Cave Spring Vineyard

Top 20 Ontario Chardonnays

2021 Chardonnay CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Tina Gellie
Publication: Decanter Magazine
Published: 12 / 2023
Rating: 91

Riesling and sparkling are the highlights here but this top-end Chardonnay, from the seven oldest rows (47 years) of the estate vineyard, is worth a look. Racy and fresh, with firm, chalky minerality… Read More

Best of 2023 Buying Guide

2020 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Published: 12 / 2023
Rating: 92

An almost perfect aromatic combination of freshly sliced Kaffir limes and Anjou pears mingles beautifully with a wee bit of petrol. The dry, acidity driven wine feels taut and clean in the mouth,… Read More

Fizz Buyer's Guide 2023

NV Blanc de Blancs, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: John Szabo, MS
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 12 / 2023
Rating: 92
Rating Stars: 5

Quietly, consistently, Cave Spring continues to turn out some of the best value traditional method sparkling wine in Ontario, and Canada. This is premium Blanc de Blancs in everything but price, with… Read More

Top 100 Best Buys of 2023 | This Year's Most Amazing Wines Under $20

2020 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast
Published: 11 / 2023
Rating: 91

Wine Enthusiast reviewers uncovered an amazing and wide array of high-scoring, lower-priced wine from around the world for this year’s Best Buy report. How amazing? All of them scored 90 points or… Read More

2021 Pinot Noir Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Panel Rating
Publication: Decanter Magazine
Published: 11 / 2023
Rating: 91

Shy, but rather deep with aromas of dried herbs, cherry, plum and earthy spice. Sophisticated, showing good concentration with salty tannins and a complex, savoury finish.

2021 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Luke Whitall
Publication: Sipster's Pocket Guide 50 Must-Try Ontario
Published: 10 / 2023

Cave Spring Riesling displays… lateral thinking at its best. On the one hand, it’s pure Ontario – flowers and minerals wrapped in a beautifully crisp and balanced package. On the other hand, you can… Read More

2019 Riesling Icewine, Lincoln Lakeshore, Estate Grown

Author: Bruce Sanderson
Publication: Wine Spectator
Published: 09 / 2023
Rating: 92

This light-weight dessert wine is highlighted by apricot, spiced baked apple and almond aromas and flavours. Vibrant, this is offset by a creamy texture and a persistent, well-defined finish. From… Read More

2021 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: David Lawrason
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 09 / 2023
Rating: 90
Rating Stars: 5

When Niagara can turn out Cab Franc like this at $20, the grape’s future as a commercial success is assured. It’s a mid-weight, well-balanced and approachable example with typical raspberry fruit,… Read More

2021 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Vaughan
Publication: Vintage Assessments
Published: 09 / 2023
Rating: 90

This excellent 2021 has a bright, fairly deep purple colour. The nose is slightly spicy with intense, bright, plummy fruit along with some gentle minerally, faint cedar-sandalwood notes. Dry,… Read More

2020 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Bruce Sanderson
Publication: Wine Spectator
Published: 08 / 2023
Rating: 88

Elegant, with textbook Cabernet Franc flavours of blackcurrant, licorice, olive, tobacco and iron. Balanced, with light tannic grip. From Canada. Drink now.

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Bruce Sanderson
Publication: Wine Spectator
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

This white reveals generous peach, pear, lemon and stone flavours backed by vivid acidity. Linear in profile and long, with a bracing, mouthwatering feel on the finish. From Canada. Drink now through… Read More

2020 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Bruce Sanderson
Publication: Wine Spectator
Published: 2023
Rating: 89

On the austere side now, evoking lemon, apple, floral and pine aromas and flavours. Dry and focused by vibrant acidity, this lingers nicely on the lemony finish. From Canada. Drink now through 2028.

