Bachelder Wismer-Wingfield Chardonnay Niagara, Ontario 2023

Bachelder Wismer-Wingfield Chardonnay 2023 is an exceptional single-vineyard wine from Niagara, Ontario, and impressive proof that Canada ranks among the world’s most exciting regions for Chardonnay. The wine comes from the renowned Wismer-Wingfield Vineyard, where limestone-rich soils and a cool climate produce a wine of great precision, vibrant minerality, and impressive aging potential.

Thomas Bachelder adheres to an uncompromising philosophy, in which each individual vineyard is vinified separately to highlight the region’s unique terroir. The grapes are fermented primarily with natural wild yeast, and the wine is aged for at least 12 months in French oak barrels. New barrels are not used, as the goal is to let the fruit, soil, and vineyard speak louder than the oak. The result is a Chardonnay with impressive purity, energy, and elegance.

Wismer-Wingfield Vineyard is located in the heart of Niagara and benefits from its proximity to Lake Ontario, which creates optimal growing conditions. The lake protects the vineyards from spring frosts and extends the ripening season in the fall. At the same time, the limestone-rich subsoil and the region’s cool climate produce a Chardonnay with intense freshness, pronounced minerality, and incredible balance.

The 2023 vintage is a wine full of excitement and vibrancy. It combines concentrated fruit with electric acidity and a chalky minerality that promises a long life in the cellar. This is a Chardonnay for Burgundy lovers seeking finesse, complexity, and terroir of the very highest caliber.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Lemon, lemon zest, and white peaches mingle with chalk, flint, wet stones, and subtle notes of toasted hazelnut. Underlying aromas of sea breeze, white flowers, and a hint of brioche add extra complexity.

Palate: Intense and elegant with crisp citrus, ripe lemon, green apples, and white peach. The creamy texture is balanced by a pronounced chalky minerality and lively acidity, which give the wine energy and precision.

Finish: Very long and focused, with salty minerals, fresh citrus, and an almost electric acidity that leaves a clean, chalky, and elegant finish.

The Winery’s History

Thomas Bachelder is one of Canada’s most renowned winemakers and has dedicated his career to mapping Niagara’s many terroirs with the same thoroughness seen in Burgundy. Each vineyard is treated as an independent cru, where soil, climate, and microclimate are allowed to define the wine’s character.

Bachelder does not own the vineyards himself but collaborates with some of Niagara’s finest growers and old vines. The focus is consistently on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Gamay, which thrive perfectly in the region’s cool climate. Minimal intervention, spontaneous fermentation, extended aging, and restrained use of oak ensure wines that express their terroir with great precision and elegance.

• Producer: Bachelder
• Wine: Wismer-Wingfield Chardonnay Cru de Niagara Single Vineyard
• Vintage: 2023
• Type: White wine
• Country: Canada
• Region: Niagara, Ontario
• Vineyard: Wismer-Wingfield Vineyard
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Fermentation: Primarily spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast
• Aging: At least 12 months in French oak barrels
• Contains: Sulfites
• Volume: 75 cl
• Alcohol: 12.5%