DELIGHTFUL Le Clos Jordanne 2021 Claystone Pinot Noir (Canada)

 

Time after time, again and again, this winery delivers for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir lovers. Today, I'm lookingnat a Le Clos Jordanne 2021 Claystone Pinot Noir - and once again it's a wine that's going to put smiles on faces

ENTICING Nk'Mip Cellars 2022 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir (British Columbia)

 

Pinot Noir? From the southern Okanagan? Yes, it is a thing, and yes, it is really good. I don't often agree that BC Pinot is "their thing", but then wines like this come along and it makes me re-think my whole theory. Today, it's the Nk'Mip Cellars 2022 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir -  Another bottle I tasted during the All Canadian Wine Championships

SURPRISING Wending Home 2020 Up Above Pinot Noir (Ontario)

 

New wineries don't always make a splash, but this winery made two: one with its winemaker of choice, and two with this amazing Pinot Noir that won awards right out of the gate. Tasted this at the All Canadian Wine Championships, was blown away by it ... Let me tell you about it in the video. today it's the 

Wending Home 2020 Up Above Pinot Noir

 

EYE-POPPING Martin's Lane 2020 Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir (Canada)

After tasting through the 2020 Martin's Lane Pinots, 

this was my favourite - by a long shot : 

Martin's Lane 2020 Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir

 

 The Written Review

This is the last vineyard to be picked completely, it north facing, is slower to ripen allowing the fruit to mature at at even pace. Then it is 70% whole bunch pressed and fermented in concrete ... Kicks at the nose like a sniff of Chanel no. 5 ... This is a pretty Pinot, with lots of floral notes with a nice cherry strawberry spiced-rhubarb. Tannins are silky by comparison to the other Pinots in this line-up.  (**** ½)

STUNNING Peay Vineyards 2021 Pomarium Pinot Noir (California)

If you scour the internet, you'll find lots of quotes about Pinot Noir, 

I was looking for one to fit; 

but this kind of California Pinot Noir breaks a lot of molds. 

Cool climate California Pinot at its best: 

Peay Vineyards 2021 Pomarium Pinot Noir

SURPRISING: Westmount 2019 Pinot Noir (Oregon)

When I first tasted this wine I thought it was from a completely different place, 

showing you can't judge a wine by it's label

Westmount 2019 Pinot Noir

 

... WRITTEN REVIEW ...

A real step up for Oregon Pinot Noir; lots of depth in the dark fruit department, and lovely complexity from first to last sip. Sure, it has those signature characteristics — earthiness and cherry notes—but then it doubles down on that Oregon beauty with concentration and exuberance. Cellar potential of five-years-plus.

Erath 2020 Oregon Pinot Noir - Wine Review

Ya gotta love a bottle of wine that delivers for not a lot of dough

Erath 2020 Oregon Pinot Noir

TOTALLY TASTY Flat Rock 2020 Gravity Pinot Noir (Ontario wine)

Gravity Pinot from a hot vintage? Yes, please. 

Today it's the Flat Rock 2020 Gravity Pinot Noir.

 

 

This is what top-tier Pinot Noir tastes like, but without the top tier pricing. Black raspberry, black cherry, spiced cranberry, subtle earthy notes and ballsy tannins... It's a testament to good wine making and the amazing 2020 vintage – I’d also wax poetic about the great acid backbone, but this is Ontario, it's a given here.

Morandin Wines 2020 County Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine)

Am I too late to tell you about this wine? Maybe. 

But I think it never to late to look forward to the next vintage 

 

Morandin Wines 2020 County Pinot Noir

Le Clos Jordanne 2019 Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine)

The year: 2019. The grape: Pinot Noir. The vineyard: Grand Clos. 