2021 Gamay, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

This wine aged for 11 months in neutral oak, with minimal sulphur additions. Its distinctly herbal nose features thyme and lavender, along with macerated strawberries and white pepper. Tangy… Read More

2020 Chardonnay CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Brie Dema
Publication: Quench Magazine
Published: 2023

This has the nose of a warm vintage wine but the surprise of tension and minerality on the palate. What a best of both worlds this is! Bold aromas of rich fruits, spice and yeasty lees, this will… Read More

2021 Rosé Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Nicole MacKay
Publication: Decanter Magazine
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

Originating from the estate’s Cave Spring Vineyard, nestled on a hillside of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario, this 100% Cabernet Franc sees eight months of sur lie ageing in French… Read More

NV Blanc de Blancs, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Carolyn Evans Hammond
Publication: Toronto Star
Published: 2023
Rating: 93

One of the best-value sparkling wines from Ontario… The NV Cave Spring Estate Grown Blanc de Blancs exudes the fragrance of lemon curd spread on butter croissant as well as the delicate scent of… Read More

2019 Riesling Icewine, Lincoln Lakeshore, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Published: 2023
Rating: 96

Sip this brilliant Icewine to know how Winnie the Pooh feels when he discovers a new pot of honey. Imagine raw honeycomb, apricots, ginger marmalade, Meyer lemons and crisp yellow apples rolled into… Read More

A Canadian Terroir Story: Niagara Peninsula

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Sarah Marsh, MW
Publication: The World of Fine Wine
Published: 2023

... This differs from the Bench where the hard dolomitic limestone and heavier clays deliver more structure and tension... This was keenly illustrated in a tasting of Riesling at Cave Spring… Read More

2019 Pinot Noir Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Bill Zacharkiew
Publication: Montreal Gazette
Published: 2023

Very pretty Pinot Noir. The fruit is crisp and fresh, with notes of cherry and cranberry and a lot of floral lift in the nose. Nice balance between fresh and flesh on the palate. Hard to find a Pinot… Read More

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: David Lawrason
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2023
Rating: 93

This is a beautifully complex, layered, waxy, serious and dry Riesling from the oldest vines on the Beamsville property, now pushing 40 years. Search for nuances honey, beeswax, wildflower and ripe… Read More

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Carolyn Evans Hammond
Publication: Toronto Star
Published: 2023
Rating: 92

Every swirl… draws the scent of lemon pound cake into the bowl of the glass. Then, it zips in dry, crisp and invigorating. The attack tastes linear and lit, beaming in with precision. Mouth-watering… Read More

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast
Published: 2023
Rating: 93

From limestone-laced soils emerges this acid-driven gem of a Riesling. Petrol and honeysuckle dominate on the nose, with lesser ripe melon and slate aromas. The wine's Granny Smith apple and white… Read More

Savvy Shopper... Around the World

2019 Riesling Dry, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Bruce Sanderson
Publication: Wine Spectator
Published: 2023
Rating: 89

A trio of cru Beaujolais, a Spanish red, a Portuguese white and a pair of New World whites (one from Canada, the other from South Africa) caught our attention in the tasting room recently. All are… Read More

2020 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Mark Squires
Publication: Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

The 2020 Riesling Estate comes in at six grams of residual sugar, 7.8 of total acidity and 12.4% alcohol. Dry but perfectly balanced, this is a little sterner than the regular Riesling, but it never… Read More

2020 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Mark Squires
Publication: Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

The 2020 Riesling comes in with 16 grams of residual sugar, 8.7 of total acidity, 10.7% alcohol and a pH of 2.8. The acidity mostly gobbles up the sugar here, or perhaps it might be equally accurate… Read More

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Mark Squires
Publication: Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Published: 2023
Rating: 91

The 2019 Riesling CSV was partly aged in neutral French oak (about 45%, with another 5% also with skin contact) for 10 months, with the rest in stainless steel. It comes in with four grams of… Read More

2019 Riesling Icewine, Lincoln Lakeshore, Estate Grown

Author: Mark Squires
Publication: Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Published: 2023
Rating: 95

The 2019 Riesling Icewine was harvested frozen on the vine. It is unoaked and comes in with 245 grams of residual sugar, 14.9 of total acidity, 9% alcohol and a pH of 2.73, if you're interested in… Read More

