Showcasing Niagara’s Vineyards
Catching a winemaker during harvest is a bit like following the path of a shooting star: blink and you’ll miss them. Luckily, it only takes a few minutes with 2027 Cellars founder and winemaker Kevin Panagapka to grasp his simple and brilliant winemaking ethos: source from the best vineyards using the best viticultural practices and then use the best tools in the winery to make the best wine you can.
When Kevin and his wife Jodie Raymond founded 2027 Cellars in 2007, they had what can be called a Burgundian vision of producing artisanal, terroir-driven, single vineyard wines from prime vineyards throughout the Niagara Peninsula. That vision has never faltered. A 20+ year Niagara winemaking veteran, Kevin has amassed a deep knowledge of specific vineyard sites within the region and an understanding of how each one will express itself in his wines. “There is a reason my name is on the back of the bottle,” he says. “It’s not about me, it’s about each specific vineyard and the quality and character of that fruit.”
In the cellar, fermentations are done with indigenous yeast and only Burgundian oak is used for aging wines. There is no compromising on quality: “We only use the highest quality oak barrels to age our wines. It’s a huge financial investment but I believe you should spend money on what impacts the quality of the wine.” Regardless of the price point of a wine, however, this standard never changes and Kevin notes there are no ‘declassified wines’ (wines made from lower quality fruit) in the 2027 portfolio.
This year, 2027 introduces two new reds, from what Kevin deems the best vintage Niagara has ever seen: the 2020 Wismer Armburst Gamay-Noir and the 2020 King Street Cabernet Franc. Both wines are sourced from vineyards on the Twenty Mile Bench, an area Kevin describes as “established, with 20+ year-old vines, and with specific sites planted to the right varietal; these are vineyard sites with a proven track record and they have become famous for their quality.” Quite simply, it is the best Niagara has to offer.
2027 Cellars 2020 Wismer Armburst Gamay-Noir, Twenty Mile Bench
Retail: $30.00 / btl
2027 Cellars 2020 King Street Cabernet Franc, Twenty Mile Bench
Retail: $40.00 / btl
Email wine@thevineagency.ca to order!
The Wines
On the Twenty Mile Bench, limestone and shale soils provide mineral depth and texture, 20+ year-old vines produce fruit with complexity and the lake breezes pushing up the Escarpment allow for even and continuous ripening through the growing season, producing characterful, ripe and balanced fruit for winemaking.
2027 Cellars 2020 Wismer Armburst Gamay-Noir, Twenty Mile Bench
The wine opens with an incredibly pretty floral nose followed by red fruit: ripe cherry and late summer strawberry. An undercurrent of minerality along with bright acidity provides balance to soft, perfectly ripe tannins. Ready to drink now, it will pair perfectly with soft cheese and charcuterie, barbequed chicken or salmon or will cellar well for the next 3-5 years.
2027 Cellars 2020 King Street Cabernet Franc, Twenty Mile Bench
Aged in 30% new Burgundian oak barrels, this is a ripe and fresh style of Cabernet Franc. Elegant and refined with fragrant floral notes, ripe red fruit, smoke and new leather, the wine has vibrant acidity and seamlessly integrated fine-grained tannins. Pair with rare roast beef or mushroom risotto.
Email wine@thevineagency.ca to order!
About 2027 Cellars
2027 Cellars was founded in 2007 by Kevin Panagapka and his wife Jodie Raymond with the intention of producing artisanal, terroir-driven, single vineyard wines from prime vineyards throughout the Niagara Peninsula. Many of our friends and clients already know Jodie & Kevin well – she’s worked with The Vine since 2005, and Kevin is very much part of ‘the family’. Kevin is a highly-regarded winemaker, who consults to several Niagara wineries.
The winery name comes from a small experimental Pinot Noir vineyard Kevin planted in 2006 in Beamsville. 2027 is the Grower number assigned to this site.
Very much a hands-on operation, Kevin manages all the vineyard blocks that are the source of his fruit. He selects specific rows, and determines all vineyard practices such as leaf-pulling, cluster-thinning, harvest date, etc to achieve the optimal quality he requires. This extends to hand harvesting all fruit for a dynamic selection of vineyard-designated Chardonnays, Rieslings, Pinot Noir and Traditional Method Sparkling. In the cellar, only Burgundian oak is used – Alliers, Nevers & Vosges. Fermentations are made with indigenous yeast.
With a production of approximately 2,500 cases annually from premier sites, the focus on viticulture and quality winemaking stands as the foundation for the company. These are small-batch wines, produced to express the specific character and quality of each vineyard.
For years, 2027’s wines have been available for ordering by Licensees only, except for the occasional release in Vintages. We’re very excited that the winery now has a tasting room adjacent to Calamus winery on the escarpment above Jordan, and the wines are available to all our clients.
NEW! Order online at TheVineAgency.ca.
You can also email wine@thevineagency.ca or call 416.693.7994. We’d love to chat about wine with you!
