Origins of Family Tree

As Niagara matures we see that different appellations are being replanted with even better grape varieties for their sites; greater specialization is taking place as people adapt to their weather and soils.

Our idea for these wines is to create something reflective of the entire Niagara Peninsula, not cut from whole cloth but made as a quilt, by choosing the best, small, family owned single vineyards. We source the best fruit, from the best grape varieties and sub-appellations in the Niagara Peninsula, including our own, the Short Hills Bench.

We then compose two multi-varietal blends, a red (Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc) and a white (Chardonnay, Viognier, Gewurztraminer and Musque).

The inclusion of the Rhone varieties (Syrah and Viognier) is a nod to the great blends of Southern France with which these wines share some similarities – perhaps they are our 'Chateauneuf-du-Pelhams'?

Of course we would never call them this. In fact, several years ago our cousin did a 14(!) volume family tree, and along the way to making these wines we found that we were related by blood or marriage to many of the farmers we were working with (it's a universal truth that anyone would discover if they examined the community they were born in).

The continuity from the people, to the vineyards, to the wine, to the label is perfectly captured by this metaphor: Family Tree.

-The Speck Family