Winemaker's Notes
ECLAT! BUBBLES
Éclat! Bubbles is a fresh and vibrant new addition to the Chateau des Charmes family of sparkling wines. Made with 100% Aligote grapes in the Charmat method, this delightful sparkling wine is designed to excite all of your senses and is ready to help you celebrate any occasion.
2020 RIESLING OFF DRY
Riesling is considered one of the world’s noble white grapes. It can be made in a variety of styles. This version is off-dry with vibrant notes of green apple, lime and stone fruit. It is well balance and easy drinking. Simply put, it’s sunshine in a bottle!
2023 ‘OLD VINES’ SAVAGNIN
The grapes for this wine were grown exclusively in our most mature vineyards. We believe we are custodians of the land and have been practicing sustainable agriculture right from the beginning. This Savagnin “ouillé” is vinified without oxidation, which allows the full potential of the aromatics to shine. The wine shows flavours of white stone fruit, apple as well as a chalky minerality.
2022 GAMAY NOIR ‘DROIT’
In the early ‘80s Paul was doing routine inspections in the vineyard and noticed a single Gamay Noir vine growing straight up and taller than the others in the block. Paul was interested in the potential of this vine so he took cuttings and propagated the vine and eventually made wine from these specific grapes. The wine did have some of the classic Gamay characteristics, cherry flavours and a medium body style, but there was also a layer of complexity that was a pleasant surprise. Gamay ‘Droit’ also has warm spicy notes and a hint of smokiness that is quite lovely. It is also higher in alcohol making it more mid-weight in style. The wine was different enough from standard Gamay that we thought we actually had a different clone on our hands. Once the genetic testing was done we found out that Canada’s first vinifera vine was born right in our vineyard! We were granted International Plant Breeders’ Rights, a sort of patent, so no one else in the
world can grow this vine or make this wine called Gamay Noir ‘Droit’. Because this wine is so interesting in the glass we decided to not oak age it. What you taste is the unique flavours of Gamay ‘Droit’.
Initially we thought this ‘droit’ or upright vine would ease some of the trellising work done by hand. These vines have particularly strong tendrils and sturdier canes which help the vine grow straighter. All we have to do is make sure they are growing in-between the wires. Gamay ‘Droit’ grapes mature about two weeks later than standard Gamay Noir so we need to be particularly vigilant for signs of break down so we can prevent problems and allow the grapes to fully mature.
2022 ‘OLD VINES’ PINOT NOIR
Producing wine in a cool climate means grapes spend more time on the vine, which results in rich, layered wines. However, the longer Pinot Noir (a notoriously thinskinned grape) stays on the vine, the more likely there are to be challenges. The slightest bit of moisture in the air can spell trouble so it is critical that we stay vigilant during the growing season. Our sustainable practices mean we are in the vineyards routinely so we can spot the beginnings of a problem and stop it from developing.
Testing and tasting are both very important parts of the winemaking process. Myself and members of the winemaking team pull samples regularly to assess the progress of our wines. When we tasted this batch of Pinot Noir it was clear that it was a stand-out.
Made with grapes from the oldest vines in our St. David’s Bench Vineyard we used barrel aging to enhance the depth and richness. This wine has flavours of raspberries and strawberries with earthy notes and a hint of spice. On the palate the tannins are nicely integrated giving the wine structure and age ability.
2022 ‘OLD VINES’ CABERNET- MERLOT
The grapes for this wine were grown exclusively in our vineyards. We made this Cab-Merlot from hand-selected grapes from selected blocks of the oldest vines across both of our vineyards. We selected the best bunches on each vine and removed the rest, we exposed the bunches on the east side of the rows in late August then the west side in September and we removed individual berries from the hanging bunches if they were not up to par. But the best wines are made in the vineyard so we want to give the winemaking team the best grapes we possibly can. This Cabernet-Merlot, is a classically styled blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot that has been aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. We use the time-honoured tradition of sourcing grapes from both our vineyards in order to combine the best flavour profiles of each block. The resulting wine is complex with flavours of dark chocolate, raspberry and cassis. It is certainly ready to drink now but has the structure to continue to develop in the bottle for 5-10 years.
