Rustic barn and screwcaps: A perfect combination at Calamus Winery

What: Calamus Estate Winery Where: 3100 Glen Rd., Jordan (close to Balls Falls) Hours: Thursday to Sunday and holidays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Winemaker: Arthur Harder Specialties: A well-rounded portfolio of VQA estate-grown wines made from cool-climate grapes that are all bottled in screw caps. Must try: Vinemount Ridge Riesling shows off the terroir of this estate's property with a unique bead of minerality. Try the Half Penny Rose, a five-varietal white grape blend with the colour coming from a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon. Website: www.calamuswines.com Rick VanSickle Everyone leaving the rustic barn that is now the Calamus Estate Winery tasting room receives a rubbery coaster with the logo of the estate emblazoned on the surface. A curious gift until owner, Derek Saunders, explains politely that it helps remove the screwcap that every bottle wine made at the winery is enclosed with. A bold move for any winery. And particularly daring in Niagara where wines made with twist-off caps are the exception rather than the rule. Truth be told, all wines should made in screwtop bottles. It ensures freshness for the whites and eliminates the threat of tainted wines from faulty corks. Wine regions, such as Niagara, have been slow to realize this or make the switch for fear it will conjure up bad memories from days long gone when a screwtop was a sure sign of a cheap wine. Saunders, who owns the winery in partnership with his wife, Pat Latin, runs a nifty operation on the outskirts of the gorgeous Balls Falls Cconservation area. The couple, along with winemaker Arthur Harder, concentrate on what works well in Niagara — cool climates varietals such Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris for the whites and early-ripening reds such as Cabernet Franc and red blends. The experience at the winery is one of calmness, an oasis after a long bike ride or country drive with pastoral outdoor decks and a quiet tasting room which is a renovated version of a 122-year-old barn that was a small dairy operation until the 1970s. When Saunders bought the property in 2001 he planted the grapes he wanted from scratch on 22 acres of arable land. That was added to property Saunders and his wife already owned, a 14-acre parcel of land on the eastern edge of Beamsville, just below the escarpment. Saunders, a former news executive with both CTV and CBC, draws from both properties to produce about 4,500 cases of wine a year. Only estate-grown grapes are used in Calamus wines. Here are some wines that are highly recommended (available at the winery or call 905-562-3999): Calamus Estate Vinemount Ridge Riesling 2007 ($17 at the winery with a Vintages release sometime this year, 4.5 stars) — A sensational single-vineyard Riesling that shows an edgy sense of place with balanced mineral-citrus notes on the nose. Ripe stone fruit is showcased on the palate with wet stone and citrus that all lead to lingering, dry finish. Calamus Estate Gewurztraminer 2007 ($15, 4 stars) — A pretty, aromatic white with lychee, honey and apricot aromas. It's honey sweet on the palate, not overly so, but kissed by sweetness to go with all that ripe fruit and mild spice. Think Asian food and this Gewurz. A dream match. Calamus Estate Riesling 2007 ($16, 3.5 stars) — A blend of vineyards, this Riesling is a crowd-pleaser with forward peach, quince and crisp citrus notes. Calamus Estate Meritage 2006 ($20, 4 stars) — This red blend won a bronze medal at the recent Ontario Wine Awards. It shows savoury spice on the nose to go with blackberry, currants and vanilla spice. The red fruits and currants on the palate are propped up by cloves, cinnamon and herbs. Very nice, interesting red. Enjoy!