Le Clos Jordanne Proves Its Merit Once Again!
Beginnings
I was there at the start. It was 2000 when I and a number of writers were invited by then CEO and President of Vincor, Donald Triggs and Jean Charles Boisset of Boisset La Famille Des Grande Vins to view what was to be Le Clos Jordanne. The vines were small then----actually quite tiny. The day was electric----with anticipation of greatness. The feeling was positive. We were all gathered atop this very hard to locate vineyard on the Niagara Bench knowing that magnificent wine was going to be produced here. I remember walking along side of Don Triggs throwing out names for a second wine label should it be needed. I suggested "Le Petit Clos Jordanne". While the name was never used in that context, it was a good beginning which continued to get better.
Nothing was spared in the creation of Le Clos Jordanne. The best Bugundy clones, experience viticulturists and of course pain was taken in the selection of the location. All the parts were a perfect fit and fit well they did. Now, some ten years later, Le Clos Jordanne is part of Vincor----A Constellation Company and Boisset. As the parents have grown, so has Le Clos.
Vinicultural Practice
Organic viticultural practices along with time honoured Burgundy methods and New World innovations have catapulted this vineyard's wines into the World scene. Well known wine writer, viniculturist and wine maker Thomas Bachelder took over the reigns and made a good thing even better. His dedication to perfection metamorphosed into a magnificent and lovely butterfly. His work has been advanced by new (2007) winemaker, Sebastien Jacquey.
Sebastien was Thomas Bachelder's assistant winemaker for several vintages and has now inherited full winemaker's status. He came with exceptional credentials such as Baron Philippe de Rothschild in Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Corsica, and of course Burgundy.
Now he assumed control of the 2008 vintage. While it wasn't an easy go----the summer rains made life difficult for viticulturists and the weather was variable however vineyard management techniques and a warm, dry spell during harvest certainly helped the cause. While this was not your best "red" year, cool climate Pinot Noir showed well and the skill of the winemaker proved the difference.
I went up to the winery proper on Sunday, November 21st and got a first hand tasting of the 2008 Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. My taste leaned a bit toward the Chardonnays especially the Claystone but both sets of wines were amazing.
Notes:
Chardonnay
All the wines had a clear, brilliant lemon yellow colour
Village Reserve (a blend of three vineyards Talon Ridge, Claystone and Le Clos Jordanne)
Nose: Initially a bit reluctant but floral notes and nuances of vanilla spice, citrus fruit were slowly given up.
Palate: Nice mouth feel with good harmony. Butter gives way to ripe pear/melon/citrus with a clean pleasant fruit/and mineral finish
Talon Ridge
Nose: Initial smoke gives way to apple nuances and tropical fruit
Palate: As previous, nice mouth feel and body. Butter and nut fruit with a minerality that seems to be a consistent with these wines. Nice finish.
Claystone Terrace
Nose: Another wine with flinty smoke, mineral with peach/apricot and nut.
Palate: Predominately cream with butterscotch and white fruit, pebbles/minerality and pleasant vanilla oak.
Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard
Nose: Floral with mineral flint, white fruit (pear/apple/peach) with nicely integrated oak
Palate: Minerality predominates through the wine with vanilla oak spice and a steely, pebble finish.
Le Grand Clos
Nose: A tough wine to access since it was very reluctant to give any indication as to who or what it was. Smokey flint was first noticed. Nutty almond, maybe some pear nuances and definitely mineral. I am sure that as it ages, it will become very complex.
Palate: Mouth feel is excellent in body----somewhere between medium and full. Mineral steel with nuts, maybe peach/apricot nuances. Vanilla oak spice and pebble finish.
Pinot Noir
Village Reserve
Nose: Red berries, vanilla wood spice, some toastiness and a touch of Listerine on nose.
Palate: Light to Light/Medium in body, red fruit (strawberries, red currants, cherries) and lasting mineral finish. Well integrated. Very nice wine for the price ($25).
Talon Ridge
Nose: Red fruit (cherries, strawberries) keeps evolving in the glass to riper reds. Vanilla nuances and minerality.