2020 Pinot Noir Dolomite, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Rod Phillips
Publication: The World of Fine Wine
Published: 2023
Rating: 93

Lying somewhere between resolutely dry and mildly astringent, this is a lovely wine that shows a spectrum of cherry flavours accented with spices. The clean seam of acidity sharpens the tone of the… Read More

2020 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Alberty
Publication: Wine Enthusiast
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

Dark, rich fruit aromas of blackcap raspberries and dark plums are joined by fresh-plucked, licorice-like Julia Child rose petals and a wee bit of garrigue. the wine's fruit flavours are just as… Read More

Elite US Wine Publication Lauds Cave Spring Rieslings

2017 Riesling Select Late Harvest, Lincoln Lakeshore, Estate Grown

Author: Mark Squires
Publication: Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

The 2017 Riesling Select Late Harvest is unoaked and sourced from partly frozen grapes on the vine. It comes in with 100 grams of residual sugar, 7.8 of total acidity and 13.1% alcohol. This has a… Read More

NV Blanc de Blancs, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2023
Rating: 90

Cave Spring certainly exhibited its strength in 2022 for both red and white wines. How does the Blanc de Blancs Brut fare? Aromatics: Peach, pineapple, pear, guava, lime, butterscotch and almond… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

As for aromatics dense black cherry, cherry cola, blackberries interlaced with chocolate covered cherries. On the palate tannins are on the light side and the acids are well integrated into the wine.… Read More

2020 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Godel
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

Plenty of work being put in with Cabernet Franc by the team at Cave Spring and methinks it is a favourite variety of winemaker Gabriel Demarco. The grape takes so well to specific blocks and plots of… Read More

2020 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Vaughan
Publication: Vintage Assessments
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

This very tasty, still youthful, nicely structured 100% Cabernet Franc has a hefty 14.5% alcohol and 2 g/L residual sugar. A great match for tomato-based Italian recipes, it has a bright very deep… Read More

2019 Chardonnay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: David Lawrason
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

This a lighter framed, tender but very flavourful Chardonnay from a fine cool climate vintage in Niagara. There is little oak presence, leaving yellow apple, lemon and vaguely leesy notes front and… Read More

Celebrating Ontario's Top 20 Wineries of 2022

Author: Editors
Publication: Vine Routes
Published: 2022

Sustainably focused with a consistent quality track record, their Rieslings are some of the best you’ll come across in the country, but that’s not all they’re known for. You’ll find that they also… Read More

15 Best Bottles for $20 or Less

2020 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: André Proulx and Michael Pinkus
Publication: Toronto Life
Published: 2022

There’s something going on at Cave Spring right now, and we’re here for it… This bottle brings fresh raspberry with subtle herbal notes buried under a torrent of dark fruit.

2019 Chardonnay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: André Proulx and Michael Pinkus
Publication: Toronto Life
Published: 2022

This is a simply stunning wine that delivers a bit of spice along with some richness that’s paired with nice acidity to keep it light on the palate. Thanks to a cool growing season, 2019 was a… Read More

Is Gamay on the Comeback Trail in Ontario?

2020 Gamay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

This was a Gamay with depth and many steps above a fruity and friendly moderately priced Gamay. On the nose raspberry coulis, Washington black cherry and milk chocolate predominate with a minuscule… Read More

