Thomas Bachelder toured me around Le Clos Jordanne’s vineyards and explained the vintage to me. 2022 was a warm dry summer but too many rain showers late in the season. Brix levels are low and the fruit is phenolic-ly ripe; the colours, according to Thomas, are amazing. 2022 vintage will be richer than ’19 or ’20 and not as big as 2020. “Chardonnay is hanging like somebody’s dream,” says Thomas, “though the bunches are light in weight.” After the vineyard tour we sat down at my house with Magdalena Kaiser, Director of PR, Marketing and Tourism at Wine Marketing Association of Ontario to taste the Clos Jordanne 2020 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (in that order, following the Burgundian convention).
Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2020
Ruby colour; lightly floral, cedary, raspberry bouquet; medium-bodied, dry; firmly structured, earthy, youthful ripe fruit; red berry flavoured; elegant; chewy tannins. (90)
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir 2020
Ruby colour; black raspberry nose with well-integrated oak; dry, medium to full-bodied, sweet fruit – raspberry and blackcurrant flavours; beautifully balanced, firmly structured; very elegant. (92)
Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2020
Ruby colour; spicy, black raspberry nose; medium to full-bodied; dry, beautifully structure, evident but ripe tannins; lovely red and blackberry flavours with a great mouth-feel. Needs time. (92–93)
Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay 2020
Light gold in colour; green pineapple and lightly toasty nose; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted, green peach, green pineapple flavours with lively acidity. (90)
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2020
Light golden colour; saline, yellow apple nose with a thread of minerality; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted, apple and pineapple flavours; richly extracted, apple and pineapple flavours with a chalky, saline finish. (93)
Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2020
Light golden colour; ripe peach and apple bouquet with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, green pineapple flavour with beautifully integrated oak; beautifully balanced; very Burgundian in style; beautifully balanced, seamless, ending on a saline note. (95)
Sandhill Cabernet Franc 2020 (Similkameen & Okanagan fruit)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, lightly floral blackberry and blueberry bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, savoury black fruit flavours, well-integrated oak, ending on a note of sweet herbs. Hold 1–2 years. (90)
Sandhill Osprey Ridge Vineyard Viognier 2020 (Okanagan Valley)
Pale straw in colour; peachy, honeysuckle nose with a thread of minerality; medium-bodied, dry, peach, red apple and citrus flavours; beautifully balanced, lovely creamy mouth-feel. Drink now and through 2023. (91)
Sandhill Sovereign Opal 2021 (Okanagan Valley)
Sovereign Opal is a crossing of Golden Muscat and Marechal Foch. Pale straw colour; orange blossom and lychee bouquet; spicy, dry, lychee and ginger flavours carried on vivid acidity. Great length. Drink now and through 2023. (91)
Sandhill Sangiovese Rosé 2021 Single Block C9 (Okanagan Valley)
Rose-gold in colour; cherry pit nose; medium-bodied, dry, orange, redcurrant and sour cherry flavours; fresh and lively on the palate. Drink now. (90)
Sandhill Cabernet Merlot 2020 (Okanagan and Similkameen fruit)
60% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple in colour; cedary, vanilla, blackberry and blackcurrant nose with a note of white pepper; medium-bodied, dry, savoury, coffee bean and dark chocolate flavours. Well-integrated oak, well-structured with ripe tannins. Can be opened now but will reward with a a year or two in your cellar. (90)
Sandhill Barbera Sandhill Estate Vineyard Barbera 2018 (Okanagan Valley)
Deep rub-garnet in colour; cedary, black cherry with oak spice on the nose; medium-bodied, succulent cherry and redcurrant flavours with a suggestion of oak; beautifully balanced and harmonious; lovely mouth-feel and a long finish. Drink now and through 2023–4. (91)
Other wines tasted:
Claymore You’ll Never Walk Alone Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2018 (Clare Valley, Western Australia; $19.95, Vintages #409086; to be released November 9th)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, black fruit nose with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, savoury, blackberry and black plum flavours, carried on lively acidity; well-integrated oak. (89)
Closson Chase Mosaic Charmat Method 2021 (Ontario)
Pale straw in colour; active mousse of tiny bubbles; yeasty, apple nose with a chalky note; light to medium-bodied, crisply dry, green apple and lemon flavours; bright and clean on the palate; apple and yellow plum flavours. (89)
Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 (Prince Edward County)
Bright, pale straw colour; toasty, apple nose with a mineral thread; medium-bodied, dry, apple and green peach flavours; well-balanced, nicely integrated oak, ending on a nutty note. Good length. (90)
Closson Chase South Clos Chardonnay 2020 (Prince Edward County)
Bright, pale straw colour; toasty, minerally, apple nose with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, rich and full in the mouth with a creamy mouth-feel and yellow apple flavour. Good length. (91)
Closson Chase The Loyalist Chardonnay 2021 (Ontario)
Bright, light straw in colour; spicy, toasty, apple bouquet; medium-bodied, crisply dry, green apple flavour with a lemony finish. Well-integrated oak, Great length. (91)
Closson Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020 (Prince Edward County)
Ruby colour; high toned, red plum and raspberry nose; medium-bodied, dry, slightly volatile. (86)
Closson Chase Churchside Pinot Noir 2020 (Prince Edward County)
Ruby colour; lightly floral, lifted nose of raspberry and red plum with well-integrated cedary oak note; medium-bodied dry, raspberry flavour with just a touch of volatility that enhances the flavour. (88)
Thursday, October 6th: Today was the Ontario Wine Awards Sponsors’ Tour. Historically, we have invited our Gold Sponsors to participate in a three-winery tour and lunch. We began at Kacaba, with a glass of sparkling wine, a tour of the facility by winemaker Vadim Chelekhov followed by a tasting of Kacaba Unoaked Chardonnay 2020 (Silver medal winner at 2022 Ontario Wine Awards), Kacaba Proprietor’s Block Syrah 2019 (Gold medal winner), Kacaba Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018 and Kacaba Reserve Meritage 2020. Next stop: Redstone Winery for lunch.
The wines: Redstone Sauvignon Blanc 2019 and Redstone Growers Blend Pinot Noir 2020.
Our final stop was Malivoire, where we sampled Malivoire Bisous Rosé followed by Malivoire Rosé Moira, Malivoire Courtney Gamay 2020 and Malivoire Albert’s Honour Old Vines Foch 2019.
Other wines tasted:
Primus Carmenè 2019 (Colchagua Valley, Chile)
Opaque purple in colour; cedary, savoury plum bouquet with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, fruity, black plum flavour. Well-balanced. (88.5)
