Aromatic Whites Archives | Norman Hardie WinesNorman Hardie Winery and Vineyard

Zesty aromas of lemon curd and white flowers backed by notes of wet stone that carry a lively, yet firm pallet and linger with a mineral rich finish. A classic pairing for oysters and shellfish.

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John Bil had an immense impact on our culture and similarly to us, he was always looking to push boundaries in his craft. In line with John's great love of the ocean, this 2021 vintage is crisp, fresh and a superb pairing with shellfish. Aged on the fine lees for a full two lees, adding wonderful complexity to this wine. Think Chablis. Enclosed is an ode to John which will help you understand the importance and context of this wine. Enjoy the wine with seafood and oysters in large quantities, that's what John would do.

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Our 2021 Gewürztraminer is beautifully bone-dry with lots of rose petal and lychee fruit notes on the nose. There is a lovely spiciness and minerality on the palette and a long, clean finish. Stylistically we emulate the dry, crisp Gewürztraminers made from the high altitude vineyards of Alto-Adige, Italy. The wine makes a great aperitif on its own and shines with Thai and other south-east asian foods.

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100% Prince Edward County grown. Fermented by wild yeasts and aged in stainless steel on fine lees for six months before bottling. This Pinot Gris starts with subtle spice and floral notes then finishes off with a pure and crystalline finish. Crunchy orchard fruit and pomelo and a texturally seductive palate make it an immediate favourite. Lean and steely-it is delicious served chilled on the patio or alternatively with cold seafood.

Available at at LCBO

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. The co-fermentation of the lees allows us to produce a remarkably well integrated blend (vs. the blending of already finished wines). Named Calcaire in homage to the calcareous limestone which provide the stony minerality in this wine. Lively notes of passionfruit and fresh white flower give way to a richness in the palate without straying far from the focused minerality which is the backbone of this wine. A perfect refresher for spring and summer, Calcaire will really sing with its perfect match‐shellfish. VQA Ontario

$2500

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Also available at LCBO

This is a wonderful seafood and light pasta wine. Made using Old-World techniques from Sancerre that Norm learned on a 10-day intensive trip during the 2017 Sancerre harvest. A beautiful expression of the limestone and clay terroir we have here in Southern Ontario. Think Sancerre, not New Zealand.

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. The co-fermentation of the lees allows us to produce a remarkably well integrated blend (vs. the blending of already finished wines). Named Calcaire in homage to the calcareous limestone which provide the stony minerality in this wine.

Lively notes of passionfruit and fresh white flower give way to a richness in the palate without straying far from the focused minerality which is the backbone of this wine. A perfect refresher for spring and summer, Calcaire will really sing with its perfect match‐shellfish.

Hear Norm’s Take

Our first-ever Riesling that is produced exclusively from Prince Edward County fruit. Coming from old vines (1999 planting). Riesling, like Chardonnay, showcases the soil it comes from exceptionally well. The palette is all the County minerality one expects from our limestone-rich soils. The nose is showing classic Riesling notes – lemon-lime with a hint of the desired petrol. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

$2100

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This is not a typical Sauvignon Blanc! 8 months ageing on its fine lees in old 500L French Oak barrels have imparted a slight golden hue and a buttery almond perfume to the lively core of gooseberry, lime zest and fresh picked pea pod. The real heart of the wine is its firm, flinty core of minerality. This Sauvignon Blanc calls out for fresh local pickerel or perch!

Reviews

Sara d'Amato , Wine Align

92/100

More Loire Valley than Marlborough, this sauvignon blanc is matured in neutral wood barrels giving the wine some added amplitude. Offering an appealing textural component with notes of lemon oil, mineral, delicate herbal notes and old wood. Very good length. Tasted September 2019.

