COLOUR
White
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2018
GRAPE
Riesling
PRODUCER
Featherstone Estate Winery
REGION
Niagara Peninsula
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium - Light
Sweetness
Off-dry
Acidity
High
Finish
Medium - Long
Intensity
Mid - Pronounced
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Featherstone Estate Winery is situated on the rolling hills of the Upper Twenty Mile Bench within Ontario's Niagara Peninsula. Established as a benchmark producer of high-quality cool-climate wines, the estate is renowned for its eco-friendly and sustainable viticultural practices. To manage the vineyard canopy naturally, Featherstone employs young lambs to eat the lower leaves, exposing the grapes to optimal sunlight. Additionally, they utilize sustainable falconry to deter pest birds, creating a unique harmony between agriculture and nature.
ALCOHOL
10.1%
AVG. PRICE
€14
STYLE
Classic
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
8-10°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Featherstone is the first Canadian winery to use young lambs for natural canopy management, as they eat leaves but ignore the sour green grapes.
Fact 02
The winery employs eco-friendly falconry, flying a trained raptor named Amadeus to protect ripe grapes from starlings.
Fact 03
The wine is clarified using plant-derived vegetable gelatin and bentonite clay, making it 100% vegan-friendly.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
The 2018 Black Sheep Riesling was crafted from handpicked estate grapes to ensure clean, whole-berry pressing. The juice underwent immediate flotation in stainless steel tanks using plant-derived vegetable gelatin rather than animal-derived fining agents. Fermentation was carried out at a cool 13°C using commercial yeast strain X5 to preserve fresh aromatics. The fermentation was cold-arrested to retain 20 g/L of natural residual sugar, balancing the high acidity. The wine was aged on its fine lees in stainless steel for one month, bentonited, and cold-settled before bottling.
