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cool climate chardonnay

Reviews Wines

Why You Need to Taste Hawkes Bay Chardonnay

Posted on January 15, 2021
Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Photo credit: Sacred Hill Wine

Picture a crisp, steely, cool climate style of Chardonnay. Now, dial up the fruit ripeness several notches. Add a little more mid-palate weight and richness. Et voila, you have the basic outline of Hawkes Bay Chardonnay.

Hawkes Bay is the oldest wine producing area in New Zealand. Located on the eastern coast of the North Island, the region extends inwards from the South Pacific coast. With its abundant sunshine and temperate climate moderated by cooling maritime breezes, Hawkes Bay produces voluptuous wines with bright acidity.

With just over 5000 hectares planted, the region accounts for 13% of the country’s total acreage (second only in size to the mighty Marlborough). Best known for its Merlot-led red blends and Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay is also gaining critical acclaim for its Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris.

The vineyards of Hawkes Bay cover a large and highly varied terrain arching 350 km along the South Pacific coast and sprawling inwards across a land contoured over thousands of years by four major rivers.

  • The Coastal Areas, prized for their chiselled Chardonnay and aromatic Pinot Noir, have a distinctly maritime climate and long growing season.
  • The Hillsides offer a range of altitudes and orientations. They are mainly planted to red varieties, with some particularly favourable limestone-rich sites.
  • The Alluvial Plains are diverse in soil type and plantings. The Gimblett Gravels sub-zone, particularly revered for its Merlot blends, boast gravelly soils with excellent drainage.
  • The River Valleys provide diverse, yet generally warm, sheltered growing conditions.
  • Central Hawkes Bay is a cooler, inland sub-region with altitudes reaching 300 metres. Aromatic white grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, as well as Pinot Noir, are popular here.

Hawkes Bay may seem an insignificant wine region in global terms. However, the quality of its Chardonnay is ample proof that New Zealand is far more than a one trick (aka Sauvignon Blanc) pony. It was this thinking that led the Hawkes Bay Winegrowers Association to create a Hawkes Bay Chardonnay Collection to send out to wine critics around the world.

In order to select the 12 Hawkes Bay Chardonnays to include in the pack, Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas was called into action. He blind tasted over 50 of the region’s best Chardonnays with the view to selecting the best possible cross-section of styles, prices, and terroir.

The 2019 growing season was deemed “extraordinary” by local growers. Hot, sunny days and cool evenings blessed the period leading up to harvest. This allowed estates to pick according to their optimal timelines, resulting in wines praised for their pristine fruit quality and vibrant acidity.

This was indeed the impression I had after tasting the range. The majority offered vivid, ripe fruit flavours and weighty structures balanced by lively acidity. The best of the bunch are already quite approachable, with harmoniously integrated oak. They also possess the freshness and concentration to age well over the moderate term.

Curious to try a Hawkes Bay Chardonnay? Here are my notes on the 12 wines sampled.

Hawkes Bay Chardonnay Pack

Photo credit: Hawkes Bay Winegrowers Association

(What do VW, PW and LW mean?  Click on my wine scoring system to decode the scores for these week-end wine recommendations):

Cooper’s Creek ‘The Limeworks’ Select Vineyards Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 89pts. PW

Intense notes of pineapple, ripe lemon, and red apple on the nose. The palate is tangy and bright, with medium body, a smooth texture, and attractive flavours of lemon curd and vanilla spice. Great value!

Price: NZ $25.00 at the winery

Monowai ‘Upper Reaches’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 88pts. PW

A fragrant white, with heady notes of honeydew melon and underlying floral, spice hints. Fresh and rounded on the soft palate with candied fruit flavours and subtle vanilla spice on the finish.

Price: NZ $35.00 at the winery

Collaboration Wines ‘Aurulent’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 91pts. PW

An attractive nose, with complex aromas of orange blossoms, lemon curd, tropical fruit, and underlying spicy oak nuances. Mouthwatering acidity on the palate gives nice vibrancy and lift to this full-bodied, moderately concentrated white. Toasty, crême caramel notes linger on the finish.

Price: NZ $35.00 at the winery

Tony Bish ‘Heartwood’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 88pts. PW

Tempting aromas of orchard fruit and anis, mingle with hints of marzipan and butterscotch on the nose. Fairly tightly wound on the palate, with brisk acidity, a firm, full-bodied structure, and subtle phenolic edge. Cellar for two to three years, or decant before serving.

