Pinot Noir Archives | Norman Hardie WinesNorman Hardie Winery and Vineyard

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2020 was an incredibly rich vintage for us. Beautiful warm nights in the summer and very cool nights in September. Prior to being put to barrel the wines went through punchdowns and pumpovers using a very gentle approach (two punchdowns a day). Gently basket-pressed. The wine spent 18 months on its lees in French oak barrels and fermented using only natural yeasts, as always. Spent 18 months in barrel on its lees prior to being moved to stainless steel to settle on the lees for a further 6 months. Total elevage of two years.

The biggest and richest vintage we’ve had since 2005.

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2017 is possibly one of the most elegant and refined Niagara Pinots we’ve made to date. The emphasis is on delicacy and finesse. The fruit was sourced from two beautiful clay/ limestone-based sites on & just below the Bench on the Niagara Peninsula. While the colour and alcohol level appear light, there is a lovely richness and amazing length, finishing with the most refined & pure tannins we’ve seen to date. Comes in at a beautiful 11.5% alcohol. I’ve always believed that great Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir can be almost identical twins. This Pinot fits this description particularly when it comes to the beautiful and refined tannins. Light, medium- bodied. A red wine that’s not too heavy to go with poultry, and perfect for red meat dishes. Enjoyable to drink now and will age another 4-6 years.

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Harvested from four separate sites in the Niagara Peninsula, each site contributing layers of complexity to the wine. Cold maceration of 7 days, indigenous yeast fermentation with two punch downs daily. The wine was pressed in small batches in a traditional basket press. Aged in 228L French oak barrels for 9 months. Natural malolactic fermentation, bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimum sulphur.

2016 was an exceptionally dry year in the Niagara Peninsula, resulting in beautifully feminine wine. On the nose, this wine exudes cherry and a slight earthiness. On the palate, generous red fruit notes and crunchy acidity, with expressive tannins giving way to a long, lingering finish.

Reviews

Richard Hemming MW , Jancis Robinson

16.5/20

Cherries, cranberries and a stick or two of rhubarb – very much the just-ripe spectrum of flavour, plus a smoky element as well as delicate violet perfume. Fine, delicate structure with an appetising snap to the acid.

Jamie Goode , WineAnorak

94

11.2% alcohol. So supple and delicious, with primary red cherry fruit and some spicy structure. Has amazing precision and lovely fruit purity, with a bit of grip under the fruit. There’s a lightness and elegance to this wine that’s delightful, and it should develop well. 94/100

John Szabo MS , WineAlign

91

Fresh, light, delicate and flavourful, Hardies' 2016 Niagara pinot is a marvel of fruit and lightness of being, delicate, ripe but assertive tannins, and great length. Hardie seems to be shepherding his Niagara pinots ever-more towards the light and ethereal end of the spectrum, as his County pinots have always been, a happy development in my view. Tasted October 2017.

Harvested from four separate sites in the Niagara Peninsula, each site contributing layers of complexity to the wine. Cold maceration of 7 days, indigenous yeast fermentation with two punch downs daily. The wine was pressed in small batches in a traditional basket press. Aged in 228L French oak barrels for 9 months. Natural malolactic fermentation, bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimum sulfur.

2015 proved to be an excellent growing season in the Niagara Peninsula, with exceptionally high quality fruit. The resulting wine has generous red fruit notes on both the nose and palate, with more subtle complex aromas and flavours of earth, floral and dark berries. The palate shows both lightness and tension, giving way to a long, lingering finish.

Reviews

John Szabo MS , WineAlign

91

A pinot in the light, fragrant and delicate Hardie style, from Wismer, Butler's Grant and Cuesta vineyard, all from the Twenty Mile Bench appellation in Niagara. It's a touch volatile to be sure, fine grained, delicate and full of soft but tart red berry fruit, raspberry, strawberry, with accompanying leaves. The finish lingers impressively on minty, grassy notes. 11.9% alcohol. Tasted December 2016.

A classic example of cool climate Pinot Noir, this wine exudes bright red fruit, complex earth aromas and has a lightness and tension on the palate. The palate appears to start off lightly, but builds beguiling depth with complexity of flavour as the wine opens in glass and bottle. The hallmark of this wine is its long, pure finish.

Reviews

David Lawrason , WineAlign

90

Although not from PEC where Norm Hardie is located, this elegant, tart-edged Niagara pinot shows the styling and intensity making Norman's wines famous. It's sleek, sour, bright with very bright, lifted cran-cherry fruit, toast, smoke and some spice. Very fine tannin makes it ready to drink now. Sour and tart edged, with excellent length. Chill lightly.

Richard Hemming MW , Canada Comes Courting (Again)

17.5

Earth, farmyard, fresh cherry fruit with gorgeous red fruit intensity - yet all without high alcohol. More chew to the mouthfeel than their County bottling. If Pinot Noir is the heartbreak grape, this is the happy ending!

A classic example of cool climate Pinot Noir, this wine exudes bright red fruit, but at the same time has a lightness and tension on the palate. The palate appears to start off lightly, but builds beguiling depth with complexity of flavour as the wine opens in glass and bottle. The hallmark of this wine is its long, pure finish.

Grown out of a cooler year the tension in this Pinot Noir is something that we strive to achieve. Nose and palate are laced with beautiful tones of ripe raspberry, dark fruit and herbal nuances of thyme and rosemary. The palate appears to start off lightly, but builds beguiling depth with complexity of flavour as the wine opens in glass and bottle. The hallmark of this wine is its long, pure finish. Gold Medal - WineAlign 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada

Reviews

WIneAlign , 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada

Gold

Our 2011 Niagara Peninsula Pinot Noir won Gold at the 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada, hosted by WineAlign.

John Szabo

91

This 2011 pinot is a model of finesse allied to deceptive power. It's all silky and refined on the entry, shored up by a core of firm tannins and sharp acids

Sourced from the Wismer Vineyard on the Bench, our Niagara Pinot is harvested, transported to our County facility and processed within the same day to ensure the highest quality of fruit makes it into our wine. 2010 was a vintage with very ripe fruit and solid tannin structure. 27 days on the skins and 16 months in French oak barrels.

This is a big, rich, full bodied Pinot Noir. A great introduction to Pinot Noir for those who like bigger and richer varieties. The effect of the extended skin contact left the wine exceptionally linear and taught. There is bright fruit on the palate and nose to support the structure from the skin contact. Suggested Drinkability Window: Now through 2015.

Reviews

Jamie Goode , The Wine Anorak

94/100

Floral, fresh, sappy cherry fruit nose. The palate is sweet and fruity with lively cherries and berries, and a bit of spice. Nice grippy structure here. Sweetness and precision combined, with good structure and density. 94/100