16 Mile Chardonnay Niagara - Wine Reviews

Tasted these wines from 16 Mile Cellar last week with André Proulx and Krista Lamb as part our monthly #blendedcru tasting (if you would like to submit wines for a future tasting, please contact me). André gave us the story behind this winery and the naming of the wines, which I found to be very interesting. However, I won't repeat much of the story as I believe it to be somewhat controversial and is entirely irrelevant to what's inside the bottle.

We'll begin with the 2011 Civility Chardonnay that recently won Gold in the "Oaked Chardonnay over $20" category at the 2015 Ontario Wine Awards. With the winery being only founded in 2010, the fruit for this wine was sourced from Ed Hughes and made at Henry of Pelham with the assistance of world-renowned winemaker Thomas Bachelder.

The 2012 Rebel Chardonnay is also (lightly) oaked and was made by winemaker Regan Kapach. It is very much similar in style and flavour profile to the Civility - but comes in a wallet friendlier price point.

Given the quality of these wines, I hope to taste the rest of their lineup in the near future. Neither of these wines are available at the LCBO, but can be purchased at the winery or ordered online via their website.

Tasting Notes:

16 MILE REBEL CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#) (XD) - $19.95
Medium intensity aromatics showing butterscotch, sweet vanilla, pineapple and pear notes. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled with nice aroma replays and a chalky texture. Balanced acids. Finish is long and clean, with touches of oak. This really opened up in the glass as it warmed with air. Score 88+ pts

16 MILE CIVILITY CHARDONNAY 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninusla, Ontario, Canada (#) (XD) - $24.95
Apple, peach, butterscotch, pineapple and vanilla aromas of medium+ intensity from the glass. The palate is medium+ bodied with subtle oak spice, peach pit, vanilla and pineapple flavours. It is very well-balanced with very good acidity and a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Very long finish. Elegance in a glass. Score: 89+ pts