Norman Hardie Chardonnay Unfiltered 2022 (Niagara)
This 2022 Chardonnay is very much in line with the amazing 2015 and 2017 vintages. Beautiful bright citrus notes with great minerality on the pallet and a well-balanced, long finish. This is for those who are looking for Burgundian style Chardonnay as opposed to big, over-oaked California New-World Chardonnays. For those who are looking for Burgundy but can’t stomach the price, this is a magnificent Chardonnay that they will surely enjoy.
A blend of three of the most mineral-driven Chardonnay sites on the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. 2022 was almost the perfect summer for Chardonnay – long and cool, followed by a cool, dry fall. Lovely 12.6% alcohol. Aged for 18 months (two winters) in large format French oak barrels. Bottled without filtration and very low sulphurs.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | Ontario |
| Region | Niagara Peninsula |
| Producer | Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard |
| Vintage(s) | 2022, 2016 |
| Color | White Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Chardonnay |
This 2022 Chardonnay is very much in line with the amazing 2015 and 2017 vintages. Beautiful bright citrus notes with great minerality on the pallet and a well-balanced, long finish. This is for those who are looking for Burgundian style Chardonnay as opposed to big, over-oaked California New-World Chardonnays. For those who are looking for Burgundy but can’t stomach the price, this is a magnificent Chardonnay that they will surely enjoy.
A blend of three of the most mineral-driven Chardonnay sites on the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. 2022 was almost the perfect summer for Chardonnay – long and cool, followed by a cool, dry fall. Lovely 12.6% alcohol. Aged for 18 months (two winters) in large format French oak barrels. Bottled without filtration and very low sulphurs.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | Ontario |
| Region | Niagara Peninsula |
| Producer | Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard |
| Vintage(s) | 2022, 2016 |
| Color | White Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Chardonnay |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
|---|---|
| Volume | 750ml |
| Alcohol | 12.6% |
| Product Code | A002W00122 |
| UPC | 837654599525 |
| Inventory | In Stock (120) |
Pairing
A great wine for a beautiful piece of Salmon, grilled/fried chicken or any mild/lemony seafood dish.
Cellaring
Drink or hold past 2035!
Bright medium straw colour. Very intense and complex with a toasty, ripe, lemon meringue pie nose with lots of minerally, cedary notes. Dry, medium-full bodied, well textured, rich, ripe, mouthfilling, lemon meringue flavours with a long, lingering, minerally, buttery brioche, key lime pie finish. Aged for 18 months (2 winters) in large format French oak barrels and bottled without filtration.
Appellation
VQA Niagara Peninsula
Vinification
The grapes are sourced from a variety of sites on the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. Gentle, whole-cluster pressing of the fruit into horizontal stainless steel tanks where fermentation starts with ambient yeasts. Fermenting juice is then transferred to 500L French oak barrels to complete ferment. About 30% new oak, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill. Wine undergoes MLF naturally in the spring; wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimum sulphur dose before bottling.
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
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