Inspired by the oaked Sauvignon Blancs of Bordeaux and Pouilly-Fumé, Hidden Bench uses estate fruit from Rosomel Vineyard in Beamsville Bench and ferments the wine in 100% French oak, of which 20% was new, 20% second fill, 7% third fill and the remainder neutral. Look for lovely grassy and hay notes, with hazelnut, peach, grapefruit, citrus, oak spice, and a flinty edge. Pair with seafood.

A blend of Merlot with Malbec and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, this Bordeaux-inspired blend is sourced from 100% organic estate-grown fruit from the Rosomel, Locust Lane and Felseck vineyards. It spent 20 months in barrel and showcases dried blackcurrant, plum, green peppercorn, cedar and chocolate.

Made from 100% estate fruit organically grown on the Beamsville Bench. Fruit is whole-bunch pressed before fermentation in concrete using ambient yeast, after which the wine is aged 10 months in concrete and an additional eight in stainless steel before it's bottled unfiltered. Expansive and textured, it evokes lemon oil, crunchy yellow apple, oyster shell and sea salt and features a long, luxurious finish.

Again, similar oak regime as the Pinots above. The Locust Lane has a more herbaceous/floral nose than the other Pinots with fresher red berries, anise/licorice notes, crunchy pomegranate, and integrated spice notes. It's a more muscular wine on the palate with grippy tannins, red cherries, brambly raspberries, anise, dried herbs, fine oak spices and a fresh, finessed finish. Can cellar 7+ years for further development. Score - 94. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, April 3, 2023)

Hidden Bench will not release any wine that does not meet their exacting expectations. Their estate Pinot comes from select parcels from their three estate vineyards. Elegant, floral and refined black cherry, blood orange, vanilla and nutty notes. Try this with bacon-stuffed mushrooms.

Composed entirely of estate fruit, this wine is based on Pinot Noir and crafted using a combination of direct-press and saignée techniques. It spent several months maturing in neutral French oak for extra roundness and texture. Bright and complex, it suggests strawberry sorbet, tart-cherry concentrate, fresh watermelon, stone fruit, and citrus zest.

This 'zero dosage' (no sugar added) traditional method sparkling wine spent five years on its lees before being disgorged in January of this year. It's a blend of 57% Pinot Noir and 43% Chardonnay from estate vineyards and spends seven months in 100% French oak, all neutral barriques. I tasted this from an unlabelled bottle. It pours an elegant, persistent mousse and has a complex nose of toasty/brioche, fresh lemon, grapefruit, pear, white flowers, a touch of flint and toasted almonds with subtle autolytic notes. It has energetic bubbles and verve on the palate with zesty citrus, green apple, lemon curd and pear in a rich and elegant style that combines length and mouth-watering acidity through a lifted finish. A fabulous sparkling wine. Score - 93. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, April 3, 2023)

Fresh red apples and apricot nectar, honeysuckle on the nose. Juicy palate with crunchy freshness, lingering floral finish.