John Szabo MS , Wine Align

90/100

Made from fruit sourced from the Niagara Bench, including the Wismer-Parke vineyard, this Sauvignon is fermented and aged in old barrels (at least 5 years old) and crafted in an intentionally restrained style. Aromatics fall neither on the green nor tropical fruit spectrum, but rather in a more comfortable middle ground of pear and apple and cherry stone. There's the signature Hardie 'lift' - a touch of acetic acid, but in check, while acids are softer than the mean. The overall impression is one of gentle softness and wide appeal, more of a textural ride than aromatic explosion, a sophisticated expression. Tasted September 2019. Value Rating: **1/2

100% Niagara grown, our Sauvignon Blanc was hand harvested in early October after achieving optimal ripeness. It was hand sorted,crushed and whole cluster pressed then cool fermented in stainless steel by wild yeasts. The wine aged in stainless steel on fine lees for six months undergoing partial malolactic fermentation. It was then racked off and bottled in the spring of 2018.

Light fresh herbaceous grassy notes fold in neatly with citrus pith, starfruit and wet stony minerality. On the palate-focused and lean with subtle floral notes- finishing clean and steely.

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The greatest kept secret of Ontario: killer, world-class Riesling. This Riesling was sourced from a number of sites from the Niagara Escarpment and Prince Edward County; each site adding layers of complex fruit, mineral and acidity, capturing the best of both appelations: from the County exhilarating acid and a bright ethereal palate; the Niagara fruit anchoring the wine with an array of ripe fruit aromas, flavours and a weight on the palate to perfectly balance the livery acid. Whole cluster press of individual vineyard sites. Each block is fermented separately at cool temperatures in stainless steel. Aged 4 months in stainless, no malolactic fermentation.

Riesling at its best! Exhilarating acidity perfectly balanced by an array of ripe fruit aromas and intoxicating florals. Bosc pear, gooseberry and Granny Smith apple give way to orchard blossom and honeysuckle. Loads of chalky minerality add to complexity and appeal.

Available at at LCBO

Reviews

Michael Vaughan , Vintage Assessments

93

"...Slightly off dry, medium bodied and beautifully structured, it’s surprisingly complex and intense with lots of ripe apple-lemon fruit flavours with a lingering, crisp, meringue-tinged finish... The 2017 is best Riesling yet and believe that it will get better every year over the next decade...” -93/100

A highly sought-after wine and our first vintage since ’14, Melon de Bourgogne originates from the Loire valley and is incredibly versatile from a fermentation standpoint. It was one of the first varietals Norman made in PEC, mainly because of how well it highlights the mineral quality from the limestone soils in Prince Edward County. This wine was fermented with natural yeasts and full lees in a horizontal tank before being put into two 10+ year old French oak barrels (225L and 500L). The Melon aged 18 months on fine lees prior to 2 rackings. No sulphur was added prior to fermentation and only a minimal sulphur dose was added prior to bottling. This wine is lively, vibrant and simply delicious. Only 75 cases produced.

Zesty aromas of lemon curd and white flowers backed by notes of wet stone that carry a lively, yet firm pallet and linger with a mineral rich finish. A classic pairing for oysters and shellfish. Yum yum yum!

John Bil had an immense impact on our culture and similarly to us, he was always looking to push boundaries in his craft. Enjoy the wine with seafood and oysters in large quantities, that's what John would do.

A unique blend of Niagara Chard from the cool 2017 vintage, and County Riesling from the 2019 vintage. The addition of the Riesling helps accentuate the great minerality that has been drawn from the limestone soils in both regions, as well as a little bit of freshness and acidity. Enjoyed best with fresh seafood bounty from the East Coast/Atlantic Ocean.

This exotic wine exudes fresh, alluring aromas of white grapefruit, dried rose petal, lanolin and clove that carry over to the rich, spicy palate and through the long exotic finish. Perfect for spicy Thai cuisine.

After small lot experiments in ’13 and ’14 with skin contact wines, Norman is excited to release his 1st skin contact White. Norman chose Gewurztraminer because of its aromatic quality, lovely skins, and great tannic structure. The grapes spent 30+ days on the skins before a gentle basket press. The juice was fermented with 100% indigenous yeasts and the wine was racked post-pressing into 2 neutral white 225L French oak barrels. 18 months of élevage allowed for natural micro-oxidization to allow the wine to breathe and develop beautifully. Less than 50 cases produced.

