It is always a treat at a winemaker’s dinner to be able to talk with the winemaker who gives us some insight into how the wines we are drinking together were made and any challenges they encountered. I recently attended a winemaker dinner at Provence Marinaside, featuring Jessica Otting from the Niagara region’s Tawse Winery, who gave us those insights. The dinner came together thanks to Provence’s sommelier, Josh Carlson, Wine Director, who visited the winery last year and selected wines to bring back to Vancouver and invite Jessica to come and speak about the wines.
Jessica began the dinner telling us about the winery, her philosophy of wine making, her favourite grapes to make wine, and much more. Plus she gave us her take on each wine and dish pairing. Along with Jessica’s insights, I will also provide my pairing notes. Now, let’s get into the details.
What We Learned From Jessica
Jessica has been the winemaker at Tawse since 2020, though she has been with the winery for about 13 years, starting in the lab shortly after the 2013 harvest. She oversees winemaking for both Tawse and its sister winery, Redstone, as well as their small distilling program, producing whiskey and vermouth. The core focus of Tawse are Burgundian grapes, their sister winery, Redstone, produces wines from other vitis vinifera grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and many more.
Tawse has transitioned from its 2001 barn-based origins into a sustainability titan, now entirely heated and cooled by geothermal energy and supported by solar power. Tawse is one of only a few certified organic and sustainable wineries in Ontario, utilizing geothermal and solar energy. Jessica emphasizes that organic farming is the foundation of their work, but it has it challenges as practicing organic grape growing in Niagara is difficult due to high humidity, which increases pressure from diseases and mildew.
She operates with a philosophy that is technically demanding yet is hands-off. This is most evident in her use of “wild fermentation,” relying on ambient, indigenous yeasts rather than predictable, lab-grown strains. It is a gamble that causes even seasoned pros to sweat a little bit.
Jessica uses 100% French oak barrels, preferring neutral or light toasts (between 15% and 20% new oak) to ensure the fruit and mineral character of the grapes remain the focus.
She considers Cabernet Franc as one of the most versatile grapes in Ontario, using it for sparkling rosé, table rosé, and red blends. <Karl: Cabernet Franc also produces excellent red, rosé, and ice wine in the Okanagan.>
A Vineyard Ecosystem: Beyond the Grape
Tawse vineyards are primarily situated along the Niagara Escarpment, specifically a geological feature known as “the Bench”, which is characterized by limestone and loam clay soil. This geography is often compared to Burgundy due to its soil composition and similar latitude. It does have climate challenges as winters can reach temperatures of -20°C.
Tawse has moved past the concept of a monoculture, embracing regenerative agriculture and “ecosystem design.” Through collaboration with university researchers, the winery employs innovative, non-chemical strategies to maintain vine health such as:
- Animal Integration: A resident flock of sheep manages ground cover and provides natural fertilization, reintroducing life to the soil.
- Pea Shoot Extraction: In a cutting-edge trial, pea shoots are planted to naturally pull copper (a by-product of organic sprays) out of the soil.
- Wildflower Biodiversity: Extensive wildflower trials between rows attract beneficial insects and boost the vineyard’s natural resilience.
- Robots: Looking to the future, the winery is exploring the use of robot tractors and UV panels that kill mildew through light rather than sulfur.
Meeting Champagne on Its Level
While Niagara sits on a latitude similar to Burgundy, its harsher winters and limestone-rich soils provide a unique tension that excels in the “Traditional Method” of sparkling wine production. Her 2021 Limestone Spark! Riesling (which we tasted) recently stunned the industry by securing a Platinum medal at the Decanter Wine Awards, standing as one of only 14 wines, alongside 13 elite Champagnes, to receive the honour.
The secret lies in the patience of the cellar. This Riesling spent 18 months aging on the lees (the secondary fermentation), which imparts a sophisticated, toasty character to the fruit’s high natural acidity. This recognition confirms that the Bench can produce world-class bubbles that competes on an equal footing with the most historic houses of France. It is also quite surprising as there are not many sparkling Riesling wines produced. More recognized sparkling wines are made with the traditional Champagne grapes of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.
Critical Vintages and Challenges
The 2020 Vintage was described as a “perfect” year by some due to heat and dryness, but it presented unique challenges for Tawse with extreme ripeness leading to tannins that were initially “undrinkable” and bitter. The wines required extended barrel aging (24 months) to achieve balance. <Karl: I reviewed their 2020 Cabernet Franc last year and it was terrific. My wine tasting notes are at this link.>
The 2021/2022/2024 vintages:
- 2021: A cool, wet year with high disease pressure and lower crop yields.
- 2022: A low crop year due to winter damage, resulting in higher concentration in the remaining grapes.
