After January 2024’s severe Arctic blast cut Tantalus’s Riesling crop from its typical one hundred tonnes to just under five, the winery sourced fruit from two Ontario sites in the Lincoln Lakeshore, a Niagara Peninsula sub-appellation. Tantalus partnered with Paul Franciosa at Grimsby Hillside and Mark Picone at his namesake vineyard, immediately next door. Both sites are planted exclusively to the same Riesling clone, Weis 21B, that Tantalus uses in West Kelowna. In fact, these vineyards were chosen for their ability to mirror Tantalus’ signature style. All Ontario fruit was hand-harvested, pressed, packed into 1,050-litre totes and shipped overnight to Kelowna, where it was fermented and aged alongside the East Kelowna juice before being blended into the estate’s off-dry Riesling.
Tantalus’s East Kelowna vineyard benefits from a warm, semi-arid continental climate, with hot, dry summers tempered by cool overnight lows and crisp winters. With well-drained, glacially derived, sandy, gravelly soils the resulting Riesling has generous mid-palate texture and bright acidity. In contrast, the Lincoln Lakeshore sites are influenced by Lake Ontario where heat spikes are tempered, and frosts arrive later in the fall (ideal for Riesling). These lake-moderated microclimates combined with gravel, sand and clay glacial soils over limestone bedrock create wines with pronounced natural acidity and a chalky mineral backbone. When integrated into the off-dry Riesling blend, these Ontario components bring an electrifying tension, laser-sharp minerality and lifted petrol nuance, all while preserving the citrus zest and green-apple freshness that define Tantalus’s house style.
Tasting Note
Bright aromas of lemon, white peach, wildflowers, chalk, and ginger lead to a juicy palate with red grapefruit, candied lime peel, and crunchy pear. The wine finishes long and dry with a persistent chalky minerality.
Food Pairing
Pairs beautifully with fresh seafood, spicy Asian dishes, or goat cheese.