Having suffered through half a glass of a Tawse 2020 Grower’s Blend Gamay Noir it is now to a sure winner? A Bachelder les Villages 2020 Gamay Noir.
Aroma: Geez! After an initial whiff of oak upon uncorking the aroma is seemingly more than what might expect from “largely neutral oak barrels” but it does not detract from the wine. There is strawberry, Bing cherry and raspberry and believe it or not it is more reminiscent of a Pinot Noir than a joyful juicy Gamay Noir.
Palate: Light and delicate this one is with smoke, raspberry, Bing cherry and strawberry Jello. This wine is no flash in the pan as it has a finish that lingers in a soft and long fashion. Not the best thing since sliced bread but it shows a side of Ontario Gamay I have yet to see until now of course. More than a Gamay hope it has transcended to Gamay excellence.
Personality: There is no need for my Ontario status to keep me in the “eccentric corner”. I am a Beaujolais Cru if you want mundane comparisons. I am simply amongst the best Ontario Gamay Noirs you will find. Many of you might even venture to say I am a Pinot Noir. Any coincidence my creator Thomas Bachelder makes some of Ontario’s finest Pinot Noirs!
Food match: Think Pinot Noir and duck and I am there! Wild salmon too!
Cellarbility: There are enough in the closet tannins to keep this chugging along and slightly improving until 2026.
Price: $25.95 (Ontario).
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 94/100. David Lawrason 91.
(Bachelder 2020 Gamay Noir, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Bachelder, Beamsville, Ontario, 750 mL, 13%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 17239).
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 