By Rick VanSickle
Once a terroir-ist, always a terroir-ist is the credo Thomas Bachelder lives by as he slices and dices his way through his chosen single-vineyard Gamays in the Niagara Peninsula.
By my count, Bachelder now has 28 single vineyard wines in the marketplace over the last 12 months — that’s 11 different single-vineyard expressions of Chardonnay, seven expressions of Pinot Noir, previously released, and now 10 Gamay Noir “Cru” wines just released on April 2. And that doesn’t even include the vineyard-blended wines, which have distinct regional characteristics all of their own.
This is the eighth vintage of Gamay from Bachelder and partner/wife Mary Delaney, who moved from Oregon to Niagara 22 years ago this month “to explore the region’s remarkable limestone terroirs through the lens of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,” said Bachelder.
While the couple has always loved Gamay Noir, “we’ll admit it took us a while to fully appreciate it here and that it, too, has terroir-revealing potential.” Bachelder said that Ontario, specifically Niagara, has the world’s third-largest planting of Gamay Noir with only Switzerland and the grape’s native home, France, surpassing Ontario by a large margin.
“Once we do learn something, though, we like to put those lessons into practice,” Bachelder said. “So, with this La Violette release, we’re diving in.”
Bachelder has worked closely with viticulturists across the Peninsula — from Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake to the Benchlands of Short Hills and Vineland, stretching west to the lesser-known Lincoln Lakeshore VQA sub-appellation. “We’ve even created a bespoke blend of all these regions: the 2023 Bachelder Les Villages Gamay Noir Niagara — our take on how these Crus come together in harmony and yes, we did sweat the details on this one,” said Bachelder.
“Niagara Gamay Noir offers bright fruit and mouthwatering acidity, making it an incredibly versatile food wine,” Bachelder added. “Whether you’re new to Gamay or already a fan of the OG — Cru Gamay from BoJo — our Niagara Gamays deserve your attention.”
I sat down with Bachelder at the “Bat Cave” recently to taste the 10 Cru Gamays and three Villages wines (one Gamay and one each of the 2023 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) that are part of the Violette release. As always with Bachelder, he pours the wines from east to west across the Niagara Peninsula. You can order these wines now online here.
Here is what I liked:
Niagara-on-the-Lake Gamays
Bachelder said Niagara-on-the-Lake Gamays just might be one of Niagara’s best-kept secrets? Gamay Noir vines were planted in NOTL back in the early 1980s. “These early vinifera plantings, particularly in what would later become the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation, were once prized for their productivity,” said Bachelder. “But with time, we’ve come to recognize the true value of these old vines. Now tightly pruned, they yield less fruit but offer deeper, richer, and more complex flavours — a true expression of age and wisdom that come from Vieilles Vignes.”
Bachelder Kirby Gamay Noir 2023 ($29, 92 points) — The Kirby vineyard is located on Line 1 in Virgil in the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation. Like all these Gamays from Bachelder, the wines are aged in older French oak barriques and foudres. 45% of the fruit was whole cluster pressed. This shows juicy notes of wild raspberries, strawberries, savoury/loamy notes with a touch of reduction. The red-berry fruits on the palate are joined by anise/licorice, more savoury notes, plums, herbs and a tangy, finessed finish. Can cellar to 2030.
Bachelder L’il Kirby Gamay Noir 2023 ($29, 93 points) — The L’ill Kirby is 53% whole cluster pressed and is sourced from the east side of the vineyard, whereas the Kirby bottling comes from the west side. This rendition is decidedly lighter in colour and shows a bit more elegance. The nose unveils fresh red berries, subtle cassis notes, underbrush and shy spice accents. It has a smooth texture on the palate with pure, tangy red berries, a touch of plum, integrated earthy notes and a clean, vibrant finish. Can cellar to 2030 but drinking pretty good right out of the gate.
