Pure and silky. Adam Kern has over-delivered in terms of texture for this rich and bold 2020 vintage, while maintaining a good level of acidity. This Gamay from Niagara-on-the-Lake is definitely at Beaujolais Cru level. Bold aromas of ripe raspberry, cherry, orange, violet, and oak spice. Right off the bat, the nose announces this is a wine that's starting to hit it's prime. The palate is all red and blue fruits, led by raspberry, blue plum, currants, and a little hint of smokiness. The finish has a few layers of white pepper and pink peppercorn. This is a big Gamay, but not imposing, and has deliciously soft and smooth tannins. (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by The Willms Family.

Hand harvested on October 5th, 2020.

Hand sorted, de-stemmed and fermented on skins (12% whole cluster) for over 36 days, then cellared in select French oak barrels (16% new) for 11 months.

An expressive perfume of black cherry, raspberry, cigar and floral overtones of summer peonies. Elegant and savoury on the palate, the fruit is complemented by hints of allspice and juniper berries. Silky tannins and lively acidity offer a finely textured and exceptionally long finish.

1308 bottles & 408 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

A bold and rich fume blanc that spent 19 months in French oak barrels, with just over 20% new. You can smell, taste and feel the oak but everything is in harmony with the top nothc fruit from the iconic Hanck vineyard on the 20th Mile Bench. On the nose, aromas of vanilla, marmalade, poached apple, a hint of grapefruit, and lots of white flowers. The palate is unctuous and provides a beautiful mouthfeel, while a spark of acidity remains and keeps the essentials of Sauv Blanc uplifted. The palate purely matches the nose and the finish lingers providing a beautiful complexity and flintiness. (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes: 

Farmed by Wismer Vineyards

Hand harvested on October 8th, 2018.

Whole cluster pressed, then fermented and cellared in select French oak barrels (21% new) for 19 months

Lively aromas of piña colada jump out of the glass followed by notes of toffee and cardamom. The palate is full bodied, with intense grilled pineapple, nectarine, and coconut flavours. A balancing act between pithy marmalade and creamy toffee brings incredible texture.

576 bottles & 132 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks

I taste lots of Chardonnay over the course of a year, and this is in my top 5 Chardonnays in 2025. In my quest of finding Chards with a little more oak, I found peace and enjoyment with Kern & Co. Coming from one of my very favourite vineyard parcels in the country at Foxcroft Vineyard. The 25% new oak (for 22 months) provides richness, boldness and personality. On the nose, this wine exudes aromas of white peach, lemon meringue, chamomile, and vanilla. A point of acidity remains on the palate, balancing the oak and 13.8% alcohol. Flavours of ripe Meyer lemon, blood orange, salty lime, toffee, and a long, flinty and saline finish. This is truly the Wismer Foxcroft typicity I've learned to detect through the years that Thomas Bachelder has bottled this vineyard, only with more new oak, which turned out delicious. Wow, absolutely fantastic! If there was a comp alongside Meursault from Niagara's 2018 vintage, this would be the one! (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by Wismer Vineyards

Hand harvested on September 29th, 2018

Whole cluster pressed, then fermented and cellared in select French oak barrels (25% new) for 22 months

Layered aromatic profile with golden peach, pineapple, and meyer lemon zest, followed by hints of cedar and elderflower. Finely textured and savoury on the palate. Flavours of creme brûlée, poached pears and lingering minerality on the finish.

1248 bottles & 390 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

If Foxcroft Chardonnay was a reference to Meursault, the Hughes Chardonnay would be Chablis. More energetic, vibrant and linear: this fantastic wine could also have a longer term aging potential than the Foxcroft counterpart. On the nose, lime zest, bright flowers, yellow apples, a hint of hazelnut. On the palate, oily citrus texture, electric energy, tangerine, zesty lemon, flint, and white pepper seashell minerality on the finish. A beautiful contrast to the Foxcroft Chardonnay. A small decanting is recommended - which I rarely suggest for white wine, but helps this wine hit it's maximum potential at this stage in the aging curve. (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by Ed Hughes. Certified sustainable vineyard

Hand harvested on September 18th, 2018.

Whole cluster pressed, then fermented and cellared in select seasoned French oak barrels for 22 months.

Delicate and nuanced aromas of white peach, nectarine and honeysuckle to start, followed by subtle notes of quince and sandalwood. Flavours of lemon meringue pie and anjou pear are bolstered by flinty minerality. Zesty acidity draws the finish in anticipation of the next sip.

816 bottles & 234 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

In my opinion, this is the crown jewel of the Kern & Co. portfolio to date, and my number one Cab Franc tasted in our last Canadian Cab Franc marathon amongst nearly sixty from across the country. This rockstar 94 point single-vineyard Cab Franc was produced with two of the very best barrels of the 2018 vintage. The 50% new oak (aged for 24 months) is wonderfully integrated at this stage of the aging curve. Expressive, pure, silky and incredibly balanced, you have everything you'd expect in a premium Cab Franc. On the nose, classic aromas of black forest cake, maraschino cherry, cassis, mocha, and oak spice. The palate has hit a fantastic level of purity, offering layers of ripe red cherry, dark cherry, black currant, creamy vanilla custard, a hint of smoked tobacco, and a lengthy evolving finish based on oak spice and white pepper. An absolute gem of a wine! (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by Wismer Vineyards.

