Bachelder wines plus prices
Sunday, February 23rd: Dinner at John Nadeau’s – aperitif wine with charcuterie, Terradora Dipaolo Greco di Tufo 2016 and with the pork chop, Southbrook Chardonnay Laundry Vineyard 2021.
Tuesday, February 25th: Thomas Bachelder came over to the house with 19 of his 2022 vintage release Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. A true son of Burgundy, Thomas set out the reds for the tasting before the whites.
Bachelder 2022 Pinots
Bachelder Pinot Noir Les Villages 2012
Ruby colour with a tawny hue; lightly toasty, floral bouquet of raspberries; medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured, earthy, raspberry flavour with evident but ripe tannins. (89)
Bachelder Beam City Pinot Noir 2022 (Beamsville Bench)
Ruby colour; cedary, spicy, toasty, vanilla nose; medium-bodied, dry, red berry flavour; firmly structured, well-integrated oak; elegant; ripe tannins. (91)
Bachelder Road Block Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 (Beamsville Bench)
Ruby colour; cedary, floral, spicy, toasty nose; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted, raspberry and cherry flavours. (91)
Bachelder Wismer-Parke Wild-Ouest-End Pinot Noir 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Ruby colour; floral, spicy, raspberry bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured, minerally red berry flavours (92)
Bachelder Wismer-Parke Pinot Noir 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Ruby colour with a tawny hue; oaky, saline note on the nose; medium-bodied, dry; lean and sinewy; a bit lacking in mid-palate fruit, finishing on a saline note. (89)
Bachelder Hanck Pinot Noir 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Tany ruby; minerally, floral, red meat nose; medium-bodied, dry; firmly structured, lively acidity; cherry flavour; firm tannic finish with a saline note. (91)
Bachelder Lowrey Vineyard ‘Old Vines Pinot Noir 2022 (St. David’s Bench)
Ruby colour; minerally, vanilla, spicy, cherry nose; medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured, elegant, firmly structured, lovely mouth feel with a saline note on the finish. (92)
Bachelder Lowrey Vineyard “Old Eastern Block” Pinot Noir 2022 (St. David’s Bench)
Ruby colour; cherry and oak spice on the nose; medium-bodied, dry; Volnay style; firmly structured, tannic finish with a note of tar. (90–92)
Now the whites:
Bachelder Willms Vineyard Vignes de 1983 Chardonnay 2022 (Four Mile Creek)
Bright straw in colour; spicy, toasty, apple bouquet with a mineral note; medium-bodied, dry, apple, pear and lemon flavours with brisk acidity. Beautifully balanced, with great length on the palate. (91)
Bachelder Bai Xu Vignes de 1981 (Four Mile Creek)
Bright straw colour; toasty, chalky, apple nose; full-bodied, dry; rich and full on the palate; richly extracted apple and pear flavours. (91)
Bachelder Werner-York Chardonnay 2022 (St. David’s Bench)
Bright straw colour; minerally, toasty bouquet of orchard fruit; medium-bodied, dry, pear and apple flavours with a saline note on the finish. (89)
Bachelder Cuesta “Far-East, Man!” Chardonnay 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Bright straw colour; toasty, apple nose; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple, pear and lemon flavours with at thread of minerality. (90)
Bachelder Wismer Foxcroft “Nord” Chardonnay 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Bright straw colour; toasty, spicy apple bouquet; full-bodied, dry, apple and pear flavours, firmly structured, minerally orchard fruit flavours with a saline note on the finish. (90)
Bachelder Wismer Wingfield Chardonnay 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Bright straw colour; spicy, toasty apple bouquet with a mineral note; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted, minerally apple and lemon flavours; beautifully balanced. (91)
Bachelder Wismer Wingfield “Hill of Wingfield” Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench)
Bright straw colour; toasty, apple and lemon zest nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, richly extracted yellow apple flavour; firmly structured; great length. (92)
Bachelder Ivy & Warren Saunders “Haut” Chardonnay 2022 (Beamsville Bench)
Bright straw colour; toasty, apple nose; full-bodied, dry, plush, ripe apple flavour carried on lively acidity; lovely soft mouth feel. (91)
Bachelder Milo Chardonnay 2022 (Lincoln Lakeshore)
Bright straw colour; toasty, apple bouquet; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple flavour; well-integrated oak; great length. A seamless wine. (92)
Bachelder Grimsby Hillside “Red-Clay Barn Block” Chardonnay 2022 (Lincoln Lakeshore)
Bright straw colour; spicy, toasty apple nose; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted orchard fruit flavours; beautifully balanced, reminiscent of Chassagne-Montrachet. (93)
Bachelder Grimsby Hillside “Frontier Block” Chardonnay 2022 (Lincoln Lakeshore)
Bright straw in colour; toasty, spicy, apple bouquet; full-bodied, dry, mouth-filling flavours of apple and pear, firmly structured with a fine spine of acidity. Great length. (92)
Wednesday, February 26th: Tasted the following Niagara College Teaching Winery wines, which will be awarded Dean’s List status:
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Riesling 2024
Very pale straw in colour; minerally, grapefruit zest nose with a light floral note; light-bodied, crisply dry with lime, grapefruit and green pear flavours; elegant, with a long citrus finish. Will cellar for a decade. (90)
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Pale straw in colour with a lime tint; grassy, green plum bouquet with a mineral note; medium-bodied, dry, crisp kiwi and gooseberry flavours carried on brisk acidity. Lovely mouth-feel, great length. (90)
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Gamay Noir 2023
Bright ruby in colour; earthy, cherry bouquet with a hint of oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, red cherry and raspberry flavours carried on lively acidity. Great mouth-feel and length. Chillable for serving with fish. (90)
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Pinot Noir 2023
Bright ruby in colour; a nose of violets and raspberries with a suggestion of oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, raspberry and plum flavours; elegant, Volnay style; well-balanced, well-integrated oak. Velvety mouth-feel. (92)
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Cabernet Franc 2023
Deep purple in colour; black fruit nose with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and black cherry flavours underscored by lively acidity; firmly structured with ripe tannins. (90)
Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Syrah 2023
Deep purple colour; spicy, blackberry bouquet with floral, vanilla oak and white pepper notes; full-bodied, savoury, blackberry flavour with juicy acidity. Beautifully balanced; a seamless wine. Will cellar well 5+ years. (93)