Four cases of wine… and 24 pairs of socks!

In mid-February, we were thrilled to have winemaker Thomas Bachelder and his wife, Mary Delaney, come to Stokely Creek Lodge in Goulais River for a tasting of some of Thomas’s Niagara wines. Thomas is an acknowledged “Burgundy Specialist” with his focus clearly on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

We were starting to panic, however, when, two days prior to the tasting, the wines had yet to arrive. A quick call to Mary cleared all that up. Concerned about trying to ship wine to the North in ‘Frozen February’, they had decided they would bring the wine with them when they flew up.

They arrived with some large suitcases containing 48 bottles of wine, each one individually bubble-wrapped and then encased in one of Thomas’s extra-large socks! Not one bottle broken. Mission accomplished.

At Stokely, the tasting, accompanied by appetizers including fresh oysters, featured four Bachelder wines. These were preceded by the Jackson-Triggs Entourage ‘Grand Reserve’ Sparkling Brut 2016 and followed by the Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine 2017.

The Ice Wine was a fitting conclusion, as it was Karl Kaiser of Inniskillin who introduced Ice Wine to Ontario, and whom Thomas held in high esteem as an inspiration. Kaiser, in effect, put Ontario wines on the map when the 1989 version of this Ice Wine took the Prix d’Honneur in France.

The 2017 Vidal Ice Wine was lush and honeyed, suggestive of apricot and peach, the sweetness harnessed at the end by good acidity. (This wine is available in our stores for $49.95).

The Entourage Brut Reserve is a terrific option for a sparkling wine made in the classic method which features a second fermentation in the bottle. In this instance, the process takes in excess of two years. The final result is a stylish and complex bubbly with creamy and toasty notes, bright and crisp carbonation, and a fulsome, text-book mouthfeel. It really delivers for $29.95. (Both the Ice Wine and the Brut Sparkling wine are available at the Wine Rack stores)

Then we turned to Bachelder. On their website, we are told that “the intent is to make pure, suavely-textured wines that sing lightly and clearly of their vineyard origins with as little makeup as possible – wines that are finely-perfumed and tightly-wound, offering the classic refined fruit and textured minerality of the delicate silt, clay and dolomitic limestone-laced ancient lakebed terroirs of Niagara.”

If that is the goal, Bachelder has hit it out of the park.

We poured two Bachelder Niagara Chardonnays, the 2017 Mineralité and the Wismer-Wingfield ‘Ouest’ S.V. Chardonnay 2016.

The ”Mineralité”, $22.95, popped with an instant burst of crisp, ripe apple fruit. Thomas believes very firmly in the concept of ‘terroir’, and wants his wines to be an expression of their origins, including the specific place in which the vines themselves are growing. ‘Minerality’ is a clear characteristic of the Niagara region, and that is borne out here with a definite line of mineral-like crispness on the palate. This wine rewards instantly.

The single-vineyard Wismer-Wingfield ‘Oeust’ 2016, $47.95, is a whole different animal. Where the previous wine’s impact was immediate, this was far more subtle and sophisticated. Given time to open up, the effect became ethereal. Gaylen Byker, our host at Stokely Creek, felt that this Chardonnay compared very favourably with good Meursaults and Montrachets from Burgundy itself, wines which would easily cost two to three times as much, and more.

Rick VanSickle in winesinniagra.com put it this way back in October 2019: “This is the finest Chardonnay Bachelder has crafted from his favourite terroir…It’s subtle to start, but opens up to pure elegance and nuance with a range of bin apples, lemon, cream, flint, salinity and perfectly poised oak spice. And then the palate, holy-moly, the palate! It’s more open-knit and revealing with pear, lemon cream, a mineral bath, oak spices — the epitome of power and grace with a freshening finish that lasts and lasts.- 95.”

If you are looking for ‘oak’, look elsewhere. Thomas wants his barrels to be neutral, letting the wines evolve as purely as possible. They are also wines that will reward some extra care when you are ready to drink them. Thomas informed me that “the Villages-level chardonnays and the single-vineyards all benefit from being opened an hour ahead, and perhaps either decanting 1 hour before.” As well, he suggested that you could pour these wines 15 minutes ahead, just to let them warm and open up.

After the whites, we tasted the Bachelder ‘Les Villages’ Gamay Noir 2017, $22.95, followed by the Bachelder ‘Les Villages’ ‘Réserve’ Pinot Noir 2016, $29.95.

While Pinot Noir is almost exclusively the red grape in Burgundy, in the sub-region of Beaujolais, we are in Gamay Noir territory. Just as Bachelder strives with his Pinots to acknowledge their Burgundy heritage, he pays tribute to Beaujolais with his Gamay.

Here we have a wine that is a bright, translucent ruby in colour with some cherry-like flavours and sour Montmorency cherry acidity. There is an elegance to this lighter-natured wine, and again, it shows best when it has had a little time to breathe.

The Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from a number of sites, as the designation “Les Villages” would indicate. Smooth elegance, carefully achieved via old, neutral oak, is a Bachelder benchmark clearly in evidence here. A gently-textured wine made in a careful natural fashion using indigenous yeasts and fruit from organic vineyards wherever possible, it presents with a quiet smoky note and subtle fruit reminiscent of black cherry and, perhaps, plum with a cranberry crunch of acidity sliding in at the finish.

In all, the Stokely Tasting was a terriific and special experience… and Thomas has re-claimed all his socks!

Of the Bachelder wines tasted, only the Pinot Noir is currently available in Vintages, but wines can be ordered directly from bachelderniagara.com, with a new release coming April 2.

That said, there are a several other Bachelder wines currently in Vintages – and Thomas has signed most of them at the Great Northern Road store. To begin with, there is the Les Villages Reserve Pinot Noir mentioned above. Then, there is the Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2017, $24.95, which gives a more rich and lush expression than the Mineralité, with a buttery, creamy texture, peach and apple fruit, and a tightening acid and mineral seam bringing balance towards the finish.