Bachelder Bator Gamay Noir 2023 ($27, 92 points) — This is the first of two Line 2 wines made in 2023. Bator was located just west of Niagara Stone Road. Robert and Doris Bator, along with their daughter Alyssa, turned Bachelder on to this vineyard a few years back. “I’m sad to say that this is now a silent vineyard,” said Bachelder. After the hard winter of 2022, the Bator family squeezed one more vintage out of their vines — the 2023 — but then pulled it out last year. So, this Gamay Noir will be the last one. This was 30% whole cluster pressed from the old vines. It’s a juicier, bolder style of Gamay with meaty red berries, wild blueberries, black currants and subtle earthy/savoury notes. It’s rich and round on the palate with subtle tannins, ripe, red berries, anise, a savoury underbelly and a vibrant finish. Cellar to 2030.
Bachelder Willms Gamay Noir 2023 ($27, 91 points) — Also on Line 2, but now just east of Niagara Stone Road, the Willms vineyard was planted in 1983. 55% of the fruit was whole cluster pressed. It’s very light in colour, due to some virus in the vineyard, but still packs a punch on the nose with fresh cherries and raspberries, with a bit of plum notes and anise. It’s juicier on the palate with riper red berries, savoury/earthy bits, a silky texture with verve, tension and mouth-watering acidity on the palate. Can cellar to 2028 but drinking fine right now.
Bachelder Bai Xu Gamay Noir 2023 ($32, 92 points) — The Bai Xu vineyard, just south of Willms on Line 3, was planted in 1981 and was 30% whole cluster pressed. It straddles the line been rustic and elegant with a nose of earthy red berries, umami, bumbleberries and just a subtle note of spice. It’s fresher on the palate, more integrated, with a melange of ripe, red berries, underbrush, light tannic structure and good length through a silky finish. As Bachelder said at the tasting, “my quest is for terroir, but also for Gamay-esque wines.”
Bachelder Werner-York Gamay Noir 2023 ($27, 94 points) — From the dolomitic limestone Bench, but this time, from York Road in St. Davids, coming from Marty and Rachel Werner’s home and vineyard (they also have their own York Road bubbly wine venture). This is 25% whole cluster pressed and, for me, it was one of the prettiest, most elegant Gamays in the release. Yes, lighter in colour, reminiscent of Pinot Noir, but such a charming nose of red-berry purée, crunchy cranberries, and lovely violets in a pure and clean style. The black cherries and raspberries are mouth-filling with juicy purple plums, a touch of anise, silky tannins and a lifted finish that lasts for minutes. For fans of more elegant Gamays, this, and the Mio further below, are perfect for you. It can be cellared for two or three years, but attractive right now.
Western Niagara Gamays
While Niagara-on-the-Lake is a well-established home for Gamay Noir, the vineyards along the Niagara Escarpment offer something different, Bachelder explains. “Here, poorer soils, naturally lower yields, and higher limestone content create Gamay Noir with a distinctive gamey, mineral-driven character, marked by flinty, iron-rich depth,” he said. “These wines are vibrant when young but truly shine with age. The Benchlands, those terraced slopes along the Escarpment, vary in width, depth, soil composition, and distance from Lake Ontario — creating an intricate mosaic of terroirs. This diversity, shaped by historical glacial deposits, makes the Niagara Escarpment a world-class region for vineyards, with so much still to discover.”
Bachelder G&H Wiley Gamay Noir 2023 ($28, 92 points) — Bachelder says that there is a lot of land in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation, which butts up against the Short Hills provincial park. “So here we have George and Hester Wiley’s profound older vines on what would seem to be the absolute flats — super far from Lake Ontario,” he says. “Fairly late harvested, we were able to get a couple of tons and ferment with wild yeast.” The grapes were 100% destemmed. It shows a darker colour in the glass with a nose of ripe strawberries, dark cherries, raspberry purée, earthy notes in a bold and sassy style. It has lovely texture and layers of ripe red berries and plums with savoury/earthy notes, a hint of spice and a vibrant finish. Can cellar to 2031.
Bachelder Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay Noir 2023 ($32, 93 points) — Bachelder produced both this 32% whole-cluster fermented version, and, for the first time, a 100% destemmed version (below), made like a Pinot Noir. “Both distinct, yet utterly Wismer-Foxcroft in their flinty, iron-tinged savoury profile,” said Bachelder. “The evolution in the cellar will be interesting to follow.” The Wismer-Foxcroft Vineyard Gamay is the “wine that started it all, that made Mary and I fall in love with Gamay Noir in Niagara,” said Bachelder. “We love Jordan, we love all of Niagara, but my word, this wine absolutely proves that the Bench in Vineland has something special, with its slightly reddish magnesium oxide-tinted dolomitic soils.” Such a profound nose of savoury red berries, Morello cherries in spades, underbrush, plump plums and stony minerality. It’s a mouth-filling, cherry focused Gamay with support from wild raspberries, red currants, plums earthy/umami notes, a soft texture and a long, lifted finish. Can cellar through 2032.
