Ontario winemakers unite to blend barrels for charity auction

From left, Ontario winemakers Thomas Bachelder, Ilya Senchuk and Matt Smith consult on their blend for the Cuvée from the Heart Niagara Pinot Noir.Leaning Post/Supplied by Leaning Post

In December, Niagara winemakers Thomas Bachelder and Matt Smith joined Ilya Senchuk in his cellar to blend a pinot noir for a charity auction by Grapes for Humanity, a community of wine enthusiasts who volunteer their time.

Working with samples from different barrels of wine from the 2024 vintage, the trio looked for ways to combine their individual efforts. “The objective was to make a great representation of Niagara pinot noir,” says Senchuk, who co-founded Leaning Post Wines with his wife Nadia in 2009.

Their finished product and 11 other Cuvée from the Heart labels created by teams of Ontario winemakers are featured in the Grapes for Humanity Benefit Fine Wine Auction, which runs online until April 22. This year’s beneficiaries include Tree Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and other climate action agencies.

Senchuk welcomed the opportunity to support the efforts of Grapes for Humanity, which is in its 26th year, and to partner with other Niagara vintners. “It’s always a great learning experience,” he says.

These latest Cuvée from the Heart selections feature a racy and refined riesling, a vibrant and complex cabernet franc and a rich and flavourful syrah. Additionally, the chardonnays and pinot noirs produced by talented trios in Niagara and Prince Edward County are also noteworthy highlights.

These unique Ontario wines represent 131 of the 833 lots on offer. They are offered as either seven individual cases or 48 mixed lots, each containing one of Cuvée from the Heart’s 12 labels. The auction estimates for each 12-bottle lot range from $400 to $600. The winning bid is the final price paid, with no additional buyer’s premium or tax.

Other noteworthy items include 32 so-called “dream lots” offering immersive touring and tasting experiences and rare wine packages featuring leading wineries around the world.

The wine catalogue includes benchmark bottles from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Tuscany, including Château Latour 1982, Château Mouton Rothschild 1982 and a 6L bottle of Château d’Yquem 1989. There’s also a selection of rare Burgundies from the cellar of Rush’s Geddy Lee, who is also a member of the Grapes for Humanity board.

Steven Campbell, the former owner of Lifford Wine Agency who has helped organize the charity wine auction for the past six years, had the idea to put the winemakers’ faces on the labels. “I wanted to give winemakers involved pride in what they were doing and help make them much more visible,” he says.