Tag Archive for: prince edward county

Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir Prince Edward County 2014

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Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir Prince Edward County 2014

Few years have past already since the first time I had a sip of Norman Hardie’s wines. Then came something special that is there everytime I open one of his wine, either from one grape variety of a blend, a red or a white, with a preference for the ones coming from the County over those from Niagara. Since then I follow their activities and I’ve visited the winery a few times already (and ate many of the wood fire oven pizzas they do, the best one I had!). But behind the wines, there are people, a shared passion and that man, Norman Hardie.

Then came that specific County Pinot Noir wine from the 2014 vintage…

Ligh ruby color. Aromas and flavors of red berries where cherries lead the way, spices notes, but that freshness, it’s so pure with a long ineral finish that amaze me. Perfect balance and so tasty. The best Pinot Noir I had from that producer. And the 10,9% is just a bonus, I like that! Excellent (91)

Made of Pinot Noir. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels. Alcohol level of 10,9% 

Available at the winery or at the LCBO for 45,00$

Norman Hardie’s website: normanhardie.com

Norman Hardie’s wines are represented in Québec by Vin Dame Jeanne: vindamejeanne.com

Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir Prince Edward County 2014

Grange of Prince Edward Estate Gamay VQA Prince Edward County 2013

Grange of Prince Edward Estate Gamay VQA Prince Edward County 2013

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Grange of Prince Edward Estate Gamay VQA Prince Edward County 2013 

Young and bright ruby color. Nose of red fruits, earth, spices all in a reserved way. It was the opposite on the palate with explosive notes of berries! Highly drinkable, so tasty paired with a good acidity level that gives brightness and freshness to the wine. Flavors of berries, some oak notes, minerality and spices, especially on the finish. One of my favorite Gamay coming from a Canadian winery. Very good (89)

Made of Gamay. Aged 18 months in neutral oak barrels. Alcohol level of 12%

Here is a link to my post about ma recent visit at the winery.

Grange of Prince Edward’s website : grangeofprinceedward.com

The Facebook page of Bambara Selection, the agency that represents Grange in Québec : Bambara Selection

Visite à PEC – Hinterland

PEC vineyard visit – Hinterland

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PEC vineyard visit – Hinterland

For our camping trip we did only plan two vineyard visits, because a a family trip can’t only be done to satisfy one’s passion. But a bottle of Whitecap, a Charmat (bubbly wine made the same way as Italian Prossecco) from the recent 2015 vintage coming directly from the vineyard and brought by a friend, bottle that we had the first night by the fire. That bottle went down so fast without being able to explain why, that a visit at Hinterland became a necessity… to buy more of that wine!

With my friend suggestions and recommandations in hands, we met Jonas Newman and his wife, both owners and founders of the winery and the Brewery located just aside, County Road Beer. Both were smiling, welcoming and clearly passionnate about what they do (one just have to listen to them or to see Vicky passing by, stopping when she sees what we were having, pouring herself a glass, then going back to where she was heading to…) to fully understand!

Then we discussed about wine in general and wines coming from Hinterland, of where our interest for their products came from. Jonas explain that he passed few years learning, studying and working perfecting ways to make sparkling wines. No way he would have ended up making sparkling wines without cleary be into it! After all, as Jonas said, being an engineer or an architect doesn’t make you a winemaker…

When we talked about the Ontario VQA system, he said that in a way he’s lucky since sparkling wines are more into standards and easier to be approved by the board. Not always the same results for other types of wines or products, as his sparkling cider is and the chances are quite low for this one to be certified…

Here is quick notes on what we did taste:

First, the 2015 Borealis, a pink Charmat, then the Ancestral, a traditionnal method wine, pink also, both having red berry notes, very fresh. I liked the last one just a touch more than the other. Then Les Étoiles 2009 (so lucky am I to have some in the cellar!) and the 2012, blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, aged up to 26 months before being disgorged, deep and complex, creamy mouth feel, the 2009 being even better due to the additionnal age of the wine, adding more complex notes and finesse.

From the products to be release, we tasted the 2011 Sacrement, clearly the best wine we had there, close to a Champagne. So complex, round, charming and was drinking very well. The minute it’s released, I’ll jump on it.

Then the sparkling cider with an unbelievable nose and perfeclty refreshing, a Gamay from bought grapes from Niagara (there is a whole story about this one…) and a fuly concentrated but typical Syrah wine.

