Henry of Pelham The School House Cabernet Merlot 2024 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 91/100

A rich yet approachable blend offering aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and blackberry, accented by hints of cedar, mocha, and baking spice. It’s medium to full-bodied, dry, and smooth on the palate, with ripe tannins, balanced acidity, and 13.5% alcohol lending structure and warmth. Serve it just below room temperature to highlight its dark fruit and supple texture. Fascinating fact: The School House series pays tribute to the original family schoolhouse on the Speck family estate, now lovingly restored and symbolizing the winery’s deep roots in Niagara winemaking. This Cabernet Merlot will age gracefully for 4–6 years, gaining depth and a softer, more integrated profile. We’re back in Niagara with another wine steeped in family history. The dark red stone for this blend’s namesake schoolhouse was quarried from atop the Escarpment overlooking the vineyard. The Speck cousins attended that old school, and together they hand-planted their first Cabernet and Merlot vines within sight of the building. There’s even a second meaning: Paul and Bobbi Speck ran a small school in Toronto for over 20 years before founding Henry of Pelham winery. This wine follows in the footsteps of European Bordeaux blends with brilliant dark fruit flavours balanced by a solid backbone of tannin. It’s a classically inspired modern wine that showcases cassis, blackberry, and plum with hints of cedar, graphite, and subtle herbal notes. Here’s a fun fact: in classic Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Sauvignon provides the structure and aging potential while Merlot adds softness and approachable fruit. It’s like a marriage where each partner brings complementary strengths. Cabernet is the planner who books the vacation six months out. Merlot is the one who remembers to pack snacks. Together, they’re unstoppable. I’d pair this with herb-crusted prime rib roasted to medium-rare perfection with its salt-and-pepper bark crackling against tender meat that bleeds pink juices with every slice. Or try aged blue cheese with walnuts where the cheese’s sharp pungency and creamy texture find harmony with the wine’s structure or grilled lamb chops with rosemary and garlic where the charred exterior yields to juicy meat that makes the wine’s herbal notes sing. One more option: wild game like venison medallions in a red wine reduction where the lean, rich meat stands up to the wine’s power or finally beef Wellington with its flaky golden pastry encasing tender filet and earthy mushroom duxelles creating layers of texture and flavour that unfold with each bite.

Cabernet Merlot food pairings: grilled sirloin steak, where the wine’s dark fruit and spice balance the savoury char. Or enjoy it with a classic shepherd’s pie, where its smooth tannins and ripe berry notes complement the hearty flavours.

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This Henry of Pelham The School House Cabernet Merlot 2024 was reviewed on September 1, 2025 by Natalie MacLean

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