The first snowy day of the winter saw the launch of Le Clos Jordanne’s 2005 vintage wines at the Intercontinental Hotel on Bloor Street. The nine wines – five pinot noirs and four chardonnays – are among the finest wines ever made in Niagara and are the result of years of development and huge investment. Even though 2005 was an excellent summer, production was limited due to the deadly winters of 2003 and 2004, which killed a lot of vines. Total production will be around the same as that of the 2004, which yielded 1,800 cases of wines, all of which sold out more or less immediately. Production is projected to be much higher for the 06, and, according to winemaker Thomas Bachelder, “…2007 will go down as the best vintage in Niagara’s history.”
Le Clos Jordanne Winemaker Thomas Bachelder and, in the foreground, assistant winemaker Sebastien Jacquey.
Le Clos Jordanne is a joint venture between Vincor and Boisset of Burgundy, and the goal is to create Burgundy-style wines in Niagara. Jean-Charles Boisset, whose company also produces Yellow Jersey, among other wines, was in attendance and led the group on a silly but fun Burgundy tradition, the “ban bourgoignon” (pronounced like the word for good - “bon”). It involves chanting “la la la” with “jazz hands” above your head, then clapping to the same pattern: you can’t help but laugh. Vincor Canada President and CEO Jay Wright was also present and added more background. We learned of the years of planning and investments, and of the worldwide search for talent – Sebastien Jacquey from Burgundy is the assistant winemaker, or viniculteur as they like to name the position, and he was selected from a field of 93 applicants.
Jean-Charles Boisset in his slick Parisian suit: quite rightly pleased with Le Clos Jordanne.
Jean-Charles Boisset noted that he recently included some Le Clos Jordanne pinot noir in a tasting of high end Burgundies for London’s top sommeliers. All of them thought that it was very good and that it was from Burgundy: mission accomplished. They were of course rather surprised to learn it was from Niagara. According to Boisset, who was positively ebullient as he expounded, what identifies Le Clos is that it is “velvet, with a deep core and personality”. He also added that the vineyards are certified organic.
British Columbia has Osoyoos-Larose, Vincor’s high-end “Bordeaux” – a Meritage blend produced in partnership with Group Taillan, and that’s now in its sixth vintage and continues to sell out at $35 a bottle. The new release is coming soon and I will report on it. But now Niagara has Vincor’s high-end “Burgundy” in this partnership with Boisset, and it produces excellent pinot noir and chardonnay – the two main grapes of Burgundy.
Given limited supplies, it will be pretty much impossible for you to buy any – according to staff at the Queens Quay store, people lined up from 8am on Saturday the 24th and all the pinot noir was gone by 9:30. There was still a little chardonnay left by early afternoon, but that will soon be gone too. There will be another release – this time of the Claystone Terrace only – in about a month. A further release will happen in March 2008 – get friendly with your local Vintages staff for details.
So what’s all the fuss about?
The Pinot Noirs
Village Reserve Pinot Noir. $25
Medium-pale ruby colour, very light and clear. Solid nose of rich cherries with woody, earthy notes. Very woody on the palate – cedar notes and vanilla. Modest and reserved delicate fruit. Acidity high, tannins high. Nice finish with woody notes. 88 points
[from grapes grown in Talon Ridge, next to Flat Rock – best deal according to the winemaker. ]
La Petite Vineyard. $35
Medium pale ruby. More perfumed nose with floral hints with very little cherry fruit. Quite smooth on the palate with moderate acidity and high tannins. Surprisingly beefy finish, which lingers with smoky notes. 89 points
Claystone Terrace. $34.95
Light and elegant nose, quite reserved and not too fruity. Rich and darker on the palate, with wood and cherry notes. A nicely rich Old World balance and feel to this one, which will get more elegant as it ages. 89 points
Le Clos Jordanne. $35
Reserved nose – very elegant. Super smooth on the palate, nicely balanced. Woody notes, some vanilla. Rich red cherry fruit emerges. Acidity good, lovely long finish. Already drinking very well, but should continue to improve. 91 points.
Le Grand Clos. $60
Rich and balanced nose with muted fruit and mineral notes. Smooth and rich on the palate with a nice burst of red cherry fruit. Tannins a bit high still and acidity is good. Lingering finish with smokiness, chalkiness and some vanilla blended in with delicate fruity notes. A little more earthiness and a bit of barnyard would send this one right over the top – perhaps that will come with age. 93 points
The Chardonnays
Village Reserve. $25
Beautiful bright gold colour. Powerful nose of rich and well-integrated aromas of oak and a hint of anise. Fresh acidity hits first on the palate. There’s moderate fruitiness, and this is somewhat overpowered by the slightly excessive oaky notes – this is a wood lover’s chard. 88 points
Claystone Terrace $35
More muted and elegant nose with more fruit, including some citrus. Rich and smooth on the palate, with butterscotch and smoky notes – the oak is there, but more reserved in this one. The lemon notes also continue into the palate and into the nice, fresh finish. 89 points.
Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard. $35
Elegant and complex nose, fairly muted and with mineral notes. There’s even a bit of floral in it. Beautiful and smooth on the palate, with nice acidity. It’s quite full bodied and the floral notes are present on the palate and a bit of lemon. Great finish. 90 points.
Le Grand Clos. $55
Very reserved nose, but probably opens up. Super smooth, elegant and well-integrated on the palate with a complex array of flavours – fruity notes, floral, lemon, oak-driven butterscotch and an excellent finish of lingering flavours. Very like a fine white Burgundy and quite probably the best chardonnay in Ontario. 93 points.
