Saturday, February 14, 2026Ahead of , which is now less than a month away on , white wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly, and off-dry Riesling from Niagara-on-the-Lake that arrived at the LCBO in last month's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
From the same producer as the excellent 2021 Kacaba Terraced Vineyard Syrah I enjoyed late last year, this white wine is produced by Kacaba Vineyards & Winery, a small-batch, premium wine producer situated in the community of Vineland, within the Town of Lincoln in the Niagara Region of Ontario. It was established in 1997 by Michael Kacaba, a Bay St. lawyer in Toronto of Ukrainian descent and a Saskatchewan background, on land that was slated to be a subdivision. However, Mr. Kacaba had another vision for this land and began the work to establish a vineyard and winery, and in 1999 Kacaba had their first vintage, with consistent success following soon thereafter.
While Mr. Kacaba is no longer the owner of the winery, his philosophy remains the same - focus on smaller batch sizes to produce wines of merit. Kacaba wines are produced using only the finest grapes grown on the estate or from partnered grape growers from surrounding vineyards. Their philosophy is dependent upon small quantities because their production is limited by their ability to handle and manage quantities that can be produced mainly by hand. Pumping is kept to a minimum and gravity is used for bottling and racking. Interestingly, their simple methodology is implemented by lifting their tanks and barrels with a forklift. While their goal is to produce ultra-premium wines, it is also a necessity for them to produce moderately priced wines to ensure the business is economically sustainable. Kacaba also strives to encourage sustainable agriculture, which involves not only good husbandry of their lands, but also the proposition that agriculture is a valuable resource and ought to be maintained for future generations.
I enjoyed the 2017 Kacaba Reserve Riesling a couple of years ago, and while that wine was sourced from grapes grown on the Niagara Escarpment, for this particular vintage the grapes are from the Niagara Lakeshore sub-appellation in the warmer Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The grapes for this Riesling were carefully tended to along the lakeshore in Niagara-on-the-Lake and left to hang into November in order to concentrate the flavours and allow the acidity to come down on the vine. After picking the grapes overnight on November 2nd, while temperatures were low, the grapes were brought to the winery and immediately pressed upon arrival in the morning. The juice was settled at a very low temperature for 48 hours prior to racking, then allowed to warm up for a long, cool fermentation at approximately 13°C to allow tropical fruit and mineral notes to emerge. After 18 days, fermentation was arrested, leaving some remaining residual grape sugars to add further complexity and balance to the wine. The wine then rested in stainless steel tanks for 7 months, until it was bottled in June 2024.
The growing season in 2023 in Niagara was saved by a dry and warm fall that provided relief from the wet, dreary, and smoke-filled summer. While harvest was behind by up to almost three weeks, most varieties came out the other side in good shape and produced a bountiful crop. For Riesling, the warm days and cool nights prior to harvest were the perfect conditions to develop vibrant fruit and juicy acidity, which should allow Riesling wines to age gracefully for many years. From a superb vintage for this noble grape, let's see how this 2023 Riesling from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Enclosed by screw cap, the lovely, fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose delivers an attractive mix of petrol, wet stone, white peach, and floral aromas nuanced with lemon oil, stone fruit, apple, and bees wax complexity. The medium+ to medium-full bodied palate has very good structure and a gently off-dry flavour profile of lemon oil, citrus, wet stone, leesy mineral, grapefruit, white peach, and apple flavours, plus a mild spice note. It has crisp, structured, and juicy acidity, while peach and lemon notes taper to leesy and wet stone flavours on the long, dry, and juicy finish. An elevated experience that will continue to provide pleasure into the early 2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
A few wines by Kacaba are readily available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered direct from the winery online and in Niagara.
From the same producer as the excellent 2021 Kacaba Terraced Vineyard Syrah I enjoyed late last year, this white wine is produced by Kacaba Vineyards & Winery, a small-batch, premium wine producer situated in the community of Vineland, within the Town of Lincoln in the Niagara Region of Ontario. It was established in 1997 by Michael Kacaba, a Bay St. lawyer in Toronto of Ukrainian descent and a Saskatchewan background, on land that was slated to be a subdivision. However, Mr. Kacaba had another vision for this land and began the work to establish a vineyard and winery, and in 1999 Kacaba had their first vintage, with consistent success following soon thereafter.
While Mr. Kacaba is no longer the owner of the winery, his philosophy remains the same - focus on smaller batch sizes to produce wines of merit. Kacaba wines are produced using only the finest grapes grown on the estate or from partnered grape growers from surrounding vineyards. Their philosophy is dependent upon small quantities because their production is limited by their ability to handle and manage quantities that can be produced mainly by hand. Pumping is kept to a minimum and gravity is used for bottling and racking. Interestingly, their simple methodology is implemented by lifting their tanks and barrels with a forklift. While their goal is to produce ultra-premium wines, it is also a necessity for them to produce moderately priced wines to ensure the business is economically sustainable. Kacaba also strives to encourage sustainable agriculture, which involves not only good husbandry of their lands, but also the proposition that agriculture is a valuable resource and ought to be maintained for future generations.
I enjoyed the 2017 Kacaba Reserve Riesling a couple of years ago, and while that wine was sourced from grapes grown on the Niagara Escarpment, for this particular vintage the grapes are from the Niagara Lakeshore sub-appellation in the warmer Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The grapes for this Riesling were carefully tended to along the lakeshore in Niagara-on-the-Lake and left to hang into November in order to concentrate the flavours and allow the acidity to come down on the vine. After picking the grapes overnight on November 2nd, while temperatures were low, the grapes were brought to the winery and immediately pressed upon arrival in the morning. The juice was settled at a very low temperature for 48 hours prior to racking, then allowed to warm up for a long, cool fermentation at approximately 13°C to allow tropical fruit and mineral notes to emerge. After 18 days, fermentation was arrested, leaving some remaining residual grape sugars to add further complexity and balance to the wine. The wine then rested in stainless steel tanks for 7 months, until it was bottled in June 2024.
The growing season in 2023 in Niagara was saved by a dry and warm fall that provided relief from the wet, dreary, and smoke-filled summer. While harvest was behind by up to almost three weeks, most varieties came out the other side in good shape and produced a bountiful crop. For Riesling, the warm days and cool nights prior to harvest were the perfect conditions to develop vibrant fruit and juicy acidity, which should allow Riesling wines to age gracefully for many years. From a superb vintage for this noble grape, let's see how this 2023 Riesling from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
KACABA RESERVE RIESLING 2023 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#404087) (D) - $24.15Enclosed by screw cap, the lovely, fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose delivers an attractive mix of petrol, wet stone, white peach, and floral aromas nuanced with lemon oil, stone fruit, apple, and bees wax complexity. The medium+ to medium-full bodied palate has very good structure and a gently off-dry flavour profile of lemon oil, citrus, wet stone, leesy mineral, grapefruit, white peach, and apple flavours, plus a mild spice note. It has crisp, structured, and juicy acidity, while peach and lemon notes taper to leesy and wet stone flavours on the long, dry, and juicy finish. An elevated experience that will continue to provide pleasure into the early 2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
A few wines by Kacaba are readily available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered direct from the winery online and in Niagara.
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