hand picked tobacco leaves.

Off Dry | 10.9% alc./vol. | RS 16.5 g/L | Vintage: 2020
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Quitting Time | Pinot Grigio

Tasting & Pairing Notes

A ripe and elegant white wine. From the low yielding pinot grigio wines on our estate. This ripe and elegant white has characteristics of yellow apple, pear, almond, and displays a subtle hint of white blossom. Pairs with seafood, lighter chicken dishes or creamy pastas. 

Wine Facts

• Red Grape that makes a white wine and can be done in two styles - French make Pinot Gris and Italians make Pinot Grigio.
• 100% Estate grown and whole cluster pressed.
• The pinot gris grape grows in small pine cone like clusters which we hand pick. 
• Lady Gaga's song "Grigio Girls" started a Grigio revolution! We switched from Gris to Grigio based on demand!

Naming History

The time to end work on the tobacco farm and start enjoying the rest of the evening is called "quitting time".

Dry | 13.5% alc./vol. | RS 2.0 g/L | Vintage: 2020
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Sands | Savagnin

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Rarely presented as a single varietal wine, this savagnin exhibits as dry and refreshing with fragrances and flavours of pineapple, passion fruit, white peaches, and boxwood. It finishes with a fresh minerality. Pairs well with Chinese food, Non Spicy Thai food, or enjoy on its own.

Wine Facts

• Originated in the Jura Region of France. Often confused with Sauvignon Blanc.
• Our winery used to make this in two styles - dry and sweet (Stick Shaker) but the demand was much higher for a drier table wine.
• From the Traminer Family.
• Only 12 acres of this grape are grown in Canada and 2 acres are grown at Burning Kiln. We are one of a small number of wineries that offer it as a single varietal.

Naming History

Sands, or Sand leaves, are the leaves of a tobacco plant that grow closest to the ground and are primed first. During grading, the sand rubs off giving them their name.

13.5% alc./vol. | RS 2.0 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Sweet Leaf | Riesling

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Made in a sweeter, Vin de Cure style. Pleasantly balanced by it's natural acidity - floral on the nose with tastes of dried apricot, candied orange and pineapple.

Wine Facts

• Made 100% kiln dried estate grapes using a passito-style method.
• Sweet Leaf is done in a more traditional European style of sweetness for a Riesling.
• This is a perfect wine for "opposites attract" - sweet vs. spicy pairings - not just for dessert!
• This Riesling is a "Late Harvest Wine" - Not an "Ice Wine".

Naming History

A term used to describe the fragrant aroma created during the tobacco ripening process.

Sweet | 13.5% alc./vol. | RS 45.9 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Roots | White

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Pale lemon in colour with hints of fresh apple, lemon meringue, watermelon and honey suckle. Bright, fresh and easy drinking for summertime fun. Best served ice cold. Pairs well with salty snacks including Potato chips, pretzels, and French fries that all make tasty, indulgent pairings for sweeter wines.

Wine Facts

• Made from a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. 
• An off-dry wine with a hint of sweetness.
• Roots is the perfect accessory to your day by the water or on the golf course with its convenient slim can design.
• Refreshing and easy drinking when served ice cold. 

Naming History

The roots of the tobacco plants were essential to delivering nutrients to the leaves. These plants possess an extensive but comparatively shallow fibrous root system.

Off Dry | 12.0% alc./vol. | RS 14.2 g/L | Vintage: 2021
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Harvest Party Red | Red Blend

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Blend of 5 unoaked varietals. Light structured with grapes being fresh berry pressed. Exhibits flavours of raspberry and strawberry. Pairs well with any kind of protein.

Wine Facts

• Available in LCBO stores (local and direct delivery).
• Our winemaker Nik makes each of these wines separately and then mixes the blend based on his preferences.
• Marquette was recently accepted as a VQA grape.
• 100% Norfolk Grown grapes with the Marquette purchased from Bonnieheath Estate Winery in Waterford.

Naming History

A Harvest Party was a gathering that was held at the end of the tobacco harvesting season. All of the people that worked throughout the season would celebrate together with food and drinks to mark the occasion.

Dry | 12.5% alc./vol. | RS 5.9 g/L | Vintage: 2020
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Inferno | Petit Verdot

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Dark and ruby red, with a rich and dense palate. Characteristics of red plum, black raspberry, leather, cocoa and vanilla. Drink now or cellar for 10+ years. Inferno is a natural fit for rich, meat dishes, grilled steak, spicy pork, veal, lamb, all types of game, and sausage.

Wine Facts

• 100% estate grown, kiln dried Petit Verdot.
• Petit Verdot is a small grape. About the size of a pinky fingernail, very dark in colour but with the attitude of a Pit Bull.
• Aged in oak for at least one and a half years. Potential to keep changing.
• Uncommon as a single varietal in Ontario - making this wine quite rare. Usually used in blends.