2020 Cabernet Franc Dolomite, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

The last of the Cave Spring wine tasted on my recent trip to St. Davids Ontario was at their airy newly opened tasting room in Beamsville, Ontario. Apparently it is where the more serious wine crowd shows up including wine writers. It is bright and airy with lots of glass and great vistas of vineyards. Cave Spring 2020 Cabernet Franc Dolomite presents with a warm creaminess perhaps the result of the new 15% French oak. Absolutely hopping with black cherry and blackberry with some vanilla and Lowney’s chocolate covered cherry. Interesting as you don’t often encounter blackberry with Ontario Cabernet Franc. On the palate there is more tannin than one might expect with a Cabernet Franc and I say this without a frown. Again a slight difference as most Ontario Cabernet Francs while well made are not heavy hitters. This Cabernet Franc is big boned for sure but not massively so. We can label this a medium bodied wine. There is raspberry, strawberry and red cherry as well and with a little torrent of sour cherry tinged with pepper. The finish is broad and long. The wine should be decanted to loosen up its tight leg muscles. It needs a couple of years to reach its stride and will coast after that until 2007 nicely. The winery suggests food matches of roast fowl, mild sausages, roast duck, grilled steak, beef short ribs, vegetable lasagna and grilled portobello mushrooms. I won’t quibble with that although I am not so sure about duck and fowl but again it depends on how those dishes are prepared! For example Greek roasted chicken with potatoes in a lemon oregano sauce would kill this wine but a roast chicken with a beer, paprika and cinnamon rub might work very well. “Dolomite” refers to the type of limestone that forms the crest of the Niagara Escarpment. Overall more complicated than most Lake Erie North Shore and Niagara Cabernet Francs. It sells for $27.95 either at the winery/tasting room or online. It can be purchased in Europe and the United States through certain distributors. Check the website for distribution details at https://cavespring.ca. Read Less

2019 Chardonnay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

When it comes to readily available white table wine from Niagara, Riesling and Chardonnay rule the roost. I have a challenging time with Ontario Rieslings for a multitude of reasons but not so with Chardonnay. Cave Spring was kind enough to send me a bottle of their 2019 Estate Chardonnay for review just before a wintery blast socked Toronto and Niagara in the face. The wine is from Beamsville Bench and I was just in their Beamsville tasting room a couple of weeks ago in 25-degree (Celsius) temperature with fall ending blazing gold everywhere. Now that wonderful image and equally wonderful Cave Spring Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir tried at the tasting room are but a very good memory. So what about the Cave Spring Estate 2019 Chardonnay that just missed travelling in a nasty snowstorm? Moderately gold in colour. On the nose pineapple, mango, South African tangerine, marzipan and peach with moderate oak notes. On the palate Greaves apricot jam, Sweet Israeli grapefruit, Niagara pear Galette, butterscotch and guava with a peppery finish. Beautifully integrated acids so important to sippable white wines. The oak influence in the wine is moderately high. Yes I could mention chicken in a tarragon cream sauce or a vongole pasta as a food pairing but you may find this matching well with Oka, Camembert and Canadian aged cheddar. As Christmas is creeping up if you are having turkey (with minimal cranberry sauce) this might be your choice. The winery suggests crispy shrimp, crab stuffed ravioli, grilled tempeh with roasted cauliflower, pan seared halibut and roast capon and I will not debate that. While the wine is sippable due to the oak influence after a glass it seems to call for food. Isn’t that what wine was invented for? $19.95 is more than a fair price for the wine. And given the jack up at The LCBO for California wine $19.95 may just be compelling. Ontario residents or those close to an LCBO in Quebec and Manitoba this Chardonnay is now just available in your Vintages section or you may order directly from the winery. European and American readers there may be a distributor in your country than can make this available to you. Check their website at https:cavespring.ca/ The wine is from the Cave Spring Vineyard on the Niagara Escarpment known as the Beamsville Bench. Limestone and clay soil. Chardonnay does particularly well in limestone soils. The average age of the vines is 31 years. 70% of the juice fermented in French oak and 30% in stainless steel with 10% of the oak new. Drink until 2030. Read Less

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

Complex and intense with lovely peach and nectarine richness, as well as sweet lemony fruit. There's a trace of sweetness here, and this is generous but fresh with lovely purity. **2007 RCSV**

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

Six g/l RS. From four large parcels (1.5–2 ha each), average vine age 25 years. Three of those parcels have a micro-cru selection that goes into the CSV. Lively, textural, lovely lemony fruit with… Read More

2019 Riesling Dry, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Sean Sullivan
Publication: Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

Aromas of diesel, white peach, fresh mint, honeysuckle and lime leaf lead to juicy, bone dry flavors with impressive acidity. It’s almost austere in style. Acid hounds, look no further.

