Norman Hardie County Chardonnay 2019

Producer Description

Norm earned his sommelier certification at the University of Dijon in the late 1980s. After putting this certification to use for Four Seasons Hotel he spent 6 years (12 harvests) apprenticing with some of the best producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in both hemispheres. In 2003 he made the leap and put down roots in Prince Edward County. During the growing season and harvest Norm works tirelessly to ensure that no small detail is missed. On the weekends outside of harvest his gregarious personality moves throughout the winery fluidly directing his staff and making all who enter the winery feel welcome.

OUR TEAM

The full potential of the soils can only be realized with a team of tireless, dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who embrace my vision. Each member of my team brings with them a rich knowledge base and a thirst to learn more and create something special. We all take pride in a desire for greatness.

OUR TERROIR

The sites we’ve chosen have enormous potential. It’s up to us to look after and care for our land and vines to see that these sights realize their potential. We spend an inordinate amount of money and time on our vineyards to ensure perfect fruit. Our vineyard crew are fastidious, understand and embrace the concept that great wine can only be made in the vineyard. Once the fruit is ripe, we hand pick and hand sort every cluster. This is to ensure only perfect fruit make it into the fermentations.

OUR APPROACH

In the cellar, we take a hands-off approach to gently guide our wines through fermentation and ageing. We are not tempted to use an arsenal of quick-fixes for easy non-distinctive ferments available through numerous laboratories. Instead, our approach is to use very few modern techniques in the cellar. This "old world" approach entails using absolute minimal amounts of sulphur, natural yeast from the vineyard, extended fermentation on the skins for the reds, lots of lees contact for the whites, and natural malolactic fermentation in the spring. It takes tremendous experience and guts to take this natural approach; we do it because of our dedication and desire to create wines that taste of a sense of place or Vins de Terroir.

ACCOLADES

Right from our inaugural vintage in 2004, our goal has been to produce wine of the highest quality, that taste of a place, and every year to raise the bar on quality. We’ve quickly developed a strong clientele of local and international clients who appreciate our Old World handcrafted style. Almost immediately upon opening, the winery received phenomenal accolades from top wine critics. Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator), chose the 2008 County Chardonnay as one of his wines of the year.

Outstanding reviews have come from international wine critics, such as Stephen Spurrier (Decanter), Jamie Goode (wineanorak.com), Tim Atkin MS, and Jancis Robinson (jancisrobinson.com and the Oxford Companion to Wine), including some top local critics such as Tony Aspler, John Szabo MS, Michael Godel, David Lawrason, and many others.

• Rated 4 stars (out of 4) in Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book in 2019 and 2020
• Jancis Robinson – Ontario’s Burgundian Ambition
• Wine Align – Norman Hardie County Chardonnay Unfiltered 2016
  2019 National Wine Awards of Canada Gold Medal
  2019 Texsom International Wine Awards Judges’ Selection Medal
• John Szabo – Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir Unfiltered 2017
• John Szabo – Norman Hardie County Chardonnay Unfiltered 2017
  2020 Texsom International Wine Awards Gold Medal
• Jamie Goode – Exploring the wines of Ontario, Canada
• Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator) – My Wines of the Year 2013:

‘The Chardonnays emerging from Hardie’s small vineyard in Prince Edward County (he also buys grapes from the Niagara Peninsula area two hours away) are laser-etched with acidity, minerality and the sort of originality that we all once thought only Burgundy could deliver.”

• Ian d’Agata (Stephen Tanzier’s International Wine Cellar) – Ontario Wine Country: The New Frontier for Riesling and Pinot Noir

Norman Hardie is a true chardonnay and pinot noir expert… his chardonnays and pinots are some of the most Burgundian you will find outside Burgundy

• The Wall Street Journal
• Jamie Goode – The wines of Norman Hardie, Prince Edward County, Catching up With Norman Hardie
• The World of Fine Wine 2013 -Top rated North American Chardonnay

• The World of Fine Wine 2014 -Top ten North American Pinot Noir
• Jancis Robinson – From Bottom to Top – Canada’s Wines
• Jancis Robinson –  Some lovely reviews and excerpts from Canada Shows Off in London
• Stuart Pigott’s Rockstars of Wine America