In Niagara (15) King and Victoria
Website: https://kingandvictoria.com/
King and Victoria are based in the Twenty Mile Bench appellation of Niagara, Canada. They own the Hanck vineyard, which is right next to the Wismer Parke vineyard. They bought it in 2002 as an abandoned fruit farm and planted it from 2004-2007, with the first wine from this was 2006 Pinot Noir. Craig Wismer farms their vineyard, and they sell fruit to the likes of Cloudsley and Thomas Bachelder, as well as using some for their own wines. It’s a 20 acre property with 13.5 acres planted.
I met with Joe Harold and Rob Schenck, the two owners (hence Hanck), along with their respective wives Liz and Tracey. They both make the wine. They started making their own wine from the vineyard in Joe’s barn in 2013 with three barrels of Pinot Noir. They then began making some of every variety. They were shocked by how good the wine they’d made was, and this encouraged them to carry on. The gained experience and tapped into the experience of Matt Smith at Cloudsley and Thomas Bachelder. They moved to Cloudsley for their first few proper vintages. Now they have their own winery.
2018 Rob studied Viticulture and Enology at Brock. They both worked at Cave Spring as well, and Angelo Pavan drummed into them the importance of making clean wines. They have transitioned from commercial yeasts to natural yeasts over the last 3-5 years.
THE WINES
King and Victoria Riesling 2019 Twenty Mile Bench
12.5% alcohol. Crystalline with nice lemon and apple notes as well as some ripe pear. Textured and fine with some sweetness on the finish. Lively and bright. Lovely balance. 91/100
King and Victoria Sauvignon Blanc 2023
12.5% alcohol. Fresh and textured with bright lemony fruit with a chalky edge to the crisp palate. Stony, mineral and refined with nice weight and balance. Pure and well made. 92/100
King and Victoria Chardonnay 2023
Bottled a week ago. From Joe and his brother’s vineyard in St Catherines. Hand picked, hand sorted and whole cluster pressed and then aged in a mix of stainless steel and old barrel. Bright and fresh with a nice texture to the pear fruit. Some almond notes with lovely fruit and focus. Unoaked style and done really well. 91/100
King and Victoria Pinot Noir Rosé 2023
This is from the new plantings. Each vine had 8-10 clusters on it. Fermented cool on stainless steel, with partial malolactic. Fresh and pure with lovely citrus fruit and a hint of cherry. Dry and nicely weighted, with crisp fruit to the fore. 89/100
Pinot Noir vertical
Hand picked, hand sorted, wild ferment, natural malo, barrel ageing for 20 months with one-third new French oak.
King and Victoria Pinot Noir 2018
Supple and mellow with sweet cherry and plum fruit showing nice texture and hints of iodine and earth. Warm with some vanilla oak in the mix. Nice sour cherry finish with a touch of liquorice. 91/100
King and Victoria Pinot Noir 2019
Some focused reductive notes on the nose with supple red cherries and some roundness. The palate is fresh with red cherries, herbs and plums, with a savoury, woody edge to the fruit. Lots of interest here. 92/100
King and Victoria Pinot Noir 2020
This is understated, with sweet red cherries and plums as well as a touch of raspberry, showing nice sweet fruit. There are some floral notes on the nose and the palate is ripe but restrained. Some spicy, savoury characters hiding under the fruit. Nice grip. 93/100
King and Victoria Pinot Noir 2021
Delicate, fine and elegant on the nose with red cherries and redcurrants. Supple, elegant and juicy on the palate with real finesse, showing a finely spiced edge with red cherries and plums, showing a chalky, mineral undertow. Nice elegance here with purity and balance. 93/100
King + Victoria Cabernet 2021 Creek Shores
From Joe and Tracey’s home vineyard, 58% Cab Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lively, bright and aromatic with a vivid spicy note under the firm tannins and lively acidity. Juicy with nice acidity and a sense of freshness. Has sweet acidity and a nice finely spiced finish. Very stylish. 92/100
