Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, CanadaThomas Bachelder’s Les Villages blends parts fruit from four single vineyards of older vines grown in Grimsby, Beamsville, Vineland, and 4 Mile Creek. Bachelder native ferments his chardonnays in primarily neutral French barrels to intervene as little as possible with fruit. This wine spends 16 months in the barrel undisturbed before it goes to bottle. There is plenty to like here but be warned: it is richer and more full-flavoured than the Bachelder norm. Expect a creamy slurry of yeasty textures packed with citrus pith, fresh green apples, and a lengthy spicy stony mineral finish. An excellent example of the difference between Niagara and Okanagan chardonnay for the moment.Tasted: 05 May 2022Tasted by: Prices:
ON
$34.95
750ml
winery online/direct
Producer: Mary et Thomas Delaney-Bachelder et FillesDistributors: Winery Direct Grape: ChardonnayUPC: 185729000491
Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, CanadaThomas Bachelder is one of Canada's leading chardonnay and pinot noir specialists, honed through time in Bourgogne and Oregon, as well as years in the vineyards of his Niagara home base. He released two Les Villages Chardonnays in 2020, both made identically, but one from Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) and this one from the Bench. Fruit here comes off Saunders, Wingfield Ouest and Est, Foxcroft Sud and Nord. After a native ferment in primarily neutral French barrels, this rested 16 months sans bâtonnage before bottling. An alluring flicker of reduction pokes through a lees-decked, lemon peel, green apple core. There's a wonderful purity and cool freshness here, one that lingers across stony spice on the finish. Quite smart, and a lovely duo of Village chardonnays to enjoy.Tasted: 17 June 2022Tasted by: Prices:
ON
$34.95
750ml
winery online/direct
Producer: Mary et Thomas Delaney-Bachelder et FillesDistributors: Winery Direct Grape: ChardonnayUPC: 185729000491
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