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2015 Blanc de Blancs CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

No dosage. Lively and precise with crystalline lemony notes. This is really expressive with some nuts and fine toast. Very lively... with nice intensity and a lovely precision. There’s a lovely… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

NV Blanc de Blancs, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

Four g/l dosage, 35 months on lees, no malolactic. 100% 2018 vintage, this bottling. This is taut and fine with some nice toasty hints. It’s juicy and precise with a slight pithy edge to the lemony… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2019 Chardonnay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

This is 50/50 barrel and stainless steel. It’s fresh and linear with nice ripeness showing pear and white peach with some spicy framing. Very expressive with a slight salinity on the finish.

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 94

Four g/l RS. Have been breaking in some large casks and in 2021 this wine was fermented in those. About 10%-barrel ferment in 2019. Powerful, intense and limey with taut citrus fruit and a touch of… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2019 Riesling Adam Steps, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

Intense, vivid, and off-dry with lovely citrus fruit, some melon and a touch of table grape. Such purity and balance here. Lovely balance and structure with such precision.

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Chardonnay CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

This took 20 months to ferment. Half in a neutral cask and half in barrique. This is powerful and rounded with sweet pear and peach fruit, and some fine toast and spice. There’s mid-palate richness… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Gewürztraminer Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

Eight-hour skin soak, 15% skin fermented. Pretty, expressive, nice table grape and lychee character with a bit of grip. Lively and expressive with some nice balance. Has a salty edge.

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Rosé Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 89

Cabernet Franc, 12 hours skin contact, 50% oak. This is bright with cherries and strawberries, and has nice softness, too. Textured and well-balanced with a sour cherry finish.

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Gamay Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

Not made this since 2007. Thirty-day maceration, aged in neutral and used oak. Juicy, bright, and vivid with raspberry and red cherry fruit. There’s some nice grip here under the sweet fruit. It’s… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2019 Cabernet Franc Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

Lovely texture to this wine: chalky and gravelly but also expansive with lovely depth. Bold and rich with nice green hints meshing well with the rich blackcurrant and berry fruit. Lovely depth to… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2019 Pinot Noir Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 93

This is fresh, silky, and juicy with lovely ripe strawberry and cherry fruit with a nice sour cherry edge. Has a sense of silkiness, but then also has nice acidity and some savoury hints.… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Pinot Gris Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

Has some colour. Soaked 16 hours, then cask fermented. Lively and spicy with orange peel, cherry, pear, and table grape. Textural and detailed with nice interest: this has texture and spiciness, and… Read More

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

2020 Chardonnay Musqué, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Jamie Goode
Publication: Wineanorak
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

This has 16 hours of skin contact – it’s the only Chardonnay clone that takes skin contact well. Forty percent neutral oak, 60% stainless steel. This is powerful and taut with fine spicy notes as… Read More

2019 Gewürztraminer Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Vaughan
Publication: Vintage Assessments
Published: 2022
Rating: 92

This 2019 is the 18th Vintages release of this estate-grown 100% Gewürztraminer. It has a deeper than usual medium golden yellow colour. The nose is quite pungent - honeyed, spicy, bright, ripe… Read More

Fighting in the Trenches for Gewürztraminer

2019 Gewürztraminer Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Robert K. Stephen
Publication: Set The Bar
Published: 2022
Rating: 91

RKS Wine: Fighting in the Trenches for Gewürztraminer Wine drinkers aren’t exactly running to the shelves snapping up the latest Gewürztraminer releases. I have given up trying to figure out why… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc Dolomite, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Godel
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2022
Rating: 91

When cabernet franc is raised from Dolomite it can incite a double intendment of fascination. Dolomitic limestone is a combination of both calcium and magnesium carbonate, which means that the… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Tara Q. Thomas
Publication: Wine and Spirits Magazine
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

This is a tannic Cabernet Franc, dark and savoury, with scents of rose and fir frond that mark the variety. The acidity keeps it brisk and lifted, a fine counterpoint to roast lamb.