The result, well watch the video to find out about : 

Le Clos Jordanne 2019 Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir

 

<<< WRITTEN REVIEW >>>

What a pretty version of Pinot Noir this is - from the beautiful floral and cherry on the nose, to the follow-through in the mouth incorporating notes of strawberry plus black and red raspberry - there is a slight spiciness and the tannins start out "gritty”, but they manage to smooth out with some time in glass and create what might be the best Grand Clos of this iteration of the new Clos Jordanne.  Rating: ****+

Closson Chase 2019 Pinot Noir Stirling Barrique (Ontario Wine)

I spoke about this wine in its first release, now here we are again, and this one might be even better: 

 

Closson Chase 2019 Pinot Noir Stirling Barrique

 

 --- THE WRITTEN REVIEW ---

This is the second iteration of this less than 100-mile wine ... Everything is not just Canadian (grapes, barrels, winemaker) but they are all within a short sip of the winery. This year the juice is 50% pressed and 50% free run and 100% from the Churchside vineyard. It spends 18 months in these barrels from Sterling Ontario - 3rd and 4th fill (two each) - so the fruit is what really shines here: violets, black cherry, smoke, sour cherry, cranberry with a nice tannin punch, while the acidity is on-point. And the finish goes on and on and on. This just might be even be better than the first time.  (****+)

 

Le Clos Jordanne 2019 Jordan Village Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine)

Another new wine from the folks at Le Clos, still Pinot Noir, but from a different kind of location

 

Le Clos Jordanne 2019 Jordan Village Pinot Noir

 

 

--- THE WRITTEN REVIEW ---

 

This new line from Le Clos is a vineyard blend they’ve labeled “Jordan Village”: fruit comes from Talon and Claystone vineyards and celebrates the village closest to these vineyards. This Pinot is a juicy number with a lovely fruit core plus notes of floral, black raspberry and cranberry plus a bite of peppery-spice on the finish; but there’s also a silkiness here that makes it a pleasure to sip on.  (****+)

Malivoire 2019 Mottiar Vineyard Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine)

Single vineyard Pinot Noir is all the rage, but Malivoire has been doing it for years

 

Malivoire 2019 Mottiar Vineyard Pinot Noir 

 

 

 

--- THE WRITTEN REVIEW ---

The man's name is Shiraz (winemaker of Malivoire), but he seems pretty adept with more Burgundian and Beaujolais grapes like Pinot Noir and Gamay. Here he sources Pinot from his own eponymously named Vineyard and creates a real pleasant version: kicking off with light and earthy notes plus cranberry and sour cherry; add in some violets and subtle peppery nuances, good acid punch and a long finish, and you got one of Shiraz's tastier Pinots to date.  (****+)

Henry of Pelham 2019 Estate Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine Review #444)

One of the best Estate Pinot Noirs from this winery I have tried - they are upping their own bar

 

Henry of Pelham 2019 Estate Pinot Noir 

 

($24.95 - available at the winery and online)

 

Moraine Winery 2019 Pinot Noir (The Wine Review - #315)

I made this discovery a few years back and I'm still digging this wine today, that's called consistency

 

Moraine Winery 2019 Pinot Noir

 

available at the winery (and other fine wine stores)

 

Le Clos Jordanne 2018 Pinot Noir, Le Grand Clos (Ontario Wine Review #434)

Le Clos Jordanne is back in business and with their original winemaker at the helm 

 

Le Clos Jordanne 2018 Pinot Noir, Le Grand Clos 

 

($44.95 - available at the winery and online).

 

Westcott 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine Review #430)

Let's look at yet another great wine from this Bench winery's line-up : 

 

Westcott Vineyards 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir 

 

($44.95 - available at the winery and online).

 

Meldville Wines 2018 Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine Review #425)

This winemaker has made some awesome Pinot in his day, this might be one of his best : 

 

Meldville Wines 2018 Pinot Noir 

 

($27.00 - available at Legends winery and online)

 

iCellars 2017 Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine Review #423)

Not really known for Pinot Noir, but this year's version might be their best yet 

and a bellwether of things to come - it's the 

 

iCellars Estate Winery 2017 Pinot Noir 

 

($50.00 - available at the winery and online?)

 

Flat Rock Cellars 2017 Gravity Pinot Noir (Ontario Wine Review #422)

They make great Pinot Noir, but this Gravity might be their best ever, it's the 

Flat Rock Cellars 2017 Gravity Pinot Noir 

($34.95 - available at the winery and online?)