Enjoying a bottle of wine from a specific date tells you about that time in harvest and the growing season. But what is even more interesting is if you have a vertical of the same wine so that you can taste beyond the growing season to see what unique qualities there are for that grape growing in a specific vineyard over time and how that wine changes as it ages. I received a mini-vertical from Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery, located in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region.
In case you wanted to know about the name of the winery, “Wending” is the concatenation of two Cantonese characters, 
, which together means an educated, cultured person. The owners, Ron Giesbrecht, veteran Niagara winemaker and spouse, Ying Feng, aim to take a slow path to crafting terroir-focused wines. Cabernet Franc is what Ron Giesbrecht refers to “as the honest broker grape, never trying to, or able to, hide what came before“.
The Vintages
Delving into my past harvest interviews with Ontario winemakers, I have the following observations about the 2021, 2020, and 2019 wine grape growing season.
Ontario’s 2021 wine grape growing season started off promisingly, with an early bud break and warm weather, but quickly shifted into a challenging and uneven vintage marked by intense summer heat, localized drought, and untimely rains, especially during harvest. While yields were generally high, particularly for whites, the quality varied due to disease pressure, rot, and accelerated harvests, with many growers adapting picking decisions to rapidly changing weather. Despite the hurdles, the vintage still showed promise, especially for aromatic whites and early-picked reds, though winemakers had to work harder than usual to bring in clean fruit.
The 2020 Ontario wine grape harvest was marked by one of the most ideal growing seasons in recent memory; dry, sunny, and well-timed rain events created nearly textbook conditions for ripening. Fruit came in earlier than usual, clean and concentrated, with both quality and quantity exceeding expectations across the board; a rare and welcome combination. From small Pinot clusters to plump Chardonnay bunches, the vintage delivered with ease, setting the stage for a standout year in Ontario wine.
The 2019 Ontario wine grape harvest arrived later than usual, following a cool, wet spring that delayed bud break and compressed the growing season. Summer brought warm, dry conditions that helped develop clean, concentrated fruit, but the late start and vine stress from earlier weather meant yields were lower than expected across many varieties. Despite the hurdles, including a surprise cold snap and lingering effects of winter damage, the quality of fruit was strong, particularly for reds, showing that resilience in the vineyard can still yield a rewarding vintage.
Do my wine notes below mesh well with the seasonal harvest variations? Read on.
Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2019 (ON $34.95)
Winemaker’s notes, “Fermentation in stainless steel was a bit slower and cooler than normal with extended skin contact that brings effusive bramble fruit, excellent concentration and a ‘cool-climate vibe’ Then 20 + months in mainly French oak (all used), has rounded, framed and evolved this to be a true beauty. Definitely a cellar candidate but we expect it to be very approachable upon release – expected pre-Christmas 2021.”
Appearance: A clear, medium-plus to deep garnet colour. Clear to the core. Teardrops visible after swirling.
Nose: Medium-plus enticing, sweet aromas of ripe berry fruits and cinnamon with touches of oak, toast and vanilla. Same aromas after decanting, but there is now a wider variety of sweet spice scents.
Palate: This wine is dry, with a soft, smooth, light mouthfeel. Ripe red fruit, red cherries and berries, plus touches of sweet spices, oak and black fruits. A clear expression of fruit juiciness. Lighter tannins that get stronger with swirling. Medium acidity. The wine takes on more tart red fruit flavours and less black fruit flavours after decanting. You also now get a touch of candied cherry flavours.
Finish: A medium to medium-plus length finishing with red fruits, some pepperiness and bitterness. Medium tannins on the finish and mouthwatering acidity. More tart red fruit flavours plus some candied cherries and less bitterness on the finish after decanting.
Rating: 
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The Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2019 shows a clear garnet colour with enticing aromas of ripe berries, cinnamon, and touches of oak and vanilla, expanding to a broader spice profile after decanting. The palate is dry and smooth with juicy red fruits, cherries, and hints of sweet spice, supported by medium acidity and evolving tannins. A medium-plus finish highlights tart red fruits, candied cherries, and a gentle peppery note, making this a lively, fruit-forward wine.
Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2020 (ON $44.95)
Winemaker’s notes, “Fermentation in stainless steel was warm and even with an extended skin contact period of 30 days that brings effusive bramble fruit, excellent density/concentration and long, broad, mocha/munchy texture. Then 24 months in mainly French oak (about 20% new), has rounded, framed and evolved this to be a true beauty. Definitely a cellar candidate but we expect it to be very approachable upon release – expected pre-Christmas 2023.” I noticed that this bottle is significantly heavier than the other two wine bottles.
Appearance: A dull, deeper garnet colour. About 95% opaque in the glass. Teardrops visible after swirling.
Nose: Lighter intensity, but deep aromas of red fruit, black plums, toast, and some smokiness. Same aromas after decanting, but the smokiness is now more prominent, but not overpowering.
Palate: Dry with a thicker, round, smooth, soft, mouth filling mouthfeel. A mix of red and black fruits, more on the black fruit side. Touches of oak, bitter grape stem and smokiness on the palate. Some buttery texture. The medium intensity tannins gives the wine good structure. Medium acidity. After decanting, the wine takes on more black fruit flavours and the smokiness is more prominent. I also picked up a touch of capsicum and coffee on the palate (mocha in the winemaker’s notes). The wine is a little less buttery in texture and the tannins a bit stronger.
Finish: Medium-plus length with a dark fruit finish. Also hints of sweet spices, bitterness and smokiness. Medium-plus intensity tannins on the finish. Add a touch of pepperiness to the finish after decanting.
Rating: The Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2020 presents a deep garnet colour and offers lighter but layered aromas of red fruit, black plums, toast, and a gentle smokiness that becomes more pronounced with decanting. On the palate, it is dry, round, and mouth-filling, with a richer black fruit profile, touches of oak, bitter grape stem, and a hint of buttery texture, later revealing notes of capsicum and mocha after air exposure. A medium-plus finish carries dark fruits, smokiness, and sweet spice, with a bit of pepperiness showing after decanting.
Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2021 (ON $ TBD)
Winemaker’s notes, “Fermentation in stainless steel was warm and even with an extended skin contact period of 30 days that brings greater structure and concentration. The 30 months in mostly used French oak has rounded, framed and evolved this to be lovely medium-full bodied wine.”
Appearance: A deep, dull garnet colour.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of vanilla, cedar, red fruits, ripe plums, and cinnamon spice. The aromas are quite a bit lighter after decanting, with a dusty component and less cedar scent.
Palate: This wine is dry, with a smooth, round, fuller body and buttery texture. Plums, red and black fruits, plums, plus light oak and cinnamon flavours. Sweeter fruit flavours. Medium acidity and tannins. Drier fruit flavours after decanting. More black fruit than red fruit on the palate.
Finish: Medium-plus length with black fruit flavours plus a touch of sweet spices and some bitterness. Medium-intensity, drying tannins. No change to the finish after decanting.
Rating: The Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2021 offers a deep garnet hue with inviting aromas of vanilla, cedar, ripe plums, and sweet spices, which soften and gain a dusty note after decanting. The palate is smooth and full-bodied with a buttery texture, showcasing plums, red and black fruits, oak, and cinnamon, leaning drier and more black-fruited after decanting. A medium-plus finish highlights black fruits, sweet spice, and drying tannins.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can order these wines online via the Wending Home Estate website:
- Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2019
- Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc 2020
The 2021 vintage was not yet shown on their website. I assume that it will be posted soon.
Thank you to Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery for sending me these samples.
