The Brand
Scott and John-Daniel met in high school in 2004 and have shared a close orbit ever since. Their appreciation for wine began in their late teens, first tasting through John-Daniel’s father’s cellar of homemade wines before stretching their student budgets to explore international classics. That early curiosity soon turned toward Canadian expressions, where they found a new and exciting education.
By the mid-2010s, both had independently relocated to Niagara and fallen in love with the region and its wines. A particularly memorable bottle, the 2008 Henry of Pelham Reserve Riesling, sealed their bond with the grape that would become their vinifera soulmate.
Horseshoe Cellars was born from this shared passion. Dedicated to celebrating terroir in the Niagara Peninsula, the winery focuses on Riesling, one of the region’s most distinctive and expressive varieties. Since 2015, Horseshoe Cellars has explored small lots from unique vineyard sites across Niagara, including the Grimsby Hillside Vineyard since 2020, driven by a fascination with how Riesling captures the nuances of time and place.What began as a passion project in a backyard shed and makeshift fermentation room has grown into a full-fledged virtual winery. Through it all, the focus has remained the same: crafting wines of intensity, complexity, and balance that speak honestly of their origin.For us, Riesling is more than a grape - it is both passion and obsession. Every bottle from Horseshoe Cellars is an invitation to experience the beauty of Niagara through its truest voice.
Scott Woody
Scott Woody’s early years in Fonthill, Ontario introduced him to the rhythm of wine country. After moving west to Victoria, British Columbia, he spent his formative years there before pursuing his education, first as an undergraduate in Montreal and then at Brock University in Niagara, where he studied Oenology and Viticulture.
His hands-on journey began in the winter of 2013–14 at Konzelmann in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where he learned the fundamentals of pruning and vine care. Scott went on to expand his harvest and cellar experience with producers such as Malivoire, Henry of Pelham, Wescott, Angel’s Gate, and Cloudsley. Between the harvests of 2014 and 2019 he developed his foundations in vineyard management at the Stouck Family Vineyard in Beamsville, one of the region’s premier winegrowing sites. From there, his career advanced into leadership roles, serving as Associate Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Leaning Post from 2020 to 2022 and Assistant Vineyard Manager at Tawse in 2022. Along the way, he also gained international perspective during harvests based in Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula in 2017 and 2018.
In February 2023, Scott followed his Riesling dream to British Columbia, proudly joining Tantalus Vineyards in Kelowna as Vineyard Manager. Scott’s devotion to Riesling stems from his belief that the variety uniquely captures the story of its terroir, and he strives to share each unique chapter with every new harvest.
John-Daniel Steele
Originally from Vancouver Island, John-Daniel Steele spent many summers visiting his mother’s family in Provence and the Rhône Valley, where his fascination with wine first took root. After university, he began his career on the tasting bar at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery in St. Davids. What he expected to be a simple summer job quickly revealed itself as a lifelong passion. Surrounded by an inspiring group of colleagues and mentors, he quickly became captivated by Canada’s vibrant wine culture and has championed the wines of the True North ever since.
He went on to refine his hospitality and sales expertise at Tawse Winery and The Foreign Affair Winery, while also working harvests in Burgundy and Alsace, where he experienced firsthand the delicate balance of farming, science, and artistry that defines exceptional wines. In 2023, John-Daniel returned to British Columbia to join Okanagan Crush Pad, where he delights in sharing the story of terroir and the passion behind every bottle with each guest.
His love for wine, particularly Riesling, is rooted in the beauty of terroir expression, the dedication of the community that upholds it, and the commitment to capturing the essence of place and time in every bottling.
Grimsby Hillside
The Grimsby Hillside Vineyard has been owned by the Franciosa family since 2002. Under the guidance of Vineyard Manager Josh Mitchell since 2019, they have embraced a holistic approach to viticulture, one that balances vine health, fruit quality, and the broader ecosystem. A dedicated program of organic farming has been central to this vision.
In 2024, 17 of the vineyard’s 80 planted acres achieved Certified Organic status, with another 13 acres in transition and expected to be certified in 2025. Even in blocks not yet certified, farming practices lean heavily on organic treatments, with conventional sprays used only when absolutely necessary. The vineyard is entirely glyphosate-free, and tillage is limited to under-vine strip cultivation for weed control or when establishing new cover crops. Across the property, native plant buffers and diverse cover crops have been introduced to enrich soils, support biodiversity, and encourage healthy populations of native insects and wildlife. This thoughtful stewardship reflects a commitment to land stewardship, ensuring the vineyard not only produces exceptional fruit but also preserves and enhances the land for generations to come.
Kelson Block
Planted in 2008 with the 21B clone, the Kelson Block anchors the northern edge of Grimsby Hillside Vineyard, just 560 metres from the base of the Niagara Escarpment and 2.5 kilometres from Lake Ontario. Though close to the Gravel Creek Blocks, the Kelson Block speaks with its own distinct voice. With less influence of water runoff from the Escarpment and greater sun exposure, the block is consistently drier and slightly warmer through the summer, fostering earlier ripening and fruit of notable concentration. Rooted in reddish Trafalgar clay loam layered with red clay and green-banded shale over Queenston bedrock, the site provides both structure and complexity.
Horseshoe Cellars has worked with fruit from the Kelson Block since 2020, drawn to its unique expression of Niagara Riesling. The terroir delivers a classic mineral character complemented by a subtle ginger spice that distinguishes it from other sites in the region.The 2024 vintage shows a ripe, honeyed character, with tropical and stone fruit notes framed by a firm mineral spine. The resulting wine is generous, layered, and built for both richness and longevity.