Hinterland

Since I already have some of their wines at home and that our visit goal was to purchase more of the Whitecap, that’s what we did! Especially since it’s not going to be sold at LCBO’c stores for that vintage. We were satisfied with that tasting, but it was not going to stop there…

County Road Beer

When we asked if we could also buy beers from County Road Beer, we ended up with a “no” ! We had to taste first!

We did then take to time to taste the range they are offering to make better chioces based on our taste. We ended up buying 3 differents beers!

County Road Beer

Our kids liked the plae as we did, for the open spaces behind the winery buildings where they were able to run and play, with chicken all around! Our tasting was then just more smooth and pleasant. A new beer garden is also opening pretty soon for the complimentary lunch!

We will be back for sure!

Visite à PEC – Hinterland

Hinterland Wine Company

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

PEC vineyard visit may 2016 – Grange of Prince Edward

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PEC vineyard visit may 2016 – Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

We are finallly back in this beautiful place in the County. It’s beautiful outside, the sun slowly taking away the cool spring feel to a warmer and appreciated weather. Nature is blooming with the leafs opening up on the vines, the cherry tree showing its flowers and the place is looking exactly the same as last year at our first visit here.

Since a little more than a year now, I’ve been enjoying wine from this Estate located in the beautiful region of Prince Edward County in Ontario. I also had the opportunity to meet Maggie, the winemaker, a few time at local events and to talk about the wine she’s making and the vision behind them, giving these wines their style.

Now entering the main building, a 200 years old barn, all made from wood and still supported by its original rock foundation. Did I say that I like this place? We then head to the tasting bar to tour their recent wine release available here or at the LCBO and for some of them through private import here in Québec. The kind and friendly Duarte will drive our tasting with punctual precisions brought by Maggie.

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

The fireplace in the main room

The wines:

Visite à PEC - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Winery

Unoaked Chardonnay 2012, VQA Prince Edward County
Light yeast note on the nose, then it’s pure fruit that shows up, with minerality and a round mouthfeel so inviting that a sip calls for an other one to quench our thirst.

Visite à PEC - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Winery

Riesling Estate 2013, VQA Prince Edward County
Typical Riesling aromas on the nose. Flavors of spicy fruits, lime, litchi,a touch of citrus fruit with a bitting and slightly bitter acidity on the finish, quite long for this level of wine – I like that!

Riesling Select 2014, VQA Prince Edward County (pulled out of the tank for this tasting)

Tart fruit flavors, more round, the minerality of the wine really shows more and I can’t get out of my head the likeness with the Sweetarts candy (tart and acidic hard candy)

Visite à PEC - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Winery

Gamay Select 2011, VQA Prince Edward County
I especially like the Gamay from this Estate and this one is on par with that appreciation! Nose and palate of red berries, earth, a mineral and rocky feel with a good acidity level. We had a bottle there at lunch, ouside infront of the vineyard, plus with brought some home with us!

Bunny Label Blend 2012, VQA Prince Edward County
This wine feels like a warm strawberry field under the sun, it’s good, juicy and lightly spiced. Only available in magnums bottles, only two barrels were produced and the blend is equal part of Gamay and Pinot Noir. The 2014 will see 10 barrels be bottled and the wine will be offered in magnums as long as regular bottle size. Will Maggie be drawing a bunny on each bottle as she is doing now? Will see!

Grange of Prince Edward Diana Block Pinot Noir

Diana Block Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Prince Edward County
The vineyard for this wine is just behind the barn and are 15 years old. Aromas and flavors of small and smoked berries with still some oak showing from the ageing, but less present than a year ago, have a good acidity level with a long and spicy finish. This wine is slowly taking place, but will take 2-3 more years to come around to be ready.

Visite à PEC - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Winery

Cabernet Franc Select 2011, VQA Prince Edward County
Explosive fruit flavors paired with light oak notes, stays fresh and so yummy in a more classic Cab Franc style.

Grange of Prince Edward Northfield Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc Northfield 2010, VQA Prince Edward County
Dark berry nose with spices and some oak. I like that nose. Very long on the palate with similar flavors of what was on the nose with this light green twist well integrated and typical of this grape variety, which I like. A serious wine.

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Traditional Method Brut Lot 4 2010 (not sold yet), VQA Prince Edward County
Made of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay, aged on lees for 30 months. Light gold color with sweet flavos of lemon,peach, cream and brioche bread, with a mineral finish and a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Really beautiful bubbly!

