Westcott Vineyards
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Westcott Chardonnay: steel to barrel
The Chardonnay here runs a real range. Some spends months in stainless steel on the lees, staying bright and citrus-forward. Other lots move into French oak barrels for a rounder, creamier finish. Big difference. Either way, expect firm acidity from Niagara Escarpment fruit. Compare it against the rest of our Chardonnay wine collection to see how the region's styles differ.
How Westcott makes its sparkling wine
Not every Westcott sparkling follows one recipe. Some is Charmat method, built for fresh, easy drinking. Others go through the full traditional method: hand-riddled and disgorged by hand, then aged on the lees for months before release. That takes patience. Fans of that style will find good company among other Niagara Peninsula wine producers working this stretch of the Bench.
Buying Westcott winery wine online
Westcott is a small-lot producer, and stock here moves. See something you like? Don't wait on it. Round out the order with a Pinot Noir wine from elsewhere on the Escarpment. Or browse every Ontario winery on the marketplace to build a wider case.
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The story behind Westcott Vineyards
Grant Westcott and Carolyn Hurst left corporate careers in Toronto, moved to Niagara in 2008, and set about building a winery from the ground up. The first vintage followed in 2012.
Home base is a restored barn that is close to 200 years old, sitting above Jordan on the Niagara Escarpment. It gives the place a lived-in feel that a new build never quite gets.
A Chardonnay and Pinot specialist
Westcott keeps its focus deliberately narrow: cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and traditional-method sparkling, estate-grown on the Vinemount Ridge and Twenty Mile Bench. Winemaker Casey Kulczyk works with minimal intervention and wild-yeast ferments.
The results speak. The Block 76 Chardonnay earned a Platinum medal at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada, a top result for a small estate.
Frequently asked questions
What is Westcott Vineyards known for?
Westcott is a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir specialist on the Niagara Escarpment, also making traditional-method sparkling. Its Block 76 Chardonnay won a Platinum medal at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada, among the top Chardonnays in the country that year.
Where is Westcott Vineyards?
Above Jordan, Ontario, on the Vinemount Ridge and Twenty Mile Bench of the Niagara Escarpment. The winery is housed in a restored barn that is nearly 200 years old.
What makes Westcott different?
Focus. Westcott makes a short list of wines and concentrates on cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir done well. The family has also been rewilding parts of the property to support local biodiversity, beyond just the vines.