Palate: Medium body, some stone with cherry/red berry flavours as the wine evolves in glass. Lingering finish with pleasant acidity. Nice wine!
La Petite Colline
Nose: Mixture of black and red fruit but mainly black (cherry, blueberry, raspberry). Somewhat spicier than expected but with a strong mineral influence. Somewhat floral notes and dainty elegance.
Palate: Medium bodied, more dark fruit and pebbles/stone with a lingering blackberry fruit finish.
Claystone Terrace (very dark wine)
Nose: Tight and foreboding. The wine releases bits of clues to what it will be like in a few years time. Chocolate, black fruit with smoke and a sense of strong mineral.
Palate: Lean and mean but with much promise. Strong mineral ore style. Nice tannins and acidity. Medium to full body. Promise of black fruit and much richness to come. Long lingering finish. Live long and prosper of heavenly wine!!!!!
Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard
Nose: Rich and more forward than the Claystone. This wine wants to please immediately yet has the staying power of a trooper.Violets give way to black/red fruit flavours great vanilla spice with hints of cedar.
Palate: Medium plus body, black berry and cherry flavours linger in the mouth with harmonious acid/sugar integration. Power with elegant class.
Le Grand Clos
Nose: Closed but with time reveals itself very slowly. Some dark fruit reveals itself in the glass with floral bouquet barely evident but indicating promise. After an hour in glass some smoke, leather and seems to mingle with the fruit. Much promise!
Palate:Full in body with dark fruit flavours. Evidence of chocolate and licorice spice. As with the other wines, strong mineral component leads to a strong and powerful finish. Much to come!!
My Favourites
It is hard to dwell on favourites when one has such a great array of wines. It also depends on what you are picking your favourites for. For drinking purposes now I would pick without hesitation the Village Reserve Chardonnay and Pinot Noir followed by the Claystone Chardonnay and Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Pinot Noir. For long aging/cellaring I would definitely pick the Grand Clos of both colours as well as the Claystone Pinot. However, any of these wines would be worth a place on any table or cellar.
Le Clos Jordanne will do for Canadian red wine what Inniskillin's Icewine did in the '90's.
I was there at the start. It was 2000 when I and a number of writers were invited by then CEO and President of Vincor, Donald Triggs and Jean Charles Boisset of Boisset La Famille Des Grande Vins to view what was to be Le Clos Jordanne. The vines were small then----actually quite tiny. The day was electric----with anticipation of greatness. The feeling was positive. We were all gathered atop this very hard to locate vineyard on the Niagara Bench knowing that magnificent wine was going to be produced here. I remember walking along side of Don Triggs throwing out names for a second wine label should it be needed. I suggested "Le Petit Clos Jordanne". While the name was never used in that context, it was a good beginning which continued to get better.
Nothing was spared in the creation of Le Clos Jordanne. The best Bugundy clones, experience viticulturists and of course pain was taken in the selection of the location. All the parts were a perfect fit and fit well they did. Now, some ten years later, Le Clos Jordanne is part of Vincor----A Constellation Company and Boisset. As the parents have grown, so has Le Clos.
Vinicultural Practice
Organic viticultural practices along with time honoured Burgundy methods and New World innovations have catapulted this vineyard's wines into the World scene. Well known wine writer, viniculturist and wine maker Thomas Bachelder took over the reigns and made a good thing even better. His dedication to perfection metamorphosed into a magnificent and lovely butterfly. His work has been advanced by new (2007) winemaker, Sebastien Jacquey.
Sebastien was Thomas Bachelder's assistant winemaker for several vintages and has now inherited full winemaker's status. He came with exceptional credentials such as Baron Philippe de Rothschild in Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Corsica, and of course Burgundy.
Now he assumed control of the 2008 vintage. While it wasn't an easy go----the summer rains made life difficult for viticulturists and the weather was variable however vineyard management techniques and a warm, dry spell during harvest certainly helped the cause. While this was not your best "red" year, cool climate Pinot Noir showed well and the skill of the winemaker proved the difference.
I went up to the winery proper on Sunday, November 21st and got a first hand tasting of the 2008 Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. My taste leaned a bit toward the Chardonnays especially the Claystone but both sets of wines were amazing.