Naming History

Traditionally tobacco kilns were equipped with fire boxes to cure hung tobacco leaves. Sometimes the fire boxes would ignite and the kilns would be engulfed into a massive inferno.

Dry | 14.9% alc./vol. | RS 2.6 g/L | Vintage: 2019
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Kiln Hanger | Cabernet Franc

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Made in the passito style. Kiln dried for longer than any of our other wines, it was then aged in French and American oak barrels for just over two years, producing dark berry flavours. Try a glass of Kiln Hanger with roasted pork, beef burgers, beef stew, meatballs in tomato sauce, turkey with cranberry, lamb gyros, pâté, roasted duck, venison, or roasted or grilled lamb. Pairs well with cheeses like feta, goat cheese, brie, and blue cheese.

Wine Facts

• 100% Kiln dried Cabernet Franc grapes.
• Aged for over 2 years in oak barrels.
• Because the grapes are 100% kiln dried, we lose about 50% of the weight, giving us less yield of these 100% estate grown grapes.
• We often joke that it’s the big brother to Cab Frank and that the price reflects its age and the babysitting fees for the extra barrel time!

Naming History

Named for the person who would climb inside the kiln and hang tobacco sticks sewn with leaves for curing.

Dry | 16.2% alc./vol. | RS 3.0 g/L | Vintage: 2019
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

M-1 | Merlot

Tasting & Pairing Notes

M-1 is made from 100% kiln dried, estate grown Merlot that has been aged in French oak for 18 months. Full-bodied and highly concentrated with layers of bold, elegant tannins. Exhibits complimentary notes of dark cherry and leather. Pairs well with beef, particularly grilled or roast beef and filet mignon, blue cheese, cheddar cheese & gorgonzola. Also good with chicken, particularly grilled or roast chicken as well as berries and fruit, particularly red fruit sauces.

Wine Facts

• 100% estate grown, passito-style kiln dried Merlot.
• Oak aged for 18 months.
• Great for cellaring
• Merlot is second-most planted grape in the entire world. (Cabernet Sauvignon is number one.)

Naming History

M-1 was considered the highest grade of tobacco when being sold after harvesting and drying. It would yield the highest bids for purchase.

Dry | 17.0% alc./vol. | RS 3.9 g/L | Vintage: 2017
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Prime | Pinot Noir

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Very lightly oaked, presents brightly with scents of rose and flavours of black cherry, strawberry jam and thyme. Finishes with hints of dried tobacco. Pairs well with a wide range of foods - makes a great match with salmon or other fatty fish, roasted chicken or pasta dishes, casseroles or, of course, stews like beef bourguignon.

Wine Facts

• Made from 100% estate grown grapes. 100% of the grapes were kiln dried using the passito-style.
• Pinot Noir is known as the "heartbreak" grape, it's finicky, fragile and difficult to grow.
• Kiln drying gives this Pinot Noir more concentration in colour and alcohol.
• Pinot Noir is one of only two grapes used in Champagne. The other is Chardonnay.

Naming History

The process of harvesting ripe tobacco leaves in the "prime" of each season.

Dry | 12.7% alc./vol. | RS 6.4 g/L | Vintage: 2019
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Strip Room | Red Blend

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Medium acidity and silk-smooth tannins. Intense aromas and flavours of raspberries, black doris plum, mocha, new leather and toasted oak. Pairs well with most proteins sharp cheeses.

Wine Facts

• Strip Room is very similar to a Bordeaux Blend from France.
• Unlike the Harvest Party Red Blend, 100% of the grapes used in Strip Room are Kiln Dried.
• Was the official wine of the Ontario State Legislature twice. Was selected in a blind tasting. Customers often refer to it as “the Government Wine”

• Only one red and one white are chosen annually for the Ontario Provincial Legislature. Served at private functions and sold in the gift shop with a private label.

Naming History

The Strip Room on the tobacco farm was where they “Stripped” the leaves off the sticks that were used to hang the tobacco in the kilns to dry. It was a very dusty process so it was given it’s own room.

Dry | 13.3% alc./vol. | RS 4.1 g/L | Vintage: 2020
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA

Cab Frank | Cabernet Franc

Tasting & Pairing Notes

Dry, medium to full bodied red. Full aromas of raspberry, cranberry and violet. Elegantly balanced with hints of apple wood and toasted almonds. Pairs well with hearty tomato pasta with protein.

Wine Facts

• Internationally, not usually seen by itself. In Ontario it is highly successful as a single varietal.
• A former winner of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines. 275 wines submitted, 11 carried seal, only non-Niagara vintage to win that year.
• We had to get a special dispensation to call it "Frank" and not Franc. (And yes, folks will look at you like you're crazy).
• Aged in oak for a year. Has good strength and tannins.

Naming History

Named after Frank DeLeebeeck, Winery Partner and original Tobacco Cureman of the farm where our vineyard is today.

Dry | 12.9% alc./vol. | RS 3.0 g/L | Vintage: 2019
Estate Grown | Hand Picked | VQA