2019 Pinot Gris, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Michael Vaughan
Publication: Vintage Assessments
Published: 2022
Rating: 90

I just couldn’t resist comparing Cave Spring’s lovely, entry-level, bargain-priced, non-Vintages, delicious 2019 Pinot Gris with the just-released 2019 Vintages Estate edition. Bright light straw in… Read More

2019 Pinot Gris Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Michael Vaughan
Publication: Vintage Assessments
Published: 2022
Rating: 91.5

Here is a one-of-a-kind, very classy, Beamsvile Bench, estate-grown Pinot Gris that really deserves your attention. Made from very ripe grapes harvested on September 24 at 24.6º brix, it has a hefty… Read More

2019 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Tara Q. Thomas
Publication: Wine and Spirits Magazine
Published: 2022
Rating: 91

Grown on a stony clay-limestone slope under the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, this is dry and elegant, with concentrated lemon-lime flavour and light herbal spice. Fermented with ambient yeasts in… Read More

Canadian Riesling Sans Glace

2018 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Kevin Shaffer
Publication: The Art of Eating
Published: 2022

Drier Rieslings can be tart and austere, but the examples from Cave Spring have a pleasingly soft texture. 2018 was a warm year that produced small, intensely flavoured berries. Fermented in… Read More

Top Wines of the World 2021

2018 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Ian D'Agata
Publication: TerroirSense
Published: 2022
Rating: 94

A slightly warmer vintage for Niagara means a more accessible Riesling CSV bottling than usual from this historic Ontario producer, with hints of white flowers, nectarine, apple, tangerine, lemon… Read More

2019 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula

Author: Carolyn Evans Hammond
Publication: Toronto Star
Published: 2021
Rating: 92

Smart, expressive and adaptable are words that describe both Geminis and this local Riesling. In the glass, the wine shines bright. It erupts on the palate with lime zest and poached pear laced with… Read More

2017 Riesling Icewine, Lincoln Lakeshore, Estate Grown

Author: Christopher Waters
Publication: The Globe and Mail
Published: 2021
Rating: 95

Cave Spring earmarked Riesling vines it tends in Myers Vineyard on the south shore of Lake Ontario as the source for this succulent and satisfying Icewine from the 2017 vintage. The resulting dessert… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author:
Publication: Selections Mondiales
Published: 2021
Rating: 90

2019 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: John Szabo
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 94

2019 is shaping up to be a cracking Riesling vintage, especially from these almost 50 year old vines in the Cave Spring Vineyard. Acids are crackling as per the cool year, very limey and citric, with… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Tony Aspler
Publication: tonyaspler.com
Published: 2021
Rating: 92

Deep ruby in colour; lightly cedary, spicy nose of blueberries; medium-bodied, dry, cranberry and blueberry flavours rounded on the palate with well-controlled oak and prolonged on the palate by racy… Read More

2019 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Brent Muller
Publication: National Wine Awards
Published: 2021
Rating: 92

Delicate stonefruit and citrus aromatics stimulate the pallet and set the stage. In the mouth, it builds with green apple, zesty lime and a perfect acid balance that carries and then cuts and then… Read More

2019 Cabernet Franc Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Christopher Sealy
Publication: Quench Magazine
Published: 2021

Soil nerds will find delight in this wine raised on limestone and clay at the estate of Cave Spring. Appropriately reflecting a depth of berry aromas, the limestone soils provide a certain piquant… Read More

2020 Rosé Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Christopher Sealy
Publication: Quench Magazine
Published: 2021

Estate Grown. 100% Cabernet Franc. Deep salmon pink in colour, the nose displays nuance of fresh from the field strawberry and raspberry. The palate is dry with a vibrant streak of verve and wet… Read More

2020 Chardonnay Musqué, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Geoffrey Moss
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 90

Led by perfumed blossoms and crisp orchard fruits, this Chardonnay Musqué stands out in the category. There's a purity and depth to the enticing aromatics that take this well beyond your average… Read More

2017 Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Ian D'Agata
Publication: TerroirSense
Published: 2021
Rating: 94

