Cloudsley Cellars
The dream of any “virtual winery” is to be in its own facility and in control of their own production … Think of it along the lines of Pinocchio wanting to be a real boy. For those not in the know, a virtual winery is one that runs out of a more established, traditional winery, using their license and their facilities to create their wines. That’s how Adam Lowy got his start with Cloudsley Cellars “I started Cloudsley in 2015 (working out of another winery) making Pinot Noir. In 2017 we moved to our present location and started making Chardonnay as well.”
Many of the new wineries starting out these days start with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as they are grapes that grow very well in our harsh climate. “We source most of our grapes from some of the best growers in the Twenty Mile Bench … We get the same rows each year and they are farmed to our specifications.”
Adam Lowy’s love affair with wine started with Burgundy: “I freely admit, it has influenced our wine making. My favorite wines are classically made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from cool climate regions,” he says. His history in the wine business goes further back than just a love affair with a region and a couple of grape varieties: “After developing a serious passion for wine, I started selling for an import agency in 1997 and have been in the business ever since.”
But Adam doesn’t just take inspiration from one source, “Thomas Bachelder, has been a great help and inspiration to all of us here,” he says citing the celebrated journalist-turned-winemaker, who returned to Ontario, after years in Oregon and other parts of the world, to start the Le Clos Jordanne project before it was shuttered and then eventually started up again.
Adam also insinuates that a company like his could not exist, if not for the overall quality and consumer appreciation for Ontario wine being where they are today. Going forward Adam is going to continue to “focus on quality, proving that we can make world-class wines right here at home.” That quality starts with his two Twenty Mile Bench wines: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and extends to his small-lot single-vineyard wines which are exclusively available at the winery.
Finally, a quick shout out is given to Matt Smith, winemaker, a Niagara College graduate who worked for Adam’s wine inspiration at both Domaine Queylus and Bachelder Wines, as well as a go round at Peller as well. My most recent tasting of a clouds leave Pinot Noir was, in my opinion, his best work to date … Meaning Cloudsley is well on its way to achieving their goals and making world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Cloudsley Cellars can be found at…
3795 Victoria Avenue
Vineland, ON L0R 2C0
https://cloudsleycellars.com
And on social media at…
Instagram – @cloudsleycellars
Facebook – @CloudsleyCellars
Twitter – @cloudsleywine
Michael Pinkus is a multi-award-winning journalist as well as national and international wine judge. He is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in numerous publication both in Canada and internationally. He is also the sole writer for his eponymous website MichaelPinkusWineReview.com (formerly OntarioWineReview.com), and past-President of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada (2010-2015).
You can also follow him two ways on Facebook: (Michael Pinkus
