Marynissen Estates Winery

A good glass of wine is certainly one of life’s simple pleasures, but wine is no simple beverage. There are hundreds of chemical compounds in wine, known as polyphenols, which affect the characteristics of taste, colour and mouthfeel.

At Marynissen Estates Winery, chief winemaker Jeff Hundertmark employs an intimate understanding of these compounds in the creation of signature red wines suitable for ageing.

There is a saying that all wine improves with age, but this is not necessarily true. Few white wines and only specifically designed reds, will truly improve on the wine rack. When a red wine however, is crafted with ageing in mind, time can vastly enhance the product by allowing the tannins to soften, creating greater complexity and a more aromatic bouquet. This is the case with Marynissen reds, designed to stand up (or lay down) and age gracefully.

Continuing in the tradition of winery founder John Marynissen, winemaker Hundertmark is a proponent of big, age-worthy red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. A graduate of the Niagara College Winery and Viticulture program, Hundertmark made an immediate splash at Marynissen, creating the acclaimed wines Bottoms Up and Solstice, inspired by the highest quality grapes from the estate vineyard.

Marynissen’s vineyards are home to the oldest planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in Canada. These rich and robust grapes grow alongside 15-year-old Syrah vines and Merlot, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gamay varietals that have thrived in the soil for over 30 years.

The philosophy at Marynissen centres on a minimalistic approach to viticulture, careful cultivation and low yields of only the finest estate-grown grapes. The winemaking follows this philosophy as well, intervention is limited and the red wines are unfiltered, making them more robust. Masterful blending creates interesting layers of flavours, depth of character, and balance.

Marynissen 2007 Cabernet Merlot is the Official Red Wine for the Ontario Legislative Assembly in 2010 and is available for sample, along with an outstanding selection of Reds, Whites, and Vidal and Riesling Icewine. Public tours occur on the weekends during summer only.

Marynissen Estates Winery is coming of age, and garnering wide acclaim while doing so. Marynissen is the only Canadian winery named among the ten Top Hot New Brands by Wine Business Monthly. Deeply rooted in the terroir and creating the wines that define the future, Marynissen is a winery to watch.

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