Enticing nose of potpourri, rosewater, pink grapefruit pith and crunchy starfruit with a glimmer of resin-drenched juniper berry adding wild complexity! Fresh tart lychee fruit and florals on the palate finishing dry and clean. Beautiful texture and tannin - a delight for the senses.

Video Details

100% Prince Edward County grown. The County Pinot Gris benefited from a lovely warm fall, despite a challenging start to the growing season. The fruit obtained beautiful phenolic ripeness and a generous mouthfeel, but still retains the hallmark County acidity and minerality. Fermented by wild yeasts and aged in stainless steel on fine lees for six months before bottling.

This Pinot Gris starts with subtle spice and floral notes then finishes off with a pure and crystalline finish. Crunchy orchard fruit and pomelo and a texturally seductive palate make it an immediate favourite. Lean and steely-it is delicious served chilled on the patio or alternatively with cold seafood.

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. The co-fermentation of the lees allows us to produce a remarkably well integrated blend (vs. the blending of already finished wines). Named Calcaire in homage to the calcareous limestone which provide the stony minerality in this wine.

Lively notes of passionfruit and fresh white flower give way to a richness in the palate without straying far from the focused minerality which is the backbone of this wine. A perfect refresher for spring and summer, Calcaire will really sing with its perfect match-shellfish.

This single vineyard Riesling was grown in the beautiful red clay soils of the Redfoot vineyard located on the Niagara Escarpment. It was fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures, with an extra 8 months on fine lees that added greatly to the complexity of the wine. No malolactic fermentation. The name “Paradoxe” was derived from its early picking date. Riesling is normally harvested mid to late October, after Chardonnay. Due to the low yield, these Riesling grapes were “paradoxally” ripe well before Chardonnay.

This wonderfully balanced Riesling shows a rich mouth-feel complimented by beautiful citrus and freshness. A low alcohol of 9.5% makes this an ideal afternoon sipper.

Reviews

Michael Godel , WineAlign

92

As if Norm Hardie’s wines were not already paradoxes enough he just had to go there. In a time where there’s a remarkably great deal of homogeneity some wines are so over the top they could only be from that place. That place is the Niagara Peninsula, a three-hour drive west from Hardie's Prince Edward County camp. Cuvée Paradoxe delivers a low-alcohol Germanesque experience but with more Peninsula leanness and yet the juicy-driven nature is shot injected into both arms by a limestone syringe. It’s really a paradox because despite the 20 g/L of residual sugar the 9.5 per cent alcohol doesn’t quite seem to be plausible with the amount of dry extract, incurvate fruit and grape tannin involved. Apparently it’s not a thing of impossibility, which comes as little surprise in cases involving Hardie's risks. Is there perhaps an ode here to Champagne by the satirist Didier Gimmonet, if only because this is richer and sweeter, more immediate and fruit-focused than the typical Hardie white? I don't know, go ask Norm. Drink 2018-2022. Tasted April 2018.

Chris Waters , Waters and Wine

This is an expressive and delicious off-dry Riesling that was aged on fine lees for eight months to impart more texture and complexity. The Paradoxe implied in the name is that the Riesling vineyard was ready to pick much earlier than anticipated, which set the ball rolling for Hardie and his inspired team to adopt a different approach. Instead of the traditional racy and minerally style championed by Hardie, this boasts purity of fresh fruit and a long stony finish. It’s drinking beautifully now, but promises to develop more complexity and character with time in bottle. Drink now to 2023. Highly Recommended.

100% Prince Edward County grown. The County Pinot Gris benefited from a hot growing season to produce fruit with generous mouthfeel, but still retaining the hallmark County acid and minerality. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.

This Pinot Gris starts out with subtle spice and floral notes then finishes off with a very pure and cristalline finish. Delicious served chilled on the patio or alternatively with cold seafood.

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. The cofermentation of the lees allows us to produce a remarkably well integrated blend (vs. the blending of already finished wines). Named Calcaire in homage to the calcareous limestone which provide the fantastic minerality in this wine.

Lively notes of lemon and lime give way to a richness in the palate, without straying far from the focused minerality which is the backbone of this wine. A perfect refresher for spring and summer, Calcaire will really sing with its perfect match, shellfish.