You can also find the impressive Grand Clos Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Le Clos Jordanne which I reviewed last fall.

Le Grand Clos 2017 Single-vineyard Chardonnay, $44.95 – All of a piece, this finely textured wine is a brilliant and utterly enjoyable effort. The fruit arrives at the tip of the tongue with an utterly silky, smooth entry, and the flavours ripple out expansively, wider and wider. Towards the finish, a lively citrus note and a precise minerality bring resolution to the experience.

Le Grand Clos 2017 Single-vineyard Pinot Noir, $44.95 – Tony Aspler, whom I consider the Dean of Ontario wine writing, suggests this is in the style of Burgundy’s Volnay, a wine known for its elegance, finesse, soft tannins and delicacy, and possessing a lovely perfumed fragrance and silky mouthfeel. Simply put, ‘he knows whereof he speaks.’

Medium ruby in colour, the wine brings tannins that feel like a luxurious suede. The fruit is present, but subdued, not drawing attention to itself, but instead contributing to the over-all rich and flavourful impact finishing with a lush herbal and mineral grace note.

Both these wines define elegance and exemplify refinement.

One final wine is the Domaine Queylus Tradition Pinot Noir 2016, $31.95. Thomas was Founding and Chief Winemaker for Domaine Queylus, and he remains the consulting winemaker and viticulturalist. Of this wine made by Kelly Mason, Tim Appelt at winediscovery.ca wrote “this intriguing Niagara Pinot Noir shows lots of varietal character. I really like the mid-depth translucent red colour with its hint of garnet towards the rim, the bright red cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit aromas, the earthy, Pinot depth, and that hint of orange zest that emerges on top. The wine is nicely structured, with crisp acidity, and fine and lightly persistent tannins. The fruit on the palate maintains a pleasant freshness, while the savoury, non-fruit elements are beginning to add some complexity.”

Plenty to try and to enjoy, so check them out.

March 7 Vintages Release

White

Rechsteiner Brut Prosecco 2018, $12.95, from Italy, appears to be a terrific buy. Elsewhere in Canada it is retailing for as high as $17.95, and an earlier edition earned a 90 from Decanter, which suggested it exhibited a “very subtle, herbal nose, then a lemon and tropical fruit palate. This fleshy wine is blessed with creamy bubbles and a pleasurable finish - a crowd pleaser.”

Paul Mas Single Vineyard Collection Reserve Viognier 2018, $13.95. On Natalie MacLean’s website, the report is that “Paul Mas is one of the most exciting producers in the South of France and works to impart a sense of "luxe rural" (simple luxury) to all of its wines. You will find this Viognier to be intense and characterful, with touches of honey, pear, citrus and peach.” Gold –Mundus Vini, Spring 2019.

Hacienda López de Haro Blanco 2018, $14.95, from Spain’s Rioja is made from the Viura grape. Old vines in poor soils suggests that the fruit will be concentrated. Three months fermentation in French oak follows, and we can infer that this will be an excellent wine for the price. Decanter gives it an 89, saying we should expect “a delicious mouthful of intense, waxy and slightly spicy apple and pear fruits, outlined by an energetic grapefruit tang.”

Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay 2018, $19.95, is a clean and attractive white that is medium –full in body, carrying a spicy quality that is rich but measured. There seems to be a hint of butterscotch, which may underscore the winemaker’s observation of “shortbread cookie flavors”. Given that the suggested retail price in the U.S. is $18.99, $20 here in Ontario is a fair price indeed.

Red

The Fat Man Pinotage 2018, $14.95, from South Africa’s Western Cape earned a Gold at the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards last year. Australia’s danmurphy.com explains “this captivating Pinotage has layers of succulent red fruit, oak spice and supple tannins making a memorable impression. Juicy red berries and plums with hints of milk chocolate, oregano and spice. A clean smooth medium bodied wine that is refreshing with a dry finish.”

Niro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2016, $16.95 – Blogger Daniel O’Keefe thinks this has a “fresh and fruity bouquet displaying black cherry and red licorice. Pleasant balance of crisp acidity, moderate tannins, and a medium body. Finish shows jam and prune with cocoa and earthy character. Oak is subtle and complementary. A very nice red for roast pork, beef brisket, or shepherds pie.” Decanter World Wine Awards, 2018 gave it a 95.

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, $17 – A wine shop in New York state, Bremer’s Wine and Liquor, had this to say:”This 2017 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon adorns a deep ruby color with touches of violet. Swarming aromas of cherry, blackberry, baking spice and coconut shavings fill the nose. The palate has jammy fruit flavors along with cassis and vanilla showing great concentration and structure. Intriguing notes of cherry, herbs and supple tannins persist on the finish.” Bremer’s prices it at $15 U.S. and so $17 Canadian is a good deal.

El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2015, $23.95 is an Argentinian red which, at first glance may seem a bit pricey; however, the LCBO is currently featuring this winery on-line with a number of selections in excess of $100. This example may give us a glimpse into why this winery might be able to command such prices. At robertparker.com we are told that “the 2015 El Enemigo Cabernet Franc was produced with fruit from Gualtallary, from a specific 8.8-hectare plot of the Adrianna Vineyard. It fermented in two tries with a portion of full clusters. It has a beautiful nose with plenty of spices and herbs and some Pinot-like red fruit. The palate is harmonious and balanced, with very fine tannins and a velvety texture. – 93.”

Correction- In my last article on “Wine and Climate”, I attributed an article in the Wine Enthusiast mistakenly to Lindsay Patterson. Though Ms. Patterson was quoted, the article itself was actually written by Sarah Daniels.