2017 Wiyana Wanda

Wiyana Wanda literally means “Land of Wine”. This is in reference to both where the Icel Family is originally from in Central Anatolia, Turkiye, but also the Niagara Peninsula. Both regions home to a history and tradition of grape growing.

The 2017 growing season in Niagara started out as what many thought would be a disaster. Persistent rain left vineyards, and even Toronto Island, flooded. Unlike the heat and dryness the region saw in 2016, the rain never seemed to stop. Many growers and wineries were worried it would be an awful vintage. However, as September approached, the faucet was turned off and for the entirety of September and October there wasn’t a raincloud in sight. The weather was warm, not too hot, breezy, and dry. Most didn’t know it at the time, but it became one of the great vintages of recent memory.

The grapes for our Wiyana Wanda were carefully chosen from our ripest blocks and aged an additional year in French Oak in order to show off the concentration and intensity of the vintage. Wiyana Wanda is our flagship wine, the creation of our winemaking team that demonstrates power, elegance, and ability to age. It is a wine that will provide pleasure for many years. The 2017 Wiyana Wanda, our top Bordeaux Blend, 70% Cab Sauv, 20% Merlot and 10% Malbec aged 24 months in French Oak barrels selected from the best Estate grapes with 14.6% alcohol.

In the glass, this wine shows aromas of fruit compote, wormwood, ripe plum, ripe strawberry, and leather. On palate, it’s rich with dark chocolate, tobacco, and black raspberry notes. With some bottle age, one can expect a plush texture and smooth finish.