A new winery in Niagara called Dobbin Estate might just be the place to go this summer. Toronto-based businessman Wade Dobbin purchased the sprawling, picture-perfect property in 2019. Now, after making significant changes in the vineyards, guests are being welcomed to what is a beautiful estate at 3403 Eleventh St. in Lincoln — about an hour from Toronto — where the vibe is pure serenity.
The atmosphere
Maybe it’s the fact the property has been gently farmed organically for 25 years — first as a fruit orchard and now as a vineyard. Maybe it’s the rich biodiversity with a glistening pond and wetlands, a forest and gardens. Maybe it’s the sense of solitude. But there’s a certain energy that infuses Dobbin Estate.
It’s felt. And soon, it may be tasted in the glass.
The estate-grown wines are only now starting to be bottled and released. And there’s much buzz in wine circles about the potential of this estate situated in the heart of Twenty Mile Bench. Right now, most wines available are made from purchased fruit or a mix of bought and estate grapes, but great care is being taken in the vineyards and winery with the aim of making some of the best bottles in the region. So keep Dobbin on your fine wine radar.
Go now for the vast green beauty; to perch on the private patio, glass in hand; to climb the white tower and take in the gorgeous views. And of course to taste wine and learn about the story of the estate.
Here’s what’s on offer.
What to do at Dobbin Estate
Tower Tasting
For this experience, you’ll be greeted on the patio by the tower with a glass of NV Dobbin Classic Method Sparkling Brut, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($75/bottle). Chat with the lucky people who joined you on this escape as you sip the bubbly and enjoy the moment by the lake and gardens.
Then, you’ll be guided to a nearby vineyard before ascending the tower to the tasting room. Here, the winemaker will conduct a tutored tasting of four wines, and you’ll be offered focaccia and sourdough along with two-bite food pairings for each wine. The fancy snacks are beautifully presented and prepared by the winery’s chef, Laura Ramik. The edible creations change based on what’s fresh at the market.
This tasting is available Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and costs $900 + HST for up to 10 people. So you’ll want to round up nine of your favourite people for the experience.
Patio Tasting
The patio tasting is a little more of a casual affair that’s, of course, al fresco. You’ll be seated between the tower and the pond, guided through a flight of four wines, and offered shareable spreads to match — served with sourdough bread. The spreads include white bean, caramelized onion and quinoa; roasted beet hummus; summer pea, lentil and edamame (which is particularly excellent); and roasted carrot and thyme.
This tasting is available Saturdays and Sundays and costs $45+ HST/person. It is designed for up to four guests.
Taste and Buy
For something more casual still, book the Taste and Buy, which takes place in the farmhouse on-site. Like the other tastings, you’ll sample four wines and be educated about the estate. This tasting is available for up to eight guests Wednesdays through Saturdays and costs $35 + HST/person.
Book tastings through the website.
Regardless of which tasting you choose, you’ll want to spend a bit of time beforehand or afterward wandering the property. It really is something.
Carolyn’s picks of Dobbin Estate wines
NV Dobbin Classic Method Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blancs VQA Niagara Peninsula
Score 90
$75/bottle
The nose is fragrant, fresh and eloquent with aromas that nod toward apple tart with caramelized edges, beeswax and sea spray. The entry is brisk but poised, elegant. Tiny bubbles pierce the bright lemon curd centre, lending lift and delicate detail. Then, allusions of toasted honeycomb and graham cracker, apricot and sea salt emerge and slowly retreat. Disgorged after spending 36 months on the lees (spent yeast), this bottle is drinking beautifully now. Disgorgement is the removal of sediment from a bottle of sparkling wine. (12% alc., 7 g/L sugar)
2020 Dobbin Cabernet Blend VQA Niagara Peninsula
Score 91
$80/bottle
This blend of 85 per cent Cabernet Franc and 15 per cent Merlot is a big, bold, rich-tasting red. The colour is deep and dark. The nose is a sumptuous whiff of blackberry coulis and ripe black cherry. Then, the wine rolls in with velvet folds of fruit that call to mind plum purée, cherries and German chocolate cake. This expression is technically bone dry but tastes lush and sweet-centred — a bit hedonistic, even — while remaining nicely focused and drinkable. This full-bodied red will improve with age if properly cellared. (14% alc. 2 g/L sugar)
2020 Dobbin Chardonnay VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Score 89
$75/bottle
Each swirl releases scents of nougat and lemon cream with a touch of fresh apricot. That fetching fragrance leads a flood of flavour that’s voluminous, smooth and round. A touch of cool, wet-stone minerality underpins this mid-weight, quietly persistent Chardonnay. And the note of nougat on the nose returns on the finish, leaving the palate seasoned. Well-balanced, well-made white. The summer pea, lentil and edamame spread on sourdough pairs particularly well with this wine, which contains a portion of estate fruit. (13% alc., 3 g/L sugar)
2021 Dobbin Black Cap Riesling VQA Twenty Mile Bench and Four Mile Creek
Score 90
$60/bottle
This Riesling bursts with the scent of honey drizzled over freshly sliced mango and chin-drip peaches. Then, the wine drenches the palate with a lip-smacking hit of juicy-ripe orchard fruit. Mindful tasters will appreciate the subtle layer of salinity and stoniness that adds a sophisticated dimension to this off-dry wine, while the seam of bright, mouth-watering acidity ensures the wine finishes clean and dry. This wine, made with a portion of estate-grown fruit, is easy to enjoy now but is cellar-worthy, too. (11.5% alc., 9 g/L sugar)
Carolyn’s picks of other great wineries in the Niagara area
13th Street Winery
Go for the stellar sparkling wines and famous butter tarts. 1776 Fourth Ave., St. Catharines, 13thstreetwinery.com
Leaning Post Wines
Go for the small lots of artisanal wines in all styles.
1491 Hwy. 8, Stoney Creek, leaningpostwines.com
Rosewood Estates Winery
Go for the honey, the mead and the gluggable, undervalued table wines.
4352 Mountainview Rd., Lincoln, rosewoodwine.com
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Go for the patio lunch, the stunning views and the big, bold Arcanum red.
5600 King St. W., Beamsville, peninsularidge.com
Domaine Le Clos Jordanne
Go for the exciting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
4260 Mountainview Rd., Beamsville, leclosjordanne.com
Westcott Vineyards
Go for the flatbread cooked in the outdoor stone oven, with a glass of Chardonnay.
3180 Seventeenth St., Jordan, westcottvineyards.com