Notes:
Chardonnay
All the wines had a clear, brilliant lemon yellow colour
Village Reserve (a blend of three vineyards Talon Ridge, Claystone and Le Clos Jordanne)
Nose: Initially a bit reluctant but floral notes and nuances of vanilla spice, citrus fruit were slowly given up.
Palate: Nice mouth feel with good harmony. Butter gives way to ripe pear/melon/citrus with a clean pleasant fruit/and mineral finish
Talon Ridge
Nose: Initial smoke gives way to apple nuances and tropical fruit
Palate: As previous, nice mouth feel and body. Butter and nut fruit with a minerality that seems to be a consistent with these wines. Nice finish.
Claystone Terrace
Nose: Another wine with flinty smoke, mineral with peach/apricot and nut.
Palate: Predominately cream with butterscotch and white fruit, pebbles/minerality and pleasant vanilla oak.
Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard
Nose: Floral with mineral flint, white fruit (pear/apple/peach) with nicely integrated oak
Palate: Minerality predominates through the wine with vanilla oak spice and a steely, pebble finish.
Le Grand Clos
Nose: A tough wine to access since it was very reluctant to give any indication as to who or what it was. Smokey flint was first noticed. Nutty almond, maybe some pear nuances and definitely mineral. I am sure that as it ages, it will become very complex.
Palate: Mouth feel is excellent in body----somewhere between medium and full. Mineral steel with nuts, maybe peach/apricot nuances. Vanilla oak spice and pebble finish.
Pinot Noir
Village Reserve
Nose: Red berries, vanilla wood spice, some toastiness and a touch of Listerine on nose.
Palate: Light to Light/Medium in body, red fruit (strawberries, red currants, cherries) and lasting mineral finish. Well integrated. Very nice wine for the price ($25).
Talon Ridge
Nose: Red fruit (cherries, strawberries) keeps evolving in the glass to riper reds. Vanilla nuances and minerality.
Palate: Medium body, some stone with cherry/red berry flavours as the wine evolves in glass. Lingering finish with pleasant acidity. Nice wine!
La Petite Colline
Nose: Mixture of black and red fruit but mainly black (cherry, blueberry, raspberry). Somewhat spicier than expected but with a strong mineral influence. Somewhat floral notes and dainty elegance.
Palate: Medium bodied, more dark fruit and pebbles/stone with a lingering blackberry fruit finish.
Claystone Terrace (very dark wine)
Nose: Tight and foreboding. The wine releases bits of clues to what it will be like in a few years time. Chocolate, black fruit with smoke and a sense of strong mineral.
Palate: Lean and mean but with much promise. Strong mineral ore style. Nice tannins and acidity. Medium to full body. Promise of black fruit and much richness to come. Long lingering finish. Live long and prosper of heavenly wine!!!!!
Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard
Nose: Rich and more forward than the Claystone. This wine wants to please immediately yet has the staying power of a trooper.Violets give way to black/red fruit flavours great vanilla spice with hints of cedar.
Palate: Medium plus body, black berry and cherry flavours linger in the mouth with harmonious acid/sugar integration. Power with elegant class.
Le Grand Clos
Nose: Closed but with time reveals itself very slowly. Some dark fruit reveals itself in the glass with floral bouquet barely evident but indicating promise. After an hour in glass some smoke, leather and seems to mingle with the fruit. Much promise!
Palate:Full in body with dark fruit flavours. Evidence of chocolate and licorice spice. As with the other wines, strong mineral component leads to a strong and powerful finish. Much to come!!
My Favourites
It is hard to dwell on favourites when one has such a great array of wines. It also depends on what you are picking your favourites for. For drinking purposes now I would pick without hesitation the Village Reserve Chardonnay and Pinot Noir followed by the Claystone Chardonnay and Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Pinot Noir. For long aging/cellaring I would definitely pick the Grand Clos of both colours as well as the Claystone Pinot. However, any of these wines would be worth a place on any table or cellar.
Le Clos Jordanne will do for Canadian red wine what Inniskillin's Icewine did in the '90's.
posted by Chuck Byers - Wine Consultant | 5:01 PM
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