Cave Spring is one of Canada’s best wineries and has a very long track record (at least in terms of Canadian wine history, but Cave Spring was one of the first in the country to plant vinifera varieties and stick with them at a time when most people thought hybrids were the only way to go) to prove it. The estate makes a bunch of different wines at many different levels of concentration and cost and from many different grape varieties (and many others have been tried over the years: I often find myself thinking that long-time winemaker Angelo Pavan must have some Alsatian blood in him!). However, the best of a very fine lot of wines is, and always has been, the estate’s Riesling CSV, 100% Riesling grown in the Cave Spring Vineyard (CSV) in the Beamsville Bench Designated Viticultural Area. The vineyard is where some of the winery’s best and oldest plots of vines are found (vines that are now close to 50 years old, so we’re talking real vieilles vignes or VV wine here). It’s a vineyard I have walked many times over the years, and besides being one of the most beautiful in Ontario, it is also one where terroir speaks loudly: closed off to the outside elements not by a wall (as in a clos) but by a forest, its complex soil geology of limestone and dolostone mixed with shale, sandstone, granite and gneiss overlying a shale/sandstone bedrock, the gentle 3-6% slope and moderate elevation (125-155 meters above sea level) combine to give a very expressive, light on its feet yet dense wine that ages gracefully and easily for ten years and more. The Cave Spring 2017 Riesling CSV Beamsville Bench is one of the best young CSVs in years. Pretty golden-tinged straw-green in colour, it offers pure, piercing aromas and flavours of apricot, pink grapefruit, white peach, Asian pear (believe me: I should know, I live in China) complicated by hints of wet stone, hazelnut, diesel fuel, chamomile and fennel. Beautifully linear and taut, and yet with a creamy, seamless quality, it leaves behind a lingering nuance of tangerine and minerals. Clocks in at 8 g/L residual sugar and 6.8 g/L total acidity (and a 3.19 pH), so it tastes classically dry, this beauty spent six months on the lees and was made using indigenous yeasts. One of Canada’s most iconic wines I have done I don’t know how many verticals of over the years, Cave Spring’s Riesling CSV rarely misses a beat, and it’s no different in the 2017 vintage. Bravi! Drinking window: now-2030. Read Less

2019 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: Steve Thurlow
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 90

This is a dry pure minerally driven riesling with a fragrant delicate nose of ripe pear and melon fruit plus lemon citrus with slatey and mild herbal tones. It is finely balanced and stately with a… Read More

2019 Pinot Noir Estate, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: John Szabo
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 91

A somewhat tannic and tightly wound Pinot given two weeks post fermentation maceration, in need of another 2-3 years in bottle minimum to come around. Wood is not a significant factor, but… Read More

Author: John Szabo
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 91

A portion of this Gewürztraminer was fermented on the skins, with half in barrel. It's a very aromatic, ripe, lateharveststyle wine, with intense flavours and almost opulent palate even if… Read More

2019 Chardonnay CSV, Beamsville Bench, Estate Grown

Author: John Szabo
Publication: WineAlign
Published: 2021
Rating: 94

Another brilliant 2019 Ontario Chardonnay - a really exciting vintage for fans of classic cool climate wines. This is bright, fresh, lively, tightly wound, with crackling acids and a lovely lactic… Read More

Reviews & Accolades

Reviews & Accolades

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In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

Fighting in the Trenches for Gewürztraminer

Canadian Riesling Sans Glace

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Reviews & Accolades

Reviews & Accolades

Top 20 Ontario Chardonnays

Best of 2023 Buying Guide

Fizz Buyer's Guide 2023

Top 100 Best Buys of 2023 | This Year's Most Amazing Wines Under $20

A Canadian Terroir Story: Niagara Peninsula

Savvy Shopper... Around the World

Elite US Wine Publication Lauds Cave Spring Rieslings

Celebrating Ontario's Top 20 Wineries of 2022

15 Best Bottles for $20 or Less

Is Gamay on the Comeback Trail in Ontario?

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

In Niagara, Part 6: Cave Spring Vineyard

Fighting in the Trenches for Gewürztraminer

Canadian Riesling Sans Glace

Top Wines of the World 2021

Stay In Touch