The 2024 harvest season was truly spectacular. Despite the deluge of rain throughout the summer, the vineyard and fruit were in stunning shape going into the September ripening cycle. In 21 years of making wine in the County I’ve never experienced such a spectacular fall and perfect ripening conditions. The health of the fruit was so good that the sorting table was merely a medium to get the grapes from the picking totes to the press. A huge thank you as always to Lou and our incredible team of Thai field workers for their hard and diligent work.
I’d like to highlight a couple of stunning new releases – our 2023 Riesling and 2022 Chardonnay. I’d best describe the 2023 Riesling (11.5% alcohol) as just-dry. Bright green apple and citrus notes with an amazing mineral finish. This is a great wine for entertaining over the holiday season – we like to call it our breakfast-lunch-and-dinner wine here at the winery. The 2022 Chardonnay is very reminiscent of the amazing 2015 and 2017 vintages. A hint of classic NH reduction, bright fruit, and weighing in at 12.5% alcohol. I tasted this blind with some Burgundian wine lovers and all of them were blown away when I revealed it came from Ontario and not Burgundy. Both wines are now available through our online store for delivery right to your front door, as well as in person at the winery and select LCBO Vintages locations.
I’m so proud to share with you the great progress being made at the Tawineyi primary school which we’re helping fund. I visited the building site in Zimbabwe just over a year and a half ago when they were laying the foundations…nothing in Africa happens fast. The progress made on the school buildings to date has been phenomenal – see photos below. I have always believed that education is the greatest gift one can give to a child. If you’d like to be a part of this amazing project by donating directly, please click on this link and indicate that you’d like to direct the funds to the Tawineyi Primary School Fund. Congratulations to Chaka Chikodzi for spearheading this project.
Our wines make the perfect gift! Think of us for wine-loving friends, family and corporate gifts. If you can’t make it to the County to pick up our wines this Holiday season, we are always delighted to ship directly to your door. Free shipping is available for Ontario orders $200+ and orders to Quebec and the rest of Canada $400+. Mixed cases are welcome! Click here to order
Thank you for supporting the winery and my incredible team who work tirelessly day in and day out to help grow and craft some of the most exciting cool-climate wines in the world.
Cheers,
Norm
WINTER FOOD PROGRAM:
While the pizza oven has closed for the season, our hearty Winter Food program is available daily all season long. Serving piping hot lasagnas, Luciano’s garden parmigiana, classic French onion soup, fresh East Coast oysters, and our cold-smoked local trout. Seating is available outdoors next to roaring fire pits, or inside our cozy barrel chamber. Visit our website or Instagram (@normanhardiewinery) for our most up-to-date hours.
We look forward to welcoming you during the magical winter season!
