Therianthropy - Mouflon Partial Skins, Niagara (2022)

TASTING NOTES

Cantaloupe, green melon, cucumber, coriander, fennel seed and white pepper. Watermelon and cucumber palate with a spicy pepper, clove and ginger note.

Rich, calcareous clay loam soil with varying degrees of silt, limestone gravel and boulders from vines 14 years of age.

2022 was a disastrous year for yields following extensive vine winter damage across Ontario. That said, the growing season and harvest period were actually very favourable and while yields were very low, the quality of berries was exceptional. The wines of 2022 are already showing great fruit, depth and lots of energy.

The Chardonnay went straight to press. Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc: the fruit was co-fermented, whole cluster. After 2 days of cold-soak, primary fermentation commenced spontaneously and took 21 days to complete.

100% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, taking one month to complete.

Elevage: Rested in stainless steel for 7 months on fine lees (no stirring).
Fining: unfined
Filtration: unfiltered
Bottle age before release: 2 months

Therianthropy is a winery project located in the emerging winegrowing region of Creemore Hills, Ontario. It was founded by a group of wine-loving humans who are passionate about cool climate winemaking and believe in unearthing the treasures which are the emerging terroirs of Ontario. 

Vintner David Eiberg came to winemaking after a career in investment banking. He took his love of wine and returned to the University of California Davis to train in oenology and cut his teeth working and harvesting with exceptional winemakers in France, California, Oregon, South Africa and most recently in Southern Ontario. 

Therianthropy's winemaking approaches include: fruit from the best vineyards, wild fermentations, low-intervention winemaking, low S02 and long elevage.