13th Street Winery
Discover 13th Street Winery
Originally started by four amateur winemaker friends the winery was purchased in 2008 by the current owners: John & June Mann and Doug & Karen Whitty. Both families have deep roots in the Niagara community.
13th Street Winery evolved from a desire to create exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara, while also providing a place for guests to congregate and escape; to relax and discover; and to experience and learn. Owners, partners, and friends Doug and Karen Whitty and John and June Mann share a common love of wine, food, art, and a genuine heart for hospitality. It was this shared appreciation that brought them together and inspired the vision for 13th Street Winery.
Both families have established roots in Niagara and a strong commitment to the community. Doug Whitty is the third generation to be operating the family farm in St. Catharines, which was originally established in 1908. John Mann has been involved in farming for over 30 years, while also building a very successful automotive dealership network in St. Catharines and the surrounding areas.
Winemaker l Jean-Pierre Colas
Jean-Pierre Colas is one of the most talented French trained winemakers in the business. His winemaking philosophy is quite simple.
He believes that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards, whereas winemaking techniques are only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes’ provenance and character. With this philosophy in mind, JP excels at crafting high-quality red wines paramount to the Niagara peninsula: Gamay Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. Likewise, JP guides the production of exceptional white wines, including world class Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer.
In his home country of France, JP worked at the notable Chablis house, Domaine Laroche, where he produced Wine Spectator Magazine’s 1998 White Wine of the Year, an award he received for his Domaine Laroche Grand Cru Les Clos 1996. Also in 1998, Jean-Pierre was awarded the Best Wine in the Wine Enthusiast, Grand Cru Chablis Blanchots “Reserve de l’obedience” 1996 (99 pts).
Between France and his current residency at 13th Street, Jean-Pierre travelled and worked extensively around the world, including Carmen Vineyards in Chile, Bodegas Chandon in Argentina, and Oyster Bay Winery in New Zealand. He has studied and worked under a number of exceptional winemakers including Michel Givors in Morgon, Beaujolais and Gilbert Picq, and Michel Laroche in Chablis, Burgundy.
In 2018, Jean-Pierre received White Wine of the Year and a Gold Medal for Premier Cuvée 2012 at the 2018 Ontario Wine Awards.
Vineyards
13th Street is Sustainable Winemaking Ontario Certified Each vintage. 100% of the wines produced by 13th Street Winery are made from fruit sourced exclusively in the Niagara Peninsula with 85% or more coming from their own vineyards. Their very first vines were planted at the 13th Street Vineyard in 1976. In the years since, they’ve planted Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Gris and now have amassed more than 40 acres of estate vineyards in the VQA Creek Shores appellation of Niagara.
| Address | 1776 Fourth Ave, St. Catharines, ON L2R 6P9, Canada |
|---|---|
| Wine Maker | Jean-Pierre Colas |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Region | Niagara Peninsula |
From this Producer
Bright pink in the glass. The nose is intense with aromas of wild strawberries, candied raspberries, watermelon and a touch of pink peppercorn. The palate is dry, with refreshing acidity and flavours of strawberries and blood orange. The finish is long and persistent with lingering notes of candied berries.
Drink well chilled on release with caprese salad, grilled tuna or a charcuterie board. Will soften and develop further complexities with medium-term aging.
This wine is Vegan Friendly.
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. The best qualities of each variety are captured in this artfully assembled blend. Medium deep ruby hue with richly satisfying notes of raspberry compôte, cherry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Fresh and well balanced with rich mouth-feel and complexity. Soft tannins characterize the elegant structure of the wine.
A superb example of Ontario's proficiency with Gamay. This is always complex, with ripe cherry and plum fruit alongside touches of smoke, meat, pepper spice, herbs and underbrush. A substantial Gamay that will be great with a roast beef dinner.
Dark purple in the glass with an intense nose of ripe blueberry, candied black cherry, vanilla, charred oak and milk chocolate. On the palate it is rich, ripe and full-bodied with smooth, young tannins and flavours of black cherries, tiramisu and a touch of smoky oak. The finish is long with drying tannins and lingering acidity.
Complex on the nose with aromas of blackberries, liquorice and notes of smoke. The palate is fresh and lively with flavours of red currants, spice and smoke with balancing acidity and ripe yet grippy tannins enveloping the juicy mid-palate on the savory warm finish. An interesting exposure to the pureness of the variety due to the wine being aged in stainless tank instead of oak.
Unfiltered with a slightly hazy appearance of straw-yellow. The nose is amazingly complex with aromas of orange peel, coriander seed and wildflowers. On the palate, it is dry with bright acidity and flavours of fennel, confit orange peel, and fresh tangerines with a small amount of tannin from the skin contact.
Along with the companion 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir, this Gamay is a great study in terroir. Try both to see the similarities and differences in the two related varietals.
Bright garnet in the glass with intense aromas of black cherry, baking spice and vanilla with a touch of earthiness and leather. Medium bodied with flavours of fresh black cherries sweet notes from the oak with fine, ripe tannins, bright acidity and a refreshing but savoury finish.
Silver Medal - National Wine Awards of Canada 2022!
Bright ruby in the glass with aromas of black cherry, plum compote, vanilla and charred oak. Medium bodied with fine tannins and jammy flavours of black cherry, ripe raspberry and pomegranate with notes of sweet spice, red and black liquorice, vanilla bean and a peppery finish.
Platinum Medal, 2022 National Wine Awards of Canada
A classic tradittional method dry sparkling, 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir.
Platinum Medal - National Wine Awards of Canada 2022 (1% of entered wines)!
Savory and juicy syrah with wide appeal - there's much to admire for fans of more old world style syrah.
The Essence line of wines are winemaker JP Colas’ expression of vineyard and vintage. The 2018 Essence Cabernet Franc is a selection of the top barrels of French oak from their June’s Vineyard in Creek Shores. Inky purple, with dense and brooding aromas of black raspberry jam, charry oak, toast and mineral. On the palate it is tightly wound with loads of ripe tannins and juicy acidity with complex notes of black fruit starting to show themselves. The finish is long with lingering acidity and tannin.
![13th Street Grande Cuvée Blanc de Noir [R.D.]](https://heavenlyvines.com/client/heavenly_vines/images/wines/img/bottles/thumbnails/Grande Cuvée Blanc de Noir 2013 - small1.jpg)
Produced only in exceptional vintages, the Grande Cuvee is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the Whitty Vineyard in Creek Shores.
Zero Dossage
Fine bubbles in the glass. Aromas of almonds, biscuits, raspberries and white currants with notes of minerality. On the palate, the mousse is fine with bracing acidity and flavours of lemon and raspberries. The finish is long, dry and refreshing with lingering flavours of tart, red raspberries.