Price: NZ $35.00 at the winery

Pask Winery ‘Declaration’ Chardonnay Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 89pts. PW

Initially restrained, with white floral notes, red apple, and herbal nuances developing with aeration. A taut, racy attack gives way to a creamy, medium weight mid-palate with overt toasty, vanilla oak flavours and orchard fruit on the finish.

Price: NZ $45.00 at the winery

Clearview Estate Winery ‘Reserve’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 91pts. PW

Enticing aromas of white blossoms, anise, apricot and stony mineral hints feature on the complex nose. The palate is initially crisp and taut, then deepens to reveal a subtle creaminess on the medium weight core. A touch of salinity and lively acidity lift and balance the spiced oak finish.

Price: NZ $45.00 at the winery

Askerne Wines ‘The Archer’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 90pts. PW

A temptingly ripe nose offering aromas of yellow pear, red apple, and raw honey. A Mâcon lookalike in terms of its fresh acidity, rounded structure, and sun-kissed, fruity flavours mingled with subtle toasted oak nuances. Finishes warm yet smooth.

Price: NZ $50.00 at the winery

Sacred Hill ‘Rifleman’s’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 94pts. LW

Flinty mineral notes add wonderful nuance to the pretty chamomile, lemon, and yellow apple aromas on the nose. The palate is elegantly constructed; crisp, full-bodied, and subtly creamy with flavours of brioche, orchard fruit, and subtle vanilla spice. Long and layered.

Price: NZ $70.00 at the winery

Elephant Hill ‘Salomé’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 94pts. LW

Heady notes of ripe lemon, red apple, quince, brioche, and spice fairly leap from the glass. The palate offers fine balance between its tangy acidity, full body, and concentrated core of juicy orchard and stone fruit flavours. Enticing gooseberry notes mingle with saline hints and well-integrated toasty oak nuances on the finish.

Price: NZ $75.00 at the winery

Villa Maria ‘Keltern’ Single Vineyard Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 90pts. LW

Overt lime cordial aromas overlay white blossoms and stony mineral hints on the fragrant nose. The palate is full-bodied, with striking acidity and a concentrated, textural core. Finishes on zesty notes of citrus mingled with spicy oak.

Price: NZ $80.00 at the winery

Bilancia ‘Tiratore’, La Collina Vineyard Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 88pts. LW

Discreet lemon, lime aromas mingle with yellow apple and floral hints on the nose. The palate is crisp and medium weight, with bright, fruity flavours, and a warming, toasty finish.

Price: NZ $90.00 at the winery

Church Road ‘Tom McDonald’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 – 92pts. LW

A flinty nose, with delicate notes of white fleshed fruit, chamomile, and fresh almond developing over time. The palate is racy and firm, with notable weight and depth of flavour, ably balancing the vibrant acidity and lingering spicy, butterscotch flavours.

Price: NZ $150.00 at the winery

 

 

Reviews Wines

TASTING THE WINES OF GARY FARRELL

Posted on November 17, 2020
wines of gary farrell
Photo credit: Gary Farrell Vineyards (winery, eagle’s nest view)

The wines of Gary Farrell are a testament to the unique and contrasting climate of the Russian River Valley. Plunging your nose in a glass of the 2017 Chardonnay, the ripeness of fruit evokes warmth and abundant sunshine, and yet lipsmacking acidity greets you on the taut, lively palate. The wines are a study in opposites, that most definitely attract.

Gary Farrell launched his eponymous wine label back in 1982. At the time, Napa was starting to gain worldwide attention thanks to the efforts of pioneers like Robert Mondavi, and the media attention garnered from the 1976 Judgement of Paris. However, on the other side of the Mayacamas mountains, Sonoma County remained a discreet and rugged frontierland. That is not to say exciting developments were not afoot. In the Russian River Valley, wineries like Davis Bynum were quietly proving how well suited cool climate varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were to the region’s cool, Pacific-influenced climate.

Farrell got his start at Davis Bynum, initially as an apprentice and finally as head winemaker. When he bottled his first wine, it was with fruit sourced from renowned local growers like Rochioli, Allen, and Hallberg, using the winery at Davis Bynum. By the late 1990s, the wines of Gary Farrell were widely respected, and production had expanded sufficiently to warrant construction of his own winery. Farrell chose a secluded, area in Healdsburg, the heartland of the Russian River Valley, to build his facility.

Today, the property is owned by an investment group including Bill Price, of reputed Sonoma and Napa Chardonnay specialist, Kistler Vineyards. Farrell may no longer be involved, but his legacy remains. Many of the same grower partnerships, established with a handshake nearly 40 years ago, hold strong. Since 2012, experienced local winemaker, and former chemist, Theresa Heredia has crafted the Gary Farrell wine style. In 2019, the winery attained “Year 2 Status” as a California Certified Sustainable Winemaking (CCSW) winery.

Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Theresa (virtually), to chat Russian River, how she crafts the wines of Gary Farrell, and taste a couple recent releases.

Russian River Valley Overview

Russian River Valley Map

Image credit: Gary Farrell Vineyards

The Sonoma County AVA (American Viticultural Area) of Russian River Valley begins on a sharp bend in the Russian River, where it changes its north-south course to head westward toward the Pacific coast. Many liken the region’s shape to a heart, extending south and west over a roughly 25-kilometre span in both directions. Despite decidedly warm, sunny day-time temperatures, the climate is generally deemed cool due to the heavy fogs that permeate the area, slipping through the Petaluma Gap to the south and via a wind tunnel formed by the Russian River, to the west. This phenomenon results in significant diurnal variation, with night time lows up to 20ºC cooler than day time highs.

Just over 6000 hectares are planted here, mainly to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as some coveted old vine Zinfandel. The region consists of five vineyard areas (or neighbourhoods as they are called locally): Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plain, Green Valley, Sebastopol Hills, and Laguna Ridge. Each of these neighbourhoods has a distinct mesoclimate, elevation, soil composition, and so forth. The wines of Gary Farrell are made from grapes sourced through longstanding grower partnerships across the valley, producing blends with complimentary elements from various sites, as well as single vineyard cuvées.

Green Valley, the foggiest, coolest neighbourhood of Russian River Valley due to its location closest to the coast, possesses such an individual character that it has been granted separate sub-AVA status within the Valley. It is from the sandy soils of the Hallberg Vineyard located here, that Heredia sources one of Gary Farrell’s most admired Chardonnays.

Gary Farrell Sustainability Commitments

Sonoma County is committed to leading the way in terms of vineyard and winery sustainability. In fact, in 2014 the region set themselves the goal of achieving 100% sustainability for the sector. By 2019, they had achieved 99% of their target. At Gary Farrell, sustainability initiatives include a solar array spanning the length of the winery roof that defrays 93% of the property’s power usage. Their parking lot includes Tesla/EV charging stations to encourage electric car use among staff and visitors. As part of their progression through the CCSW certification process, the winery is developing a continuous improvement plan assessing areas like water conservation, enery efficiency, waste management, social sustainability, and so forth.

The wines of Gary Farrell are made from over three-quarters certified sustainable Chardonnay vineyard sources, and nearly 90% certified sustainable Pinot Noir partners.

Gary Farrell Winemaking & Tasting Notes

Chardonnay Winemaking

Freshness and vibrancy of fruit are key watchwords for Heredia. She prefers to harvest early, when Chardonnay reaches 21 to 23 brix. “My ideal scenario” says Heredia “is Chardonnay with a pH between 3.2 to 3.5 and total acidity of 7 to 9 grams/litre, but obviously this doesn’t always happen!”. After experimenting with varying periods of skin contact, she concluded that she generally prefers the fresh, more delicate quality of rapidly pressed whites. Heredia uses a range of different pressing techniques, each tailored specifically to the Chardonnay source and clone. Fermentation and ageing takes place in lightly toasted barrels on fine lees, using a careful selection of yeasts including Burgundian favourite RC212 and Montrachet.

Gary Farrell Chardonnay “Russian River Selection” 2017

The “Russian River Selection” cuvée is made from a blend of grower partner sites in the Middle Reach, Laguna Ridge, and Santa Rosa Plain neighbourhoods (including Rochioli, Rochioli-Allen, Bacigalupi, Westside Farms, Olivet Lane, and Martinelli). The harvest took place during a total eclipse, at a frenetic pace to beat a forecasted intense heat wave. Ageing lasted nine months, in 35% new French oak.

Initially shy, the nose reveals complex notes of ripe lemon, poached pear, white blossoms, and hints of buttered toast with aeration. The palate is defined by zesty acidity, a taut structure, medium body, and tangy white grapefruit and yellow fruit notes. A subtle layered creaminess comes through on the long, dry, delicately toasted finish. A vibrant, refined Chardonnay with harmonious oaked undertones. Still quite tightly-knit, would benefit from another year or two in cellar for the acidity to soften.

