This summer certainly has had its challenges with all the rain. The vineyard crew continues to do remarkable work. The arduous important task of leaf plucking around the clusters has been completed. Our crop load is looking very solid, all we need now is six weeks of sunshine. I believe not only the grapes need it but all of us deserve it after such a rainy summer. We were in a similar position in 2017, and what a magnificent vintage that ended up being!
We are finally releasing our 2020 Pinot Noirs. 2020 was an iconic vintage and I think the Pinot Noirs from this vintage are our best to date. Our most elegant Pinot of the 2020 vintage is the County Pinot Noir (17 point score, JancisRobinson.com). Our biggest and boldest is the Niagara Pinot Noir. The Cuvée L 2020 is our first Cuvée L Pinot since 2015, showing remarkable elegance and restraint. All the elegance of the County with the wonderful weight and richness of Niagara. All three are available now at the winery and on our online store.
A huge moment for us at the winery took place this week. Our first shipment ever to France is ready for pick up. 20 years ago when we planted the first vines the idea of shipping Canadian wines to France was simply a pipe dream, but now it is reality. Our wines are now available in the U.K., France, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark, and are now poured in over 30 Michelin Star restaurants across Europe. That number will likely climb significantly once the wines arrive in France.
The patio and wood-fired pizza oven will remain open 7 days a week until 6pm for the foreseeable future. As the temperatures cool down, we will continue to be open 7 days a week with shortened hours. Visit our website (normanhardie.com) for the most up to date hours. In the 11 years we have been making pizzas, I feel our team is putting out the best pizzas we have ever seen. Kudos to Alvin, Henriette, and the crew on a phenomenal season.
If you can’t make it to the County, we are happy to ship directly from our cellar to your door across Canada, including Quebec. Mixed cases are welcomed, and free shipping is available on most orders. Click here to visit our online store.
Cheers,
Norm