Leaning Post, 2020 Cabernet Franc "Grimsby Hillside Vineyard," VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada
Cab Franc du Jour #163
Leaning Post was founded as a virtual winery in 2009 and is run by husband-and-wife team Ilya and Nadia Senchuk. Prior to founding Leaning Post, Ilya had made wine for well over a decade at a number of different wineries across the Niagara region, and today the winery is considered one of the elite producers not only in Niagara but across Canada as a whole. Ilya and Nadia farm their home property, the Senchuk Vineyard near the village of Winona, while also sourcing from top growers across the Niagara Peninsula. Ilya is highly regarded for his focus on single-vineyard, terroir-expressive wines from the varieties that thrive in Ontario, including Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc. Today’s wine is the 2020 Cabernet Franc from the Grimsby Hillside Vineyard, located in the Lincoln Lakeshore VQA sub-appellation.
The Lincoln Lakeshore VQA Appellation
The Lincoln Lakeshore appellation stretches nearly 25km from east to west along the Lake Iroquois Plain, with Lake Ontario marking its northern boundary and the Lake Iroquois Shore Bluff to the south. The appellation narrows considerably as you move west: at its widest point in the east, it spans around 4.5km from north to south, but narrows to between 1.5 and 2.5km toward the towns of Grimsby and Winona. For context, the entire Niagara-on-the-Lake regional appellation further to the east is only 12km wide and is divided into four sub-appellations.
As across the broader Niagara Peninsula, Lake Ontario plays an important role in regulating climate throughout the Lincoln Lakeshore. Conditions generally become cooler as you move from east to west across the appellation, with the strongest lake breezes experienced closest to the water. Vineyards further from the lake in the wider eastern sections tend to run a touch warmer. In all cases, proximity to the lake means a longer growing season relative to more inland sites, even where temperatures are slightly cooler.
The topography appears flat to the naked eye, but the appellation carries a very gentle, gradual slope to the north, with elevations ranging from around 80m near the lake to about 90m at the southern end. This relatively flat landscape means vineyards here enjoy uninterrupted sunshine throughout the day, which is beneficial for ripening. Soils vary across the appellation, but approximately 55% of the area, predominantly in the western portion, is characterised by very sandy topsoils over a clay-loam or sandy-loam subsoil, with pockets of heavier red and grey clays in some localised areas.
The Grimsby Hillside Vineyard
The Grimsby Hillside Vineyard is located in the western part of the Lincoln Lakeshore appellation, about 1km southeast of Leaning Post, between Grimsby and Winona. The vineyard spans around 84 acres (34ha) and is farmed by Paul Franciosa, with approximately 22 acres (8.9ha) planted to Cabernet Franc, just over a quarter of the total. Situated at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment only about 2.5km south of Lake Ontario, Grimsby Hillside would be considered a cooler site within the Lincoln Lakeshore, which results in slightly slower sugar accumulation. The flat topography, however, ensures uninterrupted sun exposure throughout the growing season, which is beneficial for phenolic development.
The Leaning Post 2020 Cabernet Franc is sourced from about one acre of vines across two blocks, both planted in 2002 with Clone 214. The soils in these blocks are a silty-clay and clay-loam topsoil over a heavier clay subsoil derived from the shale bedrock below, which gives it a slight reddish hue. Paul notes that meticulous leaf removal is practised throughout the growing season, though green harvesting is rarely necessary as the blocks are naturally lower yielding. The vineyard is farmed as holistically as possible, without insecticides and using a combination of conventional and organic sprays.
For those not yet familiar with this site, it is one to keep on your radar: in recent vintages it has been emerging as one of the top sites for Cabernet Franc in the Niagara Peninsula.
In the Cellar
The fruit was hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fully destemmed before undergoing a five-day cold soak prior to alcoholic fermentation. Fermentation took place in concrete with indigenous yeast. The extraction approach combines punchdowns during the cold soak and post-fermentation maceration with pump-overs during active fermentation, achieving a balanced but gentle extraction over a total skin contact of approximately 25 days. The wine was then aged in a combination of French and American oak with around 30% new oak for approximately 21 months.
In the Glass
Lifted, clean, and inviting on the nose, with a nicely balanced profile that leans slightly earthy and savoury. Predominantly red-fruit driven (sweet-tart raspberry, sour cherry, red plum, and a touch of dried wild blueberry) alongside a very classic Niagara herbal/earth signature: a pleasing tobacco note, mint, rosemary, cedar leaf and wood, and a whisper of peony. Very integrated oak signature with notes of baking spice and sandalwood.
The palate delivers those same red fruits with cedar and tobacco gaining presence, alongside a notably spicy character (chili flake, Sichuan pepper, and oak-derived layers of clove, allspice, cinnamon, and a hint of dill seed). Structurally confident: the acidity is bright, vivacious, and mouth-watering through the finish, while the beautifully-managed tannins are finely woven and uniform, with a characteristic linen-like texture. A lovely sucrosity through the mid-palate brings everything into focus, creating a sense of real completeness from start to finish. Excellent length and balance. A restrained and elegant result from what was a very warm vintage for the Niagara Peninsula. Thoughtfully made balancing generosity, structure and finesse beautifully.
Wine Details
Producer: Leaning Post
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
Appellation: VQA Lincoln Lakeshore
Soil: Deep, reddish clay
Alcohol: 14.2%