Where to Buy: SAQ ($53.25)

Pinot Noir Winemaking

Heredia has an equally restrained, site-specific approach when it comes to Pinot Noir. She harvests at 22 – 24 brix. Decisions on whether to destem or vinify whole clusters differ depending on the vintage and vineyard, though she likes the “tannin structure, backbone, and spice” that whole cluster fermentation can bring to Pinot Noir. After a three – five day cold soak, must is fermented at cooler temperatures with gentle punch downs, using wild yeasts when possible. Lightly toasted barrels are also employed for Pinot Noir ageing.

Gary Farrell Pinot Noir “Hallberg Vineyard” 2016

Sourced from the Hallberg vineyard site in the cool Green Valley sub-AVA, and aged 15 months in 40% new French oak, this Pinot Noir is fragrant and floral, with vibrant black cherry, exotic spice, and tea leaf aromas. Medium weight on the palate, with brisk acidity, nicely balanced by concentrated flavours of juicy red and black fruits with mocha undertones. Elegant, moderately firm tannins with just a touch of refreshing bitterness that adds interest on the finish.  Drinking well now for lovers of more taut, high acid reds, otherwise cellar for three to four years to allow a more supple expression to develop.

Where to Buy: SAQ ($57.00)

 

Education Reviews Wines

COOL CLIMATE WINES…WHAT ARE THEY?

Posted on July 28, 2020
cool climate wines
Photo credit: Domaine St. Jacques

If you have spent any time chatting with wine geeks lately you may have heard them refer to certain wines as being “cool climate” in style. Perhaps you found yourself wondering, what are cool climate wines?

Vitis vinifera, the major grape vine species used to make wine, is a Mediterranean plant. It likes warm, sunny, fairly dry climates and produces abundant, ultra-ripe crops in these areas. In more marginal growing regions, the vine often struggles to fully ripen its grapes.

***Side note: I have also made this post into a YouTube video. To watch, just scroll down to the bottom & click play. If you enjoy the video, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel so you never miss an episode of my wine education series.

What is So Special about Cool Climate Wines?

It might seem counter-intuitive to grow a plant in a climate where the ripening of its crop is a constant concern. However, Vitis vinifera is a very particular species. The old adage goes that a grape vine needs to struggle to produce great wine. While not all winemakers would agree, many top producers do share this sentiment. Stressed vines generally produce lower grape yields which ripen at a slower rate. Proponents feel that this produces wines of greater concentration and complexity.

That is not to say that struggling vines always produce better quality. In the case of cool climates, grapes that have failed to fully ripen make thin, bitter, highly acidic wines that could strip the enamel from your teeth. However, grapes that have just attained that magical balance of vibrant acidity and sufficiently sweet fruit, with skins ripe enough to have lost their tough thickness and astringent taste, can produce incredibly elegant and refreshing wines.

Cool climate wines are generally lighter in body, with lower alcohol, and higher, more mouthwatering acidity than their counterparts from warmer growing regions. The fruit flavours are often subtler, ranging from tart to fresh, with green to white fruit notes on white wines and tangy cranberry, red berry and cherry aromas on reds.

In comparison, wines from warmer climates tend to be fuller-bodied, with higher alcohol, softer acidity, and more baked or jammy fruit flavours.

What Grapes Grow Best in Cool Climates?

Major concerns in cool climate growing areas include late budding, early autumn frosts, and cold winters. Grapes that ripen early and are able to withstand winter’s chill are best suited to cool climates.

In regions with frigid winters, where the thermostat regularly dips down below -20°C, cold-hardy hybrid grape varieties are often preferred by growers. Grapes like Frontenac, Maréchal Foch, Vidal and L’Acadie Blanc are popular in the coldest parts of Canada and northern USA.

Where winter conditions are slightly milder, Vitis vinifera varieties like Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc thrive.

What Makes a Climate Cool?

According to acclaimed American wine writer Matt Kramer, “the notion of cool climate is, in many ways, a New World concept”. Kramer made this assertion during a webinar exploring the evolution of cool climate wines for this year’s virtual International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C).

Wines have been produced in marginal climates – like Chablis and Champagne – for centuries. However, classifying wines from these regions as “cool climate” is a relatively new phenomenon; one which has grown in prominence over the past ten years.

So, what factors make a wine region cool? To date there is no formal definition or set rules as to what constitutes a cool climate. With this in mind, a second i4C webinar, led by John Szabo MS, looked at major contributing factors to cool climates.

Latitudes between 30° and 50° in the northern and southern hemispheres are generally agreed to be the areas where wine grapes can successively be cultivated. Latitude has long been used as a primary argument for climate, with wine regions closer to 50° regularly typecast as cool climate.