- 2024: Characterized by a wet summer followed by a warm, dry harvest, which allowed for clean, aromatic fruit.
My Food and Wine Pairing Notes
Our food and wine pairings for the evening were:
2021 LIMESTONE SPARKLING RIESLING paired with
PÂTÉ DE CAMPAGNE featuring
pickled pear, Dijon mustard, and toasted brioche
2024 LAWRIE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC paired with
CRAB AND SHRIMP CAKE featuring
grilled fennel and citrus, salmon roe, and lemon aioli
2022 QUARRY ROAD CHARDONNAY paired with
ESCARGOT EN CROUTE featuring
garlic, parsley, and brandy butter
2024 QUARRY ROAD PINOT NOIR ROSÉ paired with
BOUILLABAISSE featuring
prawns, scallops, mussels, clams, fish, and fingerling potatoes
2020 GROWER’S BLEND CABERNET FRANC paired with
BEEF TENDERLOIN featuring
potato celeriac pave, morel mushrooms, and beef jus
2023 RIESLING ICEWINE paired with
CRÈME CARAMEL featuring
palmier cookie, fresh whipped cream, and South African gooseberry
To start, we had the Limestone Spark! Riesling. It is off-dry, high acid, with tiny bubbles. Crisp apple flavour with a touch of petrol on the palate. I enjoyed the Pate de Campagne as it was combined with the coarse ground Dijon mustard and the pickled pear. The pairing worked quite well with the bubble and acidity of the wine with the texture of the pate and the mix of flavours from the mustard and pickled slice of pear.
The Lawrie Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc had a light green fruit nose. Dry, light body, with a soft mouthfeel. Green fruit and tropical fruit flavours with light pepperiness on the palate. Nothing like a NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Understated. The Crab and Shrimp Cake had quite strong crab flavour. The cake was soft and creamy. The again the acidity in the wine made the pairing with the creaminess of the cake work well. I also enjoyed the pop from the salmon roe.
The Quarry Road Chardonnay had light butterscotch and tropical fruit aromas that continued to the palate. This wine is dry, medium plus acidity, but with light, buttery mouthfeel (this wine went through 100% malolactic fermentation). Some sweet spices as well on the palate. Quality. The Escargot en Croute was very flavourful with the garlic, parsley and brandy butter wrapped around the softly chewy escargot. The pastry cover helped to soak up all the flavour from the brandy butter. I enjoyed this dish with the Chardonnay that matched the dish with its butteriness plus the sweet spices and tropical fruit flavours were complementary.
The Quarry Road Pinot Noir Rosé looked like was from Provence; very pale in colour. It had light intensity strawberry aromas. Dry, medium-plus acidity with a light body. Strawberry and strawberry leaf on the palate. The Bouillabaisse was full of different flavours and textures with the different seafood in each bite, plus the firmness of the fingerling potato. The bowl with the different seafood and the deeply coloured broth was a delight for the eyes as well. The Rosé wine had a light touch to the full flavours of the Bouillabaisse. I was quite full at this point. So much delicious food.
But I made sure to save a spot in my stomach for the Beef Tenderloin. It was paired with the Grower’s Blend Cabernet Franc. This wine has a ripe berry fruit nose. It was dry with medium tannins and acidity. Juicy berries and sweet spices on the palate, plus some pepperiness. The Beef Tenderloin was cooked perfectly, providing you with a soft, chewy texture in your mouth. It had a deep beefy flavour, plus more in the sauce. You couldn’t go wrong with this pairing with rich wine, not overly tannic, and rich beef.
Lastly, for dessert the Crème Caramel, was sweet and silky smooth on the palate. There was a crunchy palmier cookie which I topped with fresh whipped cream to go with it. The Riesling ice wine was thick and sweet and tasted like lovely ripe apricots. Again flavours from the dish and wine worked well together.
Besides all the great food and selection of wines at Provence Marinaside, there is one more reason. February 2026 marks 24 years since this award winning restaurant first opened its doors to the public. Congratulations!
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
All of these wines are available for purchase from the Tawse Winery website, but some are of a new vintage. BC Liquor stores carries Tawse Riesling ice wine and Cabernet Franc ice wine. Everything Wine carries two Tawse Cabernet Franc wines plus a Pinot Noir. Vessel Liquor in Victoria carries Tawse’s Grower’s Blend Cab Franc and their vermouth. If you are in Calgary, Kensington Wine Market carries Tawse’s Pinot Noir, Rosé, Riesling, and vermouth. Other stores selling their wines include: Liberty Wine Merchants on Commercial Dr, West Coast Liquor in Kerrisdale, Coal Harbour Liquor Store, Spinnakers West, Vintage Spirits, Marquis Wine Cellars, and Spinnakers in James Bay.
