The opinions expressed in NGV Uncorked regarding the Niagara and Ontario wine industry are those of the author. Niagara winery & wine selections in NGV Uncorked reflect personal preferences and are based on recent winery visits and tasting sessions, not reviews by wine critics / writers or industry wine awards.
Vol. I - 5 / May 2009
An unexpected sequel to 1976's "Judgement of Paris" (in which two Californian wines were judged superior to French Burgundies) played out in Quebec recently at a "blind" tasting competition sponsored by Cellier, a provincial wine magazine. The original competition was immortalized in the campy movie, Bottle Shock.
This time around, Le Clos Jordanne (winemaker, Thomas Bachelder) earned top honours for its Claystone Terrace Chardonnay, a Niagara wine entered not by the winery itself, but by event organizers in order to challenge the judges.
For his success and readiness to share his winemaking knowledge with his peers, Bachelder was named "Winemaker of the Year" at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awards, even though Le Clos Jordanne hadn't entered any wines in the annual competition. Le Clos Jordanne (Jordan, ON) is a joint venture between Vincor Canada and a French winery - Boisset Vins et Spiriteux.
The immediate fallout and subsequent ripple effects should bode well for Niagara wines and wineries, elevating the reputation of Niagara wines and bringing them international acceptance (and sales).
Resultantly, of course, Le Clos Jordanne's wines, while a bit pricey, will sell out quickly, as they always do, and be largely unavailable (except online through the winery itself). However, this "bottle shock" announcement underlines the exceptional quality of Ontario VQA Niagara wines and, frankly, there are hundreds of outstanding Niagara wine varietals and vintages available only at the wineries themsleves, some of which might set the stage for Bottle Shock III.
Le Clos Jordanne has plans to soon build a state-of-the-art facility. While waiting, visit as many Niagara wineries as possible, tasting great VQA wines, attending unique winery events, savouring winemaker dinners, enjoying live entertainment and, obviously, discovering wines that are uniquely appealing to the most important wine judge of all - you, the wine lover.