Bachelder Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay Noir 2023 ($33, 94 points) — The 100% destemmed Wismer-Foxcroft is the first made in this style after years of using 30-34% whole clusters, while at the same time also experimenting with 52% whole cluster. “The 52% experiment had more fruit and lusciousness, but also more of an ascorbic acid finish and less true stony terroir on the finale,” said Bachelder. “With this in mind, we tried a new experiment to see how technique influences terroir: this 100% destemmed version is incredible and tugs at my heartstrings because it has so much drag on the finish. With so much weight and salinity, it’s indescribable. I’m sure this is going to improve for 5 to 10 years — and maybe even hold for 15.” When you taste these two side by side (and you should!) subtle differences will emerge, like less savoury notes here, more elegance, pure red berries, and a bit more minerality. The palate mirrors the nose, with a more pure and elegant expression of Gamay than the 32% whole cluster Wiz, and less savoury/green notes. Fascinating side-by-side from the Bachelder. Can cellar through 2031.
Bachelder Mio Gamay Noir 2023 ($29, 93 points) — The Mio Gamay, which is 31% whole cluster pressed, is farmed by Corey and Lena Mio from their terroir in Beamsville, just north of Old Highway 8 on the slope of the Niagara Escarpment. Everyone who tastes these fascinating Gamays will have their opinions on style, flavours, etc. But for me, the Mio, which is the most westerly of all the Gamays, closely resembles in style and substance one of the most easterly of all the Gamays from the Werner-York Vineyard. Both have a lovely elegance and freshness that mirror each other’s style and grace. On the nose the Mio shows an opening floral/violet note followed by fresh, pure red berries, subtle plums and wild blueberries, with a dash of white pepper and fresh-turned soil. Such purity and lightness on the palate with a melange of cherries, raspberries and cranberries and added wild Muskoka blueberries on a silky smooth frame and a vibrant, lifted finish. Beautifully elegant Gamay that’s drinking perfectly now but can cellar through 2028.
It takes a Villages: Gamay,
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
As part of the Violette release, named after Bachelder and Delaney’s daughter, three Villages wines are also available for purchase from 2023 vintage — a Gamay, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Bachelder Les Villages Gamay Noir Niagara 2023 ($26, 91 points) — “When we were doing blending trials for this assemblage,” said Thomas, “we were looking for the most honest representation we could find of Niagara, with the goal of making people fall in love with Gamay Noir.” The Gamay Villages can be thought of as a combination of all 10 of the “crus” above, with a red-fruited nose, subtle floral notes, touch of blueberries and lighter savoury/earthy notes. The palate reveals ripe raspberries, Morello cherries, anise, plums, saddle leather, subtle earthy/spicy notes in a juicy style with a lifted finish. Good to drink now.
Bachelder Les Villages Chardonnay Bench 2023 ($35, 92 points) — The Les Villages Chardonnay is sourced uniquely from single vineyards on the Twenty Mile Bench and Beamsville Bench. It’s labelled under the newer Niagara Escarpment VQA badge. This has a pretty nose of bright apples, lemon tart, ripe pear, flinty/stony minerality notes and a pinch of spice. It has a creamy texture with poached pear, yellow apples, bergamot, and a touch of savouriness on a bright, lifted finish. Drinking fine right now but can cellar two or three years.
Bachelder Les Villages Pinot Noir Bench 2023 ($35, 91 points) — The Les Villages Pinot Noir is from the Niagara Escarpment regional appellation — which Bachelder calls “The Bench.” It has a chiselled nose of brambly raspberries, Morello cherries, red currants, rose petals and integrated spice notes. It’s silky smooth on the palate and shows an integrated melange of ripe red berries, brambly/earthy notes, a touch of anise with a mouth-watering acidity and a long finish. Can cellar through 2030.
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