Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2012 Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada 75cl

Charles Baker is a specialist producer whose reputation rests almost entirely on Riesling, made in partnership with the respected Stratus winery in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula. It is a focused, some would say obsessive, project dedicated to proving that Niagara can produce Riesling to stand alongside the classics of Europe.

This wine comes from the Picone Vineyard in Vinemount Ridge, a sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. The single-vineyard focus is central to the style: cool nights, lake-moderated summers and limestone-influenced soils, together with careful farming, give a tightly wound, precise Riesling built to age rather than an easy early drinker.

The 2012 now carries good bottle age, and mature Niagara Riesling develops beautifully, adding layers of complexity while holding on to its bright, defining acidity.

Expect a nose of lime, green apple and lemon, joined by the classic hint of petrol and a strong mineral streak that comes with age. The palate is dry, taut and racy, with piercing acidity and a long, saline finish. Serve it well chilled with fresh seafood, oysters, sushi or fragrant Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

If you love fine German or Alsace Riesling and want to explore what the New World can do with the grape, this aged single-vineyard Niagara bottling is a distinguished and rewarding example, and a reminder that Canada is a serious source of world-class cool-climate whites. Give it time in the glass, or even a short decant, and it unfolds slowly, showing why the best Niagara Riesling has such a devoted following among drinkers who prize precision and length.