Caroline Cellars’ unpretentious wines
With a visit to Caroline Cellars Family Estate Winery, you immediately see how important family is.
More than just a winery, it is located outside Virgil in Niagaraon-the-Lake and is a prime stop for lunch it would seem.
On a Wednesday, the restaurant was busy and more people were coming in for lunch or a tasting at the wine bar.
Nothing fancy, but obviously a lot of people really like it.
It’s that philosophy that Justine Lakeit says is the backbone of the business.
“We’re all about approachable, fun, easy-going, not pretentious wines,” said Lakeit.
“You can open them for a Saturday night party or dinner guests but also open them Tuesday night with spaghetti.”
With a visit to the winery, the odds are pretty good that you will run at least one member of the family, whether it’s Justine, one of her two sisters, her brother or her parents Rick and Frieda who still run the business.
The farm took root in 1978 when Rick, a General Motors worker, and Frieda decided to try their hand at farming. With some help from Rick’s mother, Caroline, 20 hectares was purchased in the area of Line 2.
“It wasn’t just always grapes a good portion of vegetables, so we had a small fruit stand on Lakeshore Road and did vegetables and fruit for a while then converted to grapes,” said Lakeit.
Over the years they decided to sell off some of the farm, she said, keeping 10.4 hectares and sticking with grape growing.
Lakeit recalls her twin sister and younger brother all departing for school, leaving the farm all at the same time.
“I think (my dad) had a bit of a panic, the farm was his love, his passion.
“So, he started building the winery.”
Opened in 2002, the winery was aptly named in honour Caroline, who died in 1990.
Since then it has grown to winery and restaurant, tripling in size from the original small tasting bar, said Lakeit.
Rick is the head winemaker.
“He’s not formally trained, he’s more hands-on, and we have Victor Blaney a graduate of CCOVI (the cool climate oenology and viticulture institute) at Brock. He is the assistant to my dad, and he’s got all the scientific knowledge.”
Lakeit poured the 2016 Farmer’s White made from 46 per cent Riesling, 36 per cent Vidal and 18 per cent Gewurtztraminer grapes.
“It’s our best-selling white by far. Riesling vines are planted around the winery the most. We use it in lots of ways.”
The Farmer’s White is a wineryonly purchase at $12.95.
The Vidal is noticeable right away, but it retains the acidity of the Riesling and then adds a touch more sweetness and body from the Gewurtztraminer.
It’s not pretentious and priced right to bring out any day of the week.
“Our whole approach is for the everyday wine drinker who is maybe nervous and may not want to ask questions and may not know a lot about wine, but they like to drink wine,” Lakeit said.
“Not that we’re not ambitious about what we’re doing, but we’re not an ultra premium, and we don’t aim to be that way.”