vintage |
Chardonnay
vinification / notes at bottling |
reviews / awards |
aging notes |
| 2000 | grapes were hand-harvested
in good condition on Oct. 26, 2000. tasting notes at bottling delicate pineapple and ripe pear with subtle oak and vanilla notes and fresh spice aromas...rich and intense tropical flavours with good acidity, showing hints of red grapefruit on the finish |
With tropical fruit
flavours and rich coconut milk aromas, there's something decidedly Club
Med going on in this Niagara Chardonnay. The barrel-fermented wine has a
nice core of pineapple and mango flavours, which are balanced by vanilla
and spice notes imparted from the French oak barrels. A solid value for
the price, this classic Chardonnay can be enjoyed over the next four to
six year. An excellent all-round choice for sipping or dining, this is a
solid choice for your cellar. Chris Waters, Vines. April 2002 Initial aromas of coconut milk and bright leesy character signal a serious Chardonnay. On the palate, there are complex flavours including oak spice, lush tropical fruit and a slight nutty bitterness, which isn't as off-putting as it sounds. The wine is full-bodied and fabulous. Chris Waters, The St. Catharines Standard. Dec. 29, 2001 |
| 2001 |
grapes were harvested
in great condition after a perfect ripening period / fermented in French
oak barrels (20% new) / barrels were topped early in november and malolactic
conversion began / this takes place very slowly at a temperature of 65
C with batonnage weekly until malolactic has finished
the wine was then
aged until the following August when it was racked from the lees and bottled
with light filtration
tasting notes at bottling medium yellow with hints of green pineapple, pear and yellow apple on the nose with spice, oak and vanilla, the palate is rich and elegant / there is a good balance of fruit sweetness and acidity with a lingering finish of butterscotch and lemon freshness |
Medium yellow colour
with a bouquet of caramel, vanilla, citrus and apple. In the mouth, there
is more apple with additional flavours of cream and an undercurrent of
pineapple. Finishes on a caramel note with very good length. Score: 88 Evan Saviolidis, Wine Tidings. Mar. 2003 …has a nice mix of buttery richness and tangy, lemony freshness. Shades of Aussie, but more reserved. Billy Munnelly, Billy's Best Bottles. Early Summer 2003 This bold Chardonnay poured out its subtle toasty oak, canned pineapple, baked spiced pear and candied lemon zest aroma as soon as it hit the glass. Although the mouth feel was full and well balanced, it was quite tight and should benefit from a little short term cellaring. I really was impressed with this complex bottling. Alan Kerr, Alan Kerr's Tasting Notes. Dec. 2003 Lovely chard with great balance, spice, smoke, kiss of oak. Rating: 86. Natalie MacLean, Nat Decants. Dec. 2003 A very interesting nose should only get more complex with time, which this wine needs in order to shave some austere edges. Generous, spicy, peat smoke, butter nuances around green pear fruit on the nose. Full bodied, intense and taut, with lots of wood and some bitterness on the finish. Best 2004 to 2007. David Lawrason, Winery to Home. Aug. 2003 3 out of 5 stars Rich gold colour with a full, toasty nose and a rich buttery texture. Seamless fruit and oak balance. Drink now to 2006. Konrad Ejbich, A Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards and Vines. McClelland and Stewart. 2005 BRONZE: Canadian Wine Awards 2003 |
| 2002 | grapes
were harvested in great condition / 30% of the juice was given 18 hours
of skin contact / all wine was fermented in French oak barrels using selected
yeasts / malolactic fermentation was completed in barrel weekly stirring of
the lees continued until April 2003 / the wine was racked and filtered
prior to bottling in August tasting notes at bottling fresh fruit on the nose with hints of spice, vanilla and herbs / the palate is rich with a creamy texture ripe pineapple and pear dominate the palate / butterscotch and lemon zest on the finish / the wine has good length total production: 600 cases |
Winemaker Derek Barnett has always been into Chardonnay in
a big, big way - from his earliest days at Southbrook in Toronto to his
welcome descent upon Niagara-on-the-Lake. He can stir lees with the best
of them. The 2002 Chardonnay is one of four produced from that impressive
vintage. There is a Canadian oak aged bottling, an Old Vines and a Limited
Edition release. Love them all. This medium-bodied wine offers bright Bosc
pear character and an almost honeyed core of fruit. There are nice creamy
oak notes and a clean, fresh finish. Drink now to 2006." Chris Waters. St. Catharines Standard. Jan. 31, 2004 "...introduces the winery's style - lemon and honey. Wine that combines refreshment with seductive flavours and richness. A great all-evening white." Billy Munnelly. Billy's Best Bottles. Summer 2004 Derek Barnett is making some of the best structured chardonnays in Niagara. Liberal use of oak is also a trademark, especially in the young wines, so expect a sappy, toasty, garlic butter nose. Then a very creamy, smooth texture built around seamlessly integrated acid and alcohol. palate. Love the feel of this wine. Interesting banana, all spice, toasty flavours go to very good length. Best 2005 to 2008. David Lawrason. Winery to Home. July 2004 Medium-bodied with flavours of almonds, peaches and pears. Excellent on its own, with pasta served in a cream sauce or with roasted chicken. Debbie Trenholm, Fifty-Five Plus Magazine. September 2004 3 out of 5 stars Brilliant gold hue. Oaky nose with nuances of roasted coffee beans. Perfectly integrated fruit and oak. Drink now to 2008. Konrad Ejbich, A Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards and Vines. McClelland and Stewart. 2005 BRONZE: Canadian Wine Awards 2004 |
| 2003 | tasting
notes at bottling A complex wine with ripe pear and tropical fruit, toasty oak and toffee with lemon and spice. Fresh acidity carries the flavours to a very long finish. total production: 120 cases |
3 out
of 5 stars Gold colour with an inviting nose of concentrated lemon butter and oak aromas. High acidity and powerful, smoky-oaky-nutty flavours. Big. Drink now to 2008. Konrad Ejbich, A Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards and Vines. McClelland and Stewart. 2005 |