Following the tasting, we went to the barrel room. As pretty as everything fromhere, this place is gorgeous! It’s cool and I really liked the view of all those barrels…About having a lunch now?

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

The barrel room

Grange of Prince Edward offers lunch baskets with local produce to eat outsaid of the barn and enjoy the view. The perfect place to have a lunch! Armed with cheese, meat, bread and a bottle of Gamay bought only few minutes before, we did had a great time there between friends while looking at the kids having fun too!

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

Lunch infront of the vineyard

We always feels some regrets to leave a place like this and the people as sweet as the ones there. Can’t wait to meet again Maggie and Duarte at an event here in Montréal or who knows, maybe sooner than later at the winery! We’re planning to go back there every spring as a futur “classic” family trip, and of course, Grange of Prince Edward will have a special place in that trip!

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

Diana Block Pinot Noir vine, 15 y/0

Let’s open a bottle of wine from Grange of Prince Edward to remember these good times!

Visite à PEC mai 2016 - Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery

Le Gamay, qu’il est bon ici!

Grange’s website: grangeofprinceedward.com

Bambara Sélection is representing them in Québec: bambaraselection.com

Norman Hardie Winery

PEC vineyard visit – Normand Hardie Winery

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PEC vineyard visit – Normand Hardie Winery

It was a Beautiful breezy day in the County. After good night sleep at Sandbanks Provincial Park we head to Norman Hardie’s vineyard, a place which I appreciate so much for wines (You just have to follow my Instagram account to realize it, I open bottles of Norm’s wines several times a year!) and for the wonderful setting.  It would be lie that to say that we don’t go there for the pizza too!

A table was reserved for our group, warm welcome, we were expected. Only a short time later we have a glass of the new vintage of the Calcaire, the 2015, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Riesling. This wine will put the tone for this visit! Fresh, lively, mineral and oh so much delicious, we liked it so much we left with some bottles after!

Norman Hardie Winery Calcaire

 

Then meeting with M.Hardie himself who goes table to table make sure that everyone is well served and have pleasure while being omnipresent on the patio, giving vigorous and generous handshake, just like the place!

Follows pizza baked in an exterior wood oven (the best pizzas which I ate – if I exclude those made by my wife), a glass of 2014 County Chardonnay, 2014 Cab Franc (the wine I prefer – since I’ve known this winery), all this under a radiant sun. We had a blast! The crowed patio confirms the popularity of the place, well known for its pizzas as well.

Norman Hardie Winery Pizza

How to continue the visit? With a stop at the tasting bar of course ! We enjoyed it the 2015 Riesling, just bottled, made of County and Niagara fruits. Mineral, round on the palate at first then the finish kicks in with a good aciditylesvel and flavors of citrus fruits. Then we had the 2013 Niagara Chardonnay, more lively than the other enjoyed vintages, with notes of smoke and not too tropical / ripe fruit flavors, making this vintage quite good and well made. The 2014  County Chardonnay is a little more oaky at this stage, but a bolder acidity gives to the wine liveliness and some freshness while being a tad more complex and mineral than its cousin from Niagara. This last wine will be really beautiful in 1 – 3 years.

Then followed the red wines, all from the 2014 vintage, with Pinots giving red berry notes, some spices, a gentle minerality, and a slow but blooming complexity with a green and typical note of cooler area Pinot, bringing this near quench thirsty-filler capacity paired with ease of drinking. And the Cab Franc… theirs is so good! Just enough concentration, it’s fresh, spicy, juicy, it drinks so well and what about the alcohol level, not even reaching 11%! Bought some bottles of this one, again. Got to have enough bottles in the cellar to last until the next vintage release…

Quick thank you talk with Norman before going back to our camp site to this very occupied man who has to run to the airport to catch a flight to England where he was part of the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium, which the results of his wine can be found here in an article published on Jancis Robinson website.

One again we had a great moment, quite occupied, as the staff was too! We ended that day at the beach, located only a few minutes from the winery with a glass of Cab Franc in our hands…

Norman Hardie Winery Cabernet Franc

Special thanks to Sean and Claude, two personaly known staff members for their time !

As this visit ends, the desire to come back is already there, wishing to be back as soon as possible…

The winery’s website: normanhardie.com

The agency who is representing Norman Hardie in Québec: vindamejeanne.com

For my other tasting notes on Norman Hardie wines from my blog: more tasting notes of Norman Hardie’s wines

Sandbanks Prince Edward County