Norman Hardie
About
On a clay limestone hill in Prince Edward County, my passion for fine wine is put to the ultimate test. I have chosen select sites in Prince Edward County and Niagara with a magical combination of clay and limestone. These mineral driven sites are ideal and allow me to craft Pinot noir, Chardonnay and other cool climate varieties of exceptional quality and elegance. My wines tell a story of place developed from my passion and experience.
Location Description
Located in beautiful, rural Prince Edward Country.
Features
- The best wines come from the edge.
Additional Information
- Meeting / Conference Facilities:
- Caves:
- Wedding Facilities:
- Picnic Facilities:
- Dog Friendly:
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- Wine Tasting:
- Art or Architecture:
- Organic / Biodynamic:
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Average Bottle Price
Winemaker
Norm earned his sommelier certification at the University of Dijon in the late 1980s. After putting this certification to use for Four Seasons Hotel he spent 6 years (12 harvests) apprenticing with some of the best producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in both hemispheres. In 2003 he made the leap and put down roots in Prince Edward County.
During the growing season and harvest Norm works tirelessly to ensure that no small detail is missed. On the weekends outside of harvest his gregarious personality moves throughout the winery fluidly directing his staff and making all who enter the winery feel welcome.
History
The Team
Johannes is the glue that holds Norman Hardie Winery together. One of a kind, he is a German accountant with a personality and propensity to roast whole pigs to perfection.
Early Saturday mornings Johannes also crafts delicious artisanal bread from his self-built wood-fired oven. At the winery you will find him between the books, out chopping wood for the pizza oven, and searching for errant wild pigs “needing a home” on a wood fired BBQ.
Richard Charnock - Assistant Winemaker:
Richard hails from the big city of Toronto. He is an ex-carpenter with a grand palate, especially for Chablis. Throughout his travels and now, he continues to refine his palate by, in his words, “sipping” on as many Chardonnays as possible.
His wine career began in 2008 at Norman Hardie Winery and he has since completed multiple vintages in South Africa, New Zealand and Tasmania. Now Richard works miracles in Toronto, converting those anti-Chardonnay drinkers into seekers of limestone purity and finesse. If he isn’t in the city then he’s out in the cellar carefully tending the aging barrels and tanks.
Chris Campbell - Assistant Vineyard Manager:
Ex-bartender turned winemaker; Chris has completed vintages in France, Niagara and at Norman Hardie Winery. He is the lone wolf in a one man pack. A silent and efficient worker, he leaves a path of tidiness and organization in his wake. You’ll find him selling pizzas on the weekend, overlooking the vineyard and gardens during the week, and updating our Twitter and Facebook accounts in-between.
Lucie Trepanier - Winemaker in Training:
A former rockstar-Sommelier with a wonderful Franco-Ontarian personality, Lucie left the restaurant world for a winemaking stint in France. Somehow we managed to lure her back to Canada from the idyllic moderate climate of the South of France. Most recently she has completed vintages in South Africa and Central Otago. There is little she can’t do in the cellar, tasting bar or on the patio. She works at a pace that leaves no chance for dust to settle. We also love her for the wonderful lunches she cooks for us.
Practices & Techniques
In the cellar, we take a hands-off approach to gently guide our wines through fermentation and ageing. We are not tempted to use an arsenal of quick-fixes for easy non-distinctive ferments available through numerous laboratories. Instead, our approach is to use very few modern techniques in the cellar. This "old world" approach entails using absolute minimal amounts of sulphur, natural yeast from the vineyard, extended fermentation on the skins for the reds, lots of lees contact for the whites, and natural malolactic fermentation in the spring. It takes tremendous experience and guts to take this natural approach; we do it because of our dedication and desire to create wines that taste of a sense of place or Vins de Terroir.
Awards
The World of Fine Wine 2014 -Top ten North American Pinot Noir
Jancis Robinson – From Bottom to Top – Canada’s Wines
John Szabo – Norman Hardie Winery Niagara Pinot Noir 2010
David Lