The Twenty Mile Bench and eco-friendly practices make for great wines

Our vineyard is on 23 acres of rolling hills on the prestigious upper Twenty Mile Bench along the Niagara Escarpment in the Twenty Valley wine region of Niagara. We are located a short 30-minute drive from the Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries.

Through biodiversity and reduced chemical intervention, we encourage an environment that is healthy and unique. We believe that this individuality translates into our wines. We hope you do, too.

The importance of appellations

An appellation is the geographical indication used to indicate the origin of a wine. It has long been recognized that the terroir – the location, climate, soil and geography – has a direct influence on the character of the grapes and the personality of the wine.

Appellation: Niagara Peninsula VQA

The Escarpment allows vineyards to benefit from Lake Ontario’s off-shore breezes by reflecting them back to the lake, maintaining a constant and active airflow. This air circulation discourages cold air from settling in low lying areas and maximizes the moderating effect of the warm waters of the lake in the winter (for more details, follow this link to VQA Ontario).

Sub-Appellation: Twenty Mile Bench

The Twenty Mile Bench is a celebrated segment of the Niagara Escarpment. In places the land rises gently in large terraces, or benches, but there is a varied and complex topography, with changing slopes within this sub-appellation.

Glacial activity has provided deep clay with a high proportion of limestone and shale. Featherstone’s sheltered north-facing slopes are afforded year-round temperature moderation, the natural hills and contours provide excellent air and soil drainage and a winding creek ensures a constant water source.