This Riesling is a wonderful blend of Niagara and County grown fruit. It exhibits beautiful harmony between vibrant fruit notes, mouth watering minerality and a wonderfully textured mouthfeel. A low alcohol of 9.8% makes this a wine right for any occasion.

Reviews

Carolyn Hammond , The Toronto Star

92

This vintage is just hitting shelves now and is a shining example of why Mr. Hardie has rock star status in Ontario. This sterling wonder starts with pretty honeysuckle aromas before racing across the palate with a saturating lick of salted lime sherbet. Great purity of fruit, concentration and balance — read: it’s a wine everyone will love. At just 9.8-per-cent alcohol, the pouring possibilities seem endless but I’d start with a plate of steamed pork dumplings.

100% Prince Edward County grown. Despite low yields from frost in early spring 2015, the County Pinot Gris benefited from a warmer growing season to produce fruit with a generous mouthfeel, but still retaining the hallmark County acid. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 8 months in neutral 500L french oak barrels. Full malolactic fermentation completed in the spring and bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulphur dose.

Bright floral aromas with subtle fruit on the nose. Palate of complex fruit, lees and mineral notes. Subtle, mouth filling texture in balance with hallmark County acid. A classic cool-climate Pinot Gris.

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Lively notes of lemon and lime give way to a richness in the palate, without straying far from the focused minerality which is the backbone of this wine. A perfect refresher for spring and summer, Calcaire will really sing with its perfect match, shellfish.

This Riesling is a wonderful balance of Niagara and County grown fruit. The Niagara portion brings richness and mouth-feel elements complimented by wonderful citrus and mineral elements from the County . A low alcohol of 10.5% makes this an ideal afternoon sipper.

100% County grown fruit. Wild yeast fermented in stainless steel. Aged sur lie for 4 months.

This Pinot Gris starts out with subtle spice and floral notes then finishes off with a very pure and long mineral driven finish, reminiscent of the great Pinot Gris from the Alto Adige.

Melon de Bourgogne is the varietal from which the Loire Valley’s great Muscadets are made. Our Melon de Bourgogne was harvested from a single vineyard in Prince Edward County in early October 2014. The juice was extracted using a long, slow press cycle for gentle extraction and then fermented in stainless steel at a cool temperature (12 to 14°C) to preserve its wonderful freshness, acidity and stony qualities. For the first time, the wine was aged on full lees in neutral 500L oak barrels for five months prior to bottling. Classic pairings would be briny shellfish… particularly delicious with East coast oysters.

Showcasing the classic minerality of Prince Edward County, the 2014 Melon de Bourgogne shows bright lemon-lime citrus notes on the nose. On the palate, it has razor sharp acidity and a subtle lees mid-palate. Refreshing, crisp finish. Classic pairings would be briny shellfish… particularly delicious with East coast oysters.

Full lees fermentation of our finest Ontario whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Melon de Bourgogne. The co-fermentation of the lees allows us to produce a remarkably well integrated blend (vs. the blending of already finished wines). Named Calcaire in homage to the calcareous limestone which provide the fantastic minerality in this wine.

This Riesling is a wonderful balance of Niagara and County grown fruit. The Niagara portion (60 %) brings richness and mouth-feel elements complimented by wonderful citrus and mineral elements from the County . A low alcohol of 10.1% makes this an ideal afternoon sipper.

This 100% County grown Pinot Gris was exceptionally low yielding in 2013, averaging 1 ton/acre. Wild yeast fermented in stainless steel the wine was aged sur lie for 4 months.

The low yielding harvest fills this wine with incredible concentration of flavour and minerality. Peaches, grapefruit and mineral on the nose. The palate is the perfect balance of richeness and crisp acidity.

Our Melon de Bourgogne is the varietal from which the Loire Valley’s great Muscadets are made from. The juice was extracted using a long, slow press cycle for gentle extraction and then fermented in stainless steel at a cool temperature (12 to 14 C) to preserve the wonderful freshness, acidity and stony qualities. The wine was aged on full lees for five months prior to bottling. Classic pairings would be briny shellfish...particularly delicious with east coast oysters.