2022 Chardonnay

Treve Ring, Gismondi on Wine, (90 Points) Established by vintner Taylor Emerson in 2017, Black Bank Hill is focused on single vineyard wines from the Niagara Escarpment. The 2022 Chard comes off their Lincoln Lakeshore estate, and clones 95 and 548. It was native fermented in used French barrels, where it remained for 18 months on lees, and was bottled without fining. Perfumed white florals, bright lemon flood the lees-decked palate, kissed with French cream, spiced with toast, and lingering with crushed stones. A creamy, fuller (14.4%) chard with lovely structure, this is drinking well now and will continue over the next few years easy. (Tasted February, 2025)

Rick Vansickle, Wines in Niagara, (94 Points)This 100% estate-grown Chardonnay, planted to clones 95 and 548, was hand sorted and whole cluster pressed straight into three second use French oak barriques without enzymes or settling. Primary fermentation was completed by wild yeast that lasted between 27 and 45 days. The malic fermentation occurred spontaneously but was intentionally stopped at 60% completion. Bâtonnage occurred twice weekly for 11 weeks and êlevage lasted 20 months. The wine was filtered and lightly fined prior to bottling. If you ever this was a quintessentially amalgam of B.C. wine-style and Niagara terroir, this is it. McLean leans heavily on what he learned from CheckMate winemaker McGahan for this expression. The bâtonnage brings the texture and depth with slightly less acid and higher abv at 14.2%. The malo adds balance and ripeness. It has a ripe, bold nose of Bosc pear, yellow apples, apricot tart, candied citrus, white flowers, caramel and toasty spices. It’s viscous and dense on the palate with reduction to go with ripe stone fruits, some ripe tropical and savoury notes, a creamy texture, toasted almonds, rich spices and a rounded finish that lasts and lasts. A full-throttle Chardonnay with just enough Niagara finesse and minerality to give it a sense of place. (Tasted March, 2025)