Testimonials
Testimonials
Wine Reviews
★★★★★Rockway Vineyards ‘Small Lot’ Chardonnay 2020
94 Points
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $25.00 14.2% alcohol
Appealing aromas of lemon citrus, crisp Granny Smith apple, ripe pear, baking spice and rising dough abound on the nose of this medium-plus bodied chardonnay that sports satin-smooth mouthfeel and fruit-forward flavours of juicy lemon and mixed spice on the palate and through the finish and aftertaste decorated with saline minerality and plenty of pizzazz. The price-quality balance tips well in your favour.
★★★★★Rockway Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2018
94 points
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $40.00 13.5% alcohol Mixed spice and dark cherry/berry aromas abound on the nose of this gem of a cabernet franc. It envelops the palate with a surge of persistent purity of fruit and concentrated, pure ambrosia with a river of blueberry, black bramble berry and black, juicy Bing cherry robed in excellent acidity, deft balance and an underpinning of delightful tannin that persists to and through the juicy finish and lip-smacking aftertaste. Pour alongside chorizo-stuffed Poblano peppers.
From our customers
★★★★★"Wine tasting was absolutely amazing spiced with a super funny personality. Dinner with wine pairing was simply delicious with stunning high quality service!"
★★★★★"Excellent! Restaurant also offered extra sandwiches! I've never been offered more food for high tea! It is a great spot for high tea!"
★★★★★"Amazing Winery Experience! During a recent visit to the Niagara Region, my wife and I were looking for some wineries to visit on a Tuesday and Rockway was one of the few open. It's certainly a different experience than most wineries because it's also a golf course, which was a first for us. I'm glad we visited in the off-season, because I assume it might be a totally different experience when the golf course is in full swing.
They have a very nice tasting room and the woman who served us was super friendly, even offering us a complimentary tasting of a light sparkling wine they offer. As far as the wines on the regular tasting menu, they hit all the right notes. My wife is a fan of several varietals that aren't as well-known or popular in Ontario, including Gewurtztraminer and Shiraz, both of which Rockway features. All the wines we tried were excellent and the prices were very, very reasonable by Niagara standards.
The highlight of the visit happened when the winemaker, a very exuberant, friendly young woman named Simone Ardiel, arrived for work during our tasting. The hostess had already told us a bit about Simone's fascinating background, but she filled in a few more details and also talked about some of the major challenges the weather had thrown at them in 2021. There are not too many wineries where you get to talk directly with the winemaker, so this was a wonderful experience. Simone is a gem!
All in all, this was a great visit and I would highly recommend Rockway. The restaurant wasn't open that day, but the menu looked very tempting. My wife and I aren't golfers, so I won't comment on that part of the operation. As far as the winery, though, I recommend it wholeheartedly."
★★★★★"Recently dined here while on a wine tour and the food was way better than it was in my past experiences years ago. Service was great in both wine store and restaurant! Will come back in the summer!"
Wine Reviews
★★★★★Rockway Pinot Noir Canal East 2018 (91 points)— "The original intent for the two 2018 Pinot Noirs from Rockway was to harvest estate fruit from the Twenty Mile Bench and fruit sourced from the St. David’s Bench appellation and blend the two together. But after tasting the batches separately, the decision was made to keep them as single-vineyard wines to showcase the differences between east and west of the Welland canal. This wine was aged for 15 months in 15% new French oak. This has a more robust nose (than the Pinot below) with a concentrated nose of dark cherries, earthy/brambly notes, raspberries, cassis, a floral note with savoury spice notes. It shows a bit more restraint on the palate with a mélange of red berries, sweet barrel spice notes, smooth tannins, underlying savoury notes and bright acidity keeping it lively, fresh and balanced through the feisty finish. Can cellar 5+ years."
★★★★★Rockway Pinot Noir Canal West 2018 (92 points)— "The west version of this fascinating east-west horizontal was aged for 15 months in 25% new French oak. It shows a much more nuanced nose of tart cherries and brambly raspberries with crunchy cranberries and more overt oak spice notes. It’s gorgeous on the palate with earthy/meaty dark cherries, strawberry patch, a touch of cassis, subtle herbaceous notes, medium+ tannins, good structure and elegant spice notes through a long, finessed finish. Can also cellar 5+ years."
Rick VanSickle, Wine Writer, Wines in Niagara![]()
St. Catharines, Ontario
★★★★Rockway Vineyards Select Late Harvest Vidal 2017 (90 points) — "Select Late Harvest wines are not technically “icewines”, but the grapes are harvested after the regular harvest and the sweetness of the grapes used increases from Late Harvest through Select Late Harvest to Special Select Late Harvest. This sweetie from Rockway was finished at 117 g/l of residual sugar and shows a shimmering golden colour in the glass with a nose of mulled apples with caramel, compoted tropical fruits, peach pie and candied citrus notes. It’s plump and juicy on the palate with a rich broth of warm apple pie, mature peach preserve, ripe and sweet tropical fruits, brown honey notes and medium+ acidity on the finish. A good alternative to icewine, usually at a more favourable price point."
★★★★Rockway Vineyards Méthod Traditionnelle Brut Cuvée — "Rockway’s first foray into traditional method bubbles is a winner from start to finish; it’s a blend of 67% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Noir aged 32 months on lees, has a crisp entry and wonderful finish – but let’s start here: citrus and acidity in the form of lemon and green apple, there’s hints of a creamy texture on the mid-palate before the acidity sweeps in cleaning things up and giving way to a long finish that hits all the right notes. Kudos to winemaker David Stasiuk on a good opening salvo into the world of traditional bubbles for Rockway."
★★★★★Rockway Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2017 (92 points)— "The estate Cab Franc was 100% de-stemmed and crushed into tank. Once the fermentation was complete, the wine was pressed off to stainless steel to settle before being racked to French barrels with 30% new oak. The wine was aged in for 15 months before racking back to tank where it was then stabilized, filtered, and bottled. It has a lovely floral nose with lifted berry perfume, herbs, anise, wild raspberries and fine oak spices. It’s mouth filling on the palate with a riot of red berries, touches of anise, cassis, dried herbs and licorice with spice and tangy acidity through the lifted finish. Really nice job here showcasing Niagara Cab Franc. Drinking quite well right now but can cellar 3+ years."
Rick VanSickle, Wine Writer![]()
St. Catharines. ON
★★★★★Rockway Small Lot Alter Ego Syrah 2017 ($30, 91 points) — "The estate Syrah was co-fremented with 7% Viognier and aged in French and American oak (25% new) for 18 months before bottling. It has a smoky, meaty, spicy nose of ripe dark cherries, savoury blueberries, boysenberries, anise and cracked black peppers. It’s rich and savoury on the palate with a mélange of ripe cherries, forest berries, herbaceous notes, charcuterie, licorice, blackberries, smoky undertones, baking spices, pepper and firm tannic structure with finesse and verve driving through the finish. Can caller 6+ years."
Rick VanSickle, Wine Writer![]()
St. Catharines, ON
