Quarry Road Riesling 2021 – Tawse Winery

Overview

The Quarry Road Riesling 2021 from Tawse Winery is a white wine that showcases the freshness and minerality of the Niagara Peninsula. Made from carefully selected Riesling grapes, this wine combines elegance, aromatic complexity, and vibrant balance between acidity and body. Limited production and sustainable practices ensure an intense wine that is approachable young but also has excellent aging potential. Perfect for seafood, shellfish or fresh cheeses. Contains sulfites.

History of the Wine

The Quarry Road Riesling was created to highlight the best terroirs of the Niagara Peninsula, using calcareous soils and a cool microclimate to produce grapes with concentrated flavors and natural acidity. The 2021 vintage benefited from ideal conditions: sunny days, warm days and cool nights, with minimal rainfall, allowing slow and even ripening. Careful hand selection of clusters produced a Riesling that faithfully represents the Quarry Road vineyard’s character.

Vineyard Philosophy

The grapes are sustainably farmed, without herbicides or pesticides, with special attention to soil health and biodiversity. Canopy management and meticulous hand harvesting produce balanced, aromatic fruit. The result is a fresh, vibrant Riesling with complex floral and mineral notes, fully expressing the vineyard’s unique character.

Winemaking Approach

In the winery, the 2021 Riesling follows a gentle, fruit-focused process: cold-controlled fermentations preserve delicate aromatics and natural acidity, with brief stainless steel aging to maintain purity and freshness. No oak is used to ensure elegance and minerality. The wine is balanced, approachable, and ready to enjoy young, while also offering good aging potential.

Tasting Notes and Pairings

The colour is bright straw yellow with green highlights. On the nose, white peach, green apple, citrus and delicate white flowers emerge, with a refreshing mineral undertone. The palate is crisp, fresh, and harmonious, with vibrant acidity, juicy fruit, and a long, persistent finish. Ideal with seafood appetizers, sushi, shellfish, summer salads or fresh cheeses.

Tech Sheet

• Variety: 100% Riesling

• Vintage: 2021

• Aging: stainless steel

• Alcohol: 12%

• Serving temperature: 8–10°C

• Allergens: contains sulfites

The history of Tawse Winery

Founded in 2001 by Canadian entrepreneur Moray Tawse, the winery stands on the slopes of the Twenty Mile Bench, one of the most prestigious areas of the Niagara Peninsula. From the outset, the goal was to craft Canadian wines capable of standing alongside top international labels, combining technical precision with deep respect for the land. Over the years Tawse has earned major accolades, including multiple awards as Canada’s Winery of the Year, establishing it as a leading force in Ontario’s wine scene. Despite its growth, the winery remains faithful to its founding values: authenticity, discipline and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Vineyard philosophy

Tawse Winery cultivates vineyards on limestone-based, well-drained soils ideal for Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. The agricultural approach is strictly organic and biodynamic, fully certified and implemented with daily commitment. Biodynamic preparations, compost made on-site, biodiversity and adherence to natural rhythms form the core of the philosophy, aimed at maintaining living, healthy soils. Manual work is essential—from pruning to harvesting—ensuring careful control of each parcel and precise grape selection. The cool climate of Ontario encourages slow ripening and remarkable aromatic purity.

Winemaking

In the cellar Tawse blends technical expertise with artisanal precision. The gravity-flow underground facility allows gentle handling of the grapes, minimizing mechanical intervention and preserving freshness. Fermentations rely on both indigenous yeasts and controlled techniques depending on style and varietal. Ageing takes place in stainless steel, concrete, French oak barrels and foudres, with a focus on micro-oxygenation and varietal clarity. The goal is to create wines that reflect the Niagara Peninsula’s identity through tension, mineral drive and clean, expressive aromatics.

Distinctive character

Tawse Winery excels in harmonizing nature, technique and discipline, producing wines of purity, elegance and unmistakable terroir expression. A benchmark for biodynamic viticulture in cool climates, the estate continues to invest in sustainability, research and precision farming. Each bottle captures a rare balance between European tradition and Canadian spirit, offering an authentic and contemporary wine experience. Tawse stands today as one of the most dynamic and influential wineries in North America.