By Rick VanSickle
In this Ontario Wine Report, we focus on new wines from the Ottawa Valley’s KIN Vineyards, along with just released bottles from Niagara and Vintages picks.
Featured in this report are a trio of big 2020 reds from Chateau des Charmes, two 2022 fresh white wines from Henry of Pelham and a Vintages report that features wines from Hidden Bench, Le Clos Jordanne, Featherstone and Malivoire that will hit shelves on Saturday.
NOTE: Also added three single-vineyard Chardonnays from Bachelder Wine coming to Vintages online exclusive release April 6.
But first …
New Kin Vineyards wines
Winemaker Brian Hamilton continues to find success in an unlikely terroir in the Ottawa Valley. Even when conditions aren’t ideal, such as what happened in 2020 in Ontario’s most northern wine region, Hamilton pivoted to a different style for his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir without sacrificing the essence of these terroir-specific wines. He has maintained integrity using a lighter oaked style to bring out the best of these wines.
KIN Vineyards is situated on 47 acres (10 under vine), nestled along the Carp Ridge, adjoined by the Carp River, and resting upon the grey limestone of the Ottawa Formation. The vineyard has proven to produce a distinct personality after only a few years of production.
The Carp Ridge, sloping south and west, overlooks the Ottawa Valley at its pastoral best. The vineyard is bisected by the Hazeldean Fault showing glacial till over limestone on the upper slope and clay loam over limestone on the lower slope.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is showing great promise at this small, boutique winery, and these two Burgundian varieties are the focus at KIN.
I tasted two Carp Ridge Chardonnays (the 2020 and 2021 vintages) and the 2020 Pinot Noir that will all be released following the 2019 vintage sells through.
Here’s what I liked:
KIN Vineyards Carp Ridge Chardonnay 2020 ($32, likely available by early summer, 92 points) — Unlike the relatively perfect harvest in southern Ontario, the 2020 vintage in the Ottawa Valley “was challenging … with heavy late season rains, multiple autumn frost evenings, and rot, so both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are essentially unoaked and a departure from our usual style.” The fruit was picked in two steps, the first in late September and the second in early October. It was aged in mainly older oak barrels with only 3% new oak, 85% neutral oak and 12% stainless steel. Hamilton has done a fabulous job here, despite facing adversity. The nose is generous with a stony/saline beginning before showing pear, yellow apple, lemon citrus, oyster shells and savoury accents. That saline minerality carries to the palate with pear/quince fruits, crisp lemon, a subtle creamy texture, layered and bright on a fresh, lifted finish. An attractive Chardonnay in a style reminiscent of Chablis. Can cellar 4+ years.
KIN Vineyards Carp Ridge Chardonnay 2021 ($32, available later in the year when the 2020 vintage sells through, 93 points) — The 2021 vintage in the Ottawa Valley was warm and the fruit very ripe so the style is richer, said Hamilton. This vintage gets back to the house style of oak aging for 10 months in 20% new oak and the rest neutral. It has a rich and expressive nose of stony minerality, pear skin, ripe apple, toasty notes, lemon biscuit and integrated spice notes. It’s more rounded on the palate compared to the 2020 version, with a creamy texture, ripe orchard fruits, flinty/stony notes, a hint of lemon zest, elegant spices and bright acidity leading to a lifted finish. Can age 5+ years.
KIN Vineyards Carp Ridge Pinot Noir 2020 ($38, 92 points) — As with the 2020 Chardonnay, this multi-clonal Pinot sees minimal oak, so 8 months in a combination of new oak (10% new oak), neutral oak (82%) and the rest stainless steel. The wine is a lighter garnet colour in the glass with a beautifully floral nose with fresh picked strawberries, new cherries, red currants, and underlying earthy/spicy notes. It’s silky smooth on the palate, with red berries, earthy/umami notes, pretty floral accents and fervent freshness on a lifted finish. Tasting fine right now but can cellar for a few years.
New single-vineyard red wines
from Chateau des Charmes
Chateau des Charmes only makes its single-vineyard Bordeaux variety red wines in what the winery feels are the best vintages, such as 2020. They are made in limited quantities and aged for 18 months in a combination of new French oak barrels (20%) and the rest in one- and two-year-old French Oak barrels (80%). All three wines are in the 13% abv range.
