Cellar Profile
Dan and Lynn Sullivan founded Rosehall Run in 2000. The 150-acre farm was selected due to its proximity to Lake Ontario (1-2 kms on three sides) and the remarkable clay soil scattered with rock and shale fragments on a calcareous limestone base. This was one of the earliest Prince Edward County wineries established in the west central region known as Hillier Ward. Planting of the vineyard began in 2001 with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Today, there are 25 acres of vinifera including Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Tempranillo. With over 30 years of Ontario winemaking experience, Dan is recognized as one of the top winemakers in the region. He is critically acclaimed for his consistent, elegant, approachable Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Sparkling wines as well as his innovations with unique varietals.
Region
Nestled between Lake Ontario in the North, Lake Erie to the South and the Niagara River to the East, the Niagara Peninsula is one of Canada's top wine producing regions. The moderating effects of the bodies of water create a moderate temperature during the growing season, similar to France's Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. With almost 15,000 acres under vine, Niagara produces a number of grape varieties, most famously, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
Vineyard
“The Dude” is 100% sourced from a small 27-year-old Riesling plot located where the Twenty Mile and Beamsville benchlands meet, and is lovingly farmed with meticulous attention by Bob Nedelko. Dolomite limestone underlays this famed ribbon of vineyard land and lends a steely frame for the intensely floral and citrus aromas.
Winemaking
The 2022 Righteous Dude represents the return of Riesling to the Rosehall Run portfolio. The intent here was to create a classic Germanic style, naturally off-dry Riesling by utilizing a slow, controlled, cold fermentation that was halted early to keep the alcohol low and to preserve the refreshing acidity of the 2022 harvest.
Tasting Notes
Prominent stone fruit and apple aromas on the nose with hints of white blossoms. Crisp and clean on the palate, with notes of nectarines, tangerines and ambrosia apples. The bracing, refreshing entry is balanced by a drying, stony finish and a pleasant, natural off-dry sweetness.
Varieties
One of the wine world's great white grapes, Riesling is best grown in cooler climates where it thrives from a long, slow growing season that develops its intense aromatics and renowned acidity. It is home in Germany but is also grown successfully throughout the wine world, notably in the Alsace region of France, cooler areas in Australia and South Africa and, of course, here in Ontario. Styles vary according to site and producer, from sweet and fruity to bone-dry and austere and everything in between.