Chardonnay 2021, Leaning Post Wines

Description from the Producer

Tasting Notes
Chardonnay ripened very evenly while keeping the balance of fresh crisp acidity, and is the perfect reflection of the 2021 vintage. Immediately on the nose there is a wave of pineapple, mandarin orange and apricot pith, followed by honeysuckle, cardamon and sea salt. The palate brings beautiful richness but still balance with white peach and lemon-curd immediately mingling, leading to crème fraiche, flint and hazelnut. The finish is silky smooth and exceptionally long, but is eventually overtaken by wet-stone and crisp acidity. A truly beautiful example of Niagara Chardonnay!
Winemaking Notes
The growing season in 2021 was challenging, but the results are incredible! It was a long warm vintage, interrupted by rains at times during harvest. This wine is the perfect blend of Chardonnay grown in three different vineyards. The vineyards were picked all hand-picked and hand-sorted on September 18th (Senchuk), September 27th (Hemeris) and September 29th (Grimsby Hillside). All the Chardonnay was whole-cluster pressed, and kept separate. The juice was allowed to settle before being racked into French oak barrels for fermentation to occur by indigenous yeast and malolactic bacteria. Once fermentation was finished, the chardonnay remained in barrel for 10 months before being bottled on September 15 th, 2022.