Les Clos Jordanne, Le Grand Clos, Niagara Pinot Noir, Canada 2020

Located in the Twenty Mile Bench sub-region of the Niagara Peninsula, Le Clos Jordanne is one of Canada’s leading wineries. Originally established as a Franco-Canadian collaboration between the Boisset family and Vincor in 2000, Le Clos Jordanne trailblazed the quality revolution in Niagara still wines. After pausing for a few years, and with Thomas Bachelder now back at the winemaking helm, the wines are back to where they were in the early days. Thomas continues to lead the revolution, producing high-quality, minimal-intervention, single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Surrounded by Carolinian forests and glacial ravines, the picturesque 10.45 hectare Le Clos Jordanne vineyard was originally selected for its cool climate and limestone-rich clay soils, resembling those of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. Dijon clones are planted and traditional Burgundian methods – such as high density planting, hand harvesting and hand sorting of grapes – are employed to achieve more concentration, complexity and flavour in the wines. With an average vine age of 20 years, yields are very low, as little as four tonnes per hectare. Grapes from the different parcels are fermented and barrel-aged separately in an attempt to express the unique qualities of each plot. The ‘Le Grand Clos’ parcel is situated along the western side of the ‘Le Clos Jordanne’ vineyard and, as the name suggests, is considered the ‘Grand Cru’.