Introducing Our New 2021 Vintage Releases
When Maria and I first set our sights on Kirby Estate in 2017, we were captivated by the beauty of the land—the rich soils, the bounty of fruit and wildlife, and the history that overflows from every corner of the vineyard.
Inspired by a Love of the Land
When Maria and I first set our sights on Kirby Estate in 2017, we were captivated by the beauty of the land—the rich soils, the bounty of fruit and wildlife, and the history that overflows from every corner of the vineyard. We knew this place was special, and we were eager to share it with the world.
It is with immense pride that we introduce the 2021 vintage releases from Kirby Estate, a true testament to the hard work and passion that goes into every bottle. These wines represent some of the finest expressions of our vineyard, and we couldn’t be more excited to share them with you.
We had the pleasure of having Rick VanSickle join us for a tasting at the vineyard, below are his tasting notes and scores on each of the new bottles. You can read his full article here as he writes about On Seven and Kirby Estate’s role moving forward with our Chardonnay’s in Ontario. Read Here
Kirby Estate Chardonnay 2021 ($55, 92 points)
Sourced from estate grapes planted 26 years ago, this Chardonnay is hand harvested and hand sorted, wild fermented and aged in 100% French oak barrels (20% new oak) for 18 months. The nose is intense and focused with perfumed pear, pure saline and wet stones with yellow apple, bergamot, guava and a touch of vanilla toast and spice. It’s rich and savoury on the palate with flinty minerality, chalky salinity followed by layers of pear, apple, lemon tart, and some tropical notes in a generous, yet elegant style that all leads to juicy acidity on a lifted, long finish.
Kirby Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2021 ($65, 94 points)
The Reserve, only made in what the Kirbys, winemaker Smith and consultant Gamble believe are the best vintages with the only difference in the two Chardonnays being barrel selection. It’s slightly more generous on the nose than the estate, more integrated with yellow apples, quince, lemon meringue, stony/flinty minerality with a touch of savouriness and elegant spice notes. It has a plush, creamy texture with flint and wet stones, ripe stone fruits, some tropical mango/guava, and toasted spice notes with a layered, long and finessed finish that goes on and on. A very fine Chardonnay.
Kirby Estate Merlot 2021 ($60, 93 points)
Scott Kirby believes this version of the Merlot (only one was made in 2021, not the reserve) “is our best (estate) to date.” The wine is aged in 100% French oak (33% new oak) for 18 months. It shows a lighter shade of red in the glass and has an expressive nose of brambly red berries, umami/mushrooms, earth, red flowers, plums, dark cherries, anise and elegant spice notes. It shows more concentration on the palate with chalky tannins and melange of earthy dark cherries, black raspberries, cassis, anise, savoury spice notes, cloves and a polished finish that’s finessed and long. An elegant and expressive Merlot.
As we sit down to taste these wines, Maria and I are reminded of why we embarked on this journey in the first place. We are inspired by the quality wines our team produces and there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of our labor come to life in a bottle. These 2021 vintage releases are a true reflection of our passion, our perseverance, and our love for this land.
We invite you to experience these wines for yourself. Cheers to the journey and to the many more vintages to come.
— Scott Kirby
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