Hand harvested on October 25th, 2018.

Hand sorted, de-stemmed and fermented on skins for 27 days, then cellared in select French oak barrels (50% new) for 24 months.

A powerful aroma of black forest cake dominates the nose while subtle notes of cassis, black liquorice and ripe chillies add layers of complexity. Flavours of morello cherry and dark chocolate are seamlessly interwoven with plush tannins, offering a refined and focused palate with rich mouthfeel. A confident and composed wine. 

516 bottles & 150 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

There's lots of similarities between this wine and the Foxcroft vineyard Cab Franc from Kern & Co. Both vineyards are farmed by the Wismer family, but are in different sub-appellations. The big difference resides in the tannic structure. Rapanero is a little more wild, herbaceous, savoury and with more rugged tannins - perhaps also a result of the 10% stems added back in. It offers the classic nose of black forest cake, maraschino cherry, violet and fresh herbs. The palate has lower acidity, grippy tannins, and is shining right now. Creamy texture and a little bit geeky. So much fun to taste side by side with the Foxcroft! (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by Wismer Vineyards.

Hand harvested on October 26th, 2018.

Hand sorted, de-stemmed and fermented on skins (with 10% of the stems added back) for 36 days, then cellared in select seasoned French oak barrels for 24 months.

A captivatingly rich bouquet of violets and marjoram uplift aromas of black raspberry coulis, vanilla and chocolate. The palate begins with assertive, velvety tannins that quickly relax and taper to a fine ribbon. Black raspberry, graphite and savoury reduction provide a satisfying, extended finish.

1008 bottles & 312 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

This King Street Cab Franc is pretty and elegant. Made from two vineyards on the Twenty Mile Bench, the Cuesta Vineyard (67%) and the Foxcroft Vineyard (33%) and aged for 21 months in French oak (33% new). This might be the most ageable Cab Franc from the 2018 Kern & Co. collection due to brighter acidity. On the nose, it offers aromas of red currant, blue plum, red licorice and violet. Meanwhile the palate offers a defined Adam Kern signature texture - plush and sumptuous. Flavours of red cherry, red currant, ripe crushed strawberries, savouriness, a little bit of pencil shavings, with a beautiful graphite and chewy tobacco sensation on the finish. I perceive a bit more Loire style in this one. (Carl Boucher, December 4, 2025). 

Winery Notes:

Farmed by Wismer Vineyards.

Hand harvested on October 23rd and 25th, 2018.

Hand sorted, de-stemmed and fermented on skins for 18-27 days, then cellared in select French oak barrels (33% new) for 21 months.

The first pour exudes strong notes of kirsch, red plum and cocoa; when given time to open up, layers of tar, pencil shavings, and wild roses are revealed. Gravelly minerality and leathery tannins are accompanied by flavours of fresh red cherries and plums, leading to a sweet tobacco finish that lingers on the palate.

129 cases & 330 half-bottles produced, sealed with individually screened natural corks.

Six bottles showcasing Niagara terroir at it's finest.

2018 Kern & Co. Hanck Vineyard Fume Blanc 🔥 93pts | $39.52

2018 Kern & Co. Foxcroft Vineyard Chardonnay🔥 94pts | $47.43

2018 Kern & Co. Hughes Vineyard Chardonnay | 92pts | $47.43

2018 Kern & Co. Foxcroft Vineyard Cabernet Franc 🔥 94pts | $55.35

2018 Kern & Co. Rapanero Vineyard Cabernet Franc 🔥 92+pts | $55.35

2018 Kern & Co. King Street Cabernet Franc | 91pts | $44.05

A tightly curated 3-pack featuring the highest-scoring wines of the Kern & Co. lineup: 94pt Foxcroft Chardonnay, 94pt Foxcroft Cabernet Franc, and 93pt Hanck Vineyard Fumé Blanc. Small-lot production, exceptional texture, and drinking beautifully right now.

2018 Kern & Co. Foxcroft Vineyard Cabernet Franc 🔥 94pts | $55.35

2018 Kern & Co. Foxcroft Vineyard Chardonnay🔥 94pts | $47.43

2018 Kern & Co. Hanck Vineyard Fume Blanc 🔥 93pts | $39.52

These half-size bottles are perfect for tasting flights, or those nights where you'd love to have some wine but maybe not a full bottle. They also make fantastic gifts and stocking stuffers!

Since they are half the volume of a regular bottle, these wines are not for cellaring. They're for enjoying in the shorter term. 

Prefer to select your own bottles? Just scroll down below and choose the 375ml version of any of the available Kern & Co collection!