Here’s what I liked:
Chateau des Charmes St. David’s Bench Vineyard Merlot 2020 ($45, 93 points) — Quite expressive with a forward nose of dark cherries, cassis, brambly raspberries, dark chocolate, earthy/spicy notes, and subtle cedar notes. It’s ripe and fruit-saturated on the palate with notes of crème de cassis, red berry clafoutis and anise with medium+ tannins in a layered and juicy style that benefits from a lifted and vibrant finish. This will just get better in the cellar, say 6+ years.
Chateau des Charmes St. David’s Bench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($45, 93 points) — The warm 2020 vintage in Niagara was kind to the Bordeaux varietals, but it was particularly beneficial for Cabernet Sauvignon, which has trouble ripening in the cooler years. This beauty from Chateau des Charmes is a perfect example. It’s dripping in dense dark berries on the nose with cocoa, wild summer raspberries, blackberries, toasty vanilla notes, and baking spices. It’s caressing on the palate with smooth, ripe tannins, concentrated red berries, anise, dark chocolate, pipe tobacco and elegant spice notes that come at you in layer after layer. It’s all nicely balanced by racy, tingly acidity on the long finish. A beauty that will improve for 10+ years in the cellar.
Chateau des Charmes St. David’s Bench Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2020 ($45, 92 points) — This shows an enticing array of ripe red and dark berries, savoury herbs, kirsch, anise, earthy/cedar notes, and fine oak spices. It’s inviting on the palate, more rounded and calmer than in cooler vintages, with a lovely melange of dark and red berries, soft tannins, and layered with anise, earthy/savoury notes, subtle herbs, rich spice notes and a tangy, lifted finish. Can cellar 5+ years.
Note: The ultimate expression from this St. David’s Bench chateau is the iconic red blend Equuleus, released along with these three single-variety wines. Wines In Niagara reviewed that wine in separate post recently, which you can read here.
New fresh white wines from Henry of Pelham
Henry of Pelham Riesling 2022 ($16, LCBO, winery, 88 points) — From the “Classic” tier at HoP, this Riesling has a fresh and saline nose of racy lime, lemon, and green apple notes. There is a touch of sweetness on the palate and vivid notes citrus, fresh picked apples, and peaches with a vibrant, fresh finish.
Henry of Pelham Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($16, LCBO, winery, 88 points) — A friendly and vibrant style of SB with a nose of kiwi, honeysuckle, grapefruit, and pear. It’s fresh yet rounded on the palate with a lovely melange of grapefruit, melon, kiwi and pear with a vibrant finish. A delightful spring white a good price point.
Bachelder single-vineyard Chards
coming to Vintages April 6
It can be a daunting task trying to keep track of all the LCBO Vintages releases and name changes to those releases, so, of course, I missed an important opportunity for consumers. The online Vintages Cellar Selection (previously called the Classics Collection) is coming out on April 6 with ordering beginning at 8:30 a.m. You can preview the collection here. This generally consists of high-end international wines but occasionally some classic Canadian wines are allotted. The April 6 release features three highly rated Bachelder Chardonnays from the 2020 vintage. Here are my reviews on the wines on offer:
Bachelder Saunders Haut Organically Grown Chardonnay 2020 ($50, 93 points) — The Terroir: The Saunders Vineyard is located about 4 km from the lake on the Beamsville Bench on Mountainview Road. The vineyard is certified organic, and the soil is clay, silk, sand and limestone. Bachelder takes his fruit from a higher, southern part of the vineyard with older vines. The Wine: It has a penetrating and ripe nose of baked pear, yellow apple, lemon curd, stony minerality and salinity with elegant spice notes. It’s pure and balanced on the palate with ripe pear and apple with zesty bergamot, integrated fine oak spice, a touch of flint and a bright, finessed finish.
Bachelder Bai Xu Vineyard Vignes de 1981 Chardonnay 2020 ($50, 93 points) — The Terroir: The Bai Xu Vineyard is only one line north of Willms in Niagara-on-the-Lake in the Four-Mile Creek sub-app. It is one of the oldest vinifera plantings in the region, 41 years of age as of the 2022 harvest. The grape grower number is 011. The soil is a mixture of sandy and loamy sediments over lacustrine clay with some silt and limestone. The Wine: This shows some restraint on the elegant nose of salinity, oyster shells, apple, pear, and quince fruit with subtle spice notes. It is more generous on the palate with a touch of reduction, ripe orchard fruits, integrated spice notes, a touch of creaminess and a long, lifted finish. Can cellar 4+ years.
Bachelder Grimsby Hillside Frontier Block Chardonnay 2020 ($50, 95 points) — Oh, boy, how good is this! There is such a defining perfumed note on the nose that always shows on the Frontier Block and then a savoury/flinty thing going on with fresh pear, yellow apple, lemon curd, toasty almonds, and spice. Bachelder calls it “lacy” on the palate with a richly concentrated and textured profile that shows dense apple and pear fruits, a touch of zesty lemon, gunflint, salinity, pure and elegant spices, toasted almonds, and a ridiculously long and finessed finish. Chardonnay at its best here and will only get better in the cellar.
Our Vintages picks for April 1
Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2019 ($25, new review, 92 points) — I tasted this 2019 estate Riesling recently with owner/vigneron Harald Thiel and winemaker Alex Baines recently during a full portfolio tasting (full report coming soon). All wines at this Beamsville Bench winery are farmed organically and biodynamically. The estate version is a blend of the three Hidden Bench vineyards — Locust Lane, Felseck and Rosomel. This is a pure and fresh Riesling with a floral nose that displays honeysuckle, lime, grapefruit, apple skin, stony minerality and saline freshness. There is sweet-tart tension on the palate with gushing lemon, green apple, pear and stony minerality in a focused and racy style that all leads to a bright, lifted finish. Can cellar 6+ years.
Le Clos Jordanne Village Chardonnay 2020 ($30, 92 points) — Always a smart buy for quality at this price point, the Village Chardonnay has a rich nose of ripe pear and apple with bergamot, elegant spice notes and freshness. It’s generous on the palate with pure, dense stone fruits, lemon tart, integrated spices, and length through the finessed finish.
Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2020 ($50, 93 points) — A bit of fruit from the Talon Ridge Vineyard is blended into the top Chardonnay from the “grand cru” Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard for this impressive wine. A dominant note of chalky minerality is the first impression, then notes of fresh pear and quince, Meyer lemon and elegant spice notes. It’s generous and rich on the palate with ripe pear, lemon oil, golden apple, chalky minerality and spice in a complex and layered style with an echoing and fresh finish. A special Chardonnay.
Featherstone Red Tail Merlot 2020 ($20, 92 points) — It’s hard not to get too excited about a Niagara red at this price point that is this good and will improve further with aging. It’s the only wine in the Featherstone portfolio that sees French oak. Look for notes of cherry kirsch, black raspberries, crème de cassis and integrated spices on the nose. The palate shows the full range of ripe, complex, and concentrated red berries, cassis, cocoa and earth with smooth tannic structure and elegant spice notes on a long and vibrant finish. Lovely wine that will age nicely for 5 years.
Malivoire Vivant Rosé 2021 ($20, 91 points) — This is one of three rosés winemaker Shirz Mottiar crafts at the Beamsville Bench winery. The Vivant is a blend of 88% Pinot Noir and 12% Pinot Gris. It shows a light onion skin colour in the glass followed by an attractive nose of fresh cherries, summer strawberries, melon, and apple. It’s juicy on the palate and loaded with red berries, a touch of herbs, melon and just a kiss of sweetness on the fresh and lifted finish.
Also released, but not reviewed by Wines in Niagara:
• Magnotta Venture Series Starlight Sparkling Riesling/Vidal ($30)
• PondView Gold Series Vidal Icewine 2021 ($20 for 200 mL)
• Flat Rock Good Kharma Chardonnay 2021 ($18)
• Hare Series Dry Riesling 2020 ($24)
• Thirty Bench Winemaker’s Blend Red 2020 ($25)
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