Various measurement tools have also been developed in an attempt to codify viticultural climates. One system, called growing degree days (GDD) measures heat accumulation over the growing season. Another, called growing season temperature (GST), measures the average monthly temperature over the 7 months of the grape growing season. According to climate experts Gregory Jones and Hans Schultz, regions with GST averages between 13 – 15c, and GDDs of 850 – 1389 are classic cool climates regions.

However, climate classifications based solely on one-size-fits-all indicators like latitude or GDDs are increasingly being called into question. Each region has its own unique geography and weather patterns. Wind circulation, altitude, soil types and colours, proximity to bodies of water capable of tempering temperature extremes…these are just a handful of factors that can significantly affect a region’s temperatures and exposure to sunlight.

Where Can I Find Cool Climate Wines?

The lighter, fresher wine styles associated with cool climates are becoming increasingly popular with wine lovers. Wine regions proclaiming themselves cool are popping up all over the world, leading to growing critical skepticism.

That being said, most wine experts agree that vineyard areas like Champagne, the Loire Valley, and Burgundy produce cool climate wines. Well known cooler areas in the USA include much of Oregon, coastal areas of Sonoma, and parts of Santa Barbara County. In Australia, Tasmania is an exciting region for cool climate wines. In New Zealand, several areas make the cut, such as the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, and parts of Central Otago.

If you want to go slightly off the beaten track, England has a growing reputation for fine cool climate sparkling wines. Here are home, Nova Scotia and Québec are also great cool climate sparkling contenders. Ontario and British Columbia each possess a number of cool climate terroirs making a wide array of cool Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir wines.

Tasting Cool Climate Wines

The series of i4C lectures discussing and debating cool climate wines and regions culminated as all great wine conversations should, with a tasting. Here are my notes on the six wines from Chablis, New Zealand, and Ontario generously supplied to me by the regions to celebrate i4C and all things cool climate.

Domaine Laroche 2018 Petit Chablis, France

Excellent as an aperitif, this light-bodied, taut Petit Chablis offers discreet earthy, yellow apple and nettle notes on the nose. White grape fruit and lime flavours provide an attractive juiciness to the nervy, high acid. Finishes bone dry.

Where to Buy: SAQ (23.45$), inquire with agent in Ontario: Select Wines

Domaine Gueguen 1er Cru Vaucoupin 2018, Chablis, France 

Very elegant premier cru Chablis, with pretty white blossoms and ripe orchard fruit notes on the nose. With a little time in the glass, underlying aromas of wet stone and white mushroom develop. The palate is defined by a firm, almost strident acidity on the attack that softens and broadens on the mid-palate. Vibrant white fruit flavours mingle with tingly saline notes that linger on the long, dry, finish.

Where to Buy: Inquire with agent Le Maitre de Chai

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylor’s Pass Chardonnay 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand

A really harmonious Chardonnay with bright yellow fruit aromas layered with buttered, flinty nuances and subtle toasty oak. The palate features vibrant acidity that enhances the juicy meyer lemon, passion fruit, and apricot flavours and balances the rich, round, textural palate. Pleasantly warming on the lengthy finish.

Where to Buy: LCBO (33.95$), inquire with agent in Québec: Vins Dandurand

Paddy Borthwick Chardonnay 2018, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Initially discreet nose, with an array of ripe, yellow fruit and flinty hints upon aeration. Fresh acidity provides definition to the rounded, full-bodied palate structure. Juicy stone fruits and subtle grapefruit pith bitterness on the dry, medium length finish. Slightly warming.

 Where to Buy: LCBO (25.00$)

Leaning Post Senchuk Vineyard Chardonnay 2018, Lincoln Lakeshore VQA, Niagara, Ontario 

Restrained earthy aromas on first approach, with delicate white floral, green apple, and lime hints developing after a few minutes in the glass. The racy acidity and very firm structure on this medium bodied white are balanced by a layered, textural mid-palate. Intriguing flavours of green fruits, earth and wet stone linger on the mouthwatering, dry finish. Needs 2 – 3 years cellaring to unwind.

 Where to Buy: LCBO (45.00$, 2017 vintage), leaningpostwines.com 

Legacy Willms Vineyard  Chardonnay 2017, Four Mile Creek VQA, Niagara, Ontario

A highly aromatic style of Chardonnay (potentially Chardonnay Musqué?), brimming with white peach, Bartlett pear and vanilla notes on the nose and palate. Fresh, fruity, and rounded on the palate, with medium weight and a smooth finish. Best for lovers of soft, fruit-forward Chardonnay styles.

Where to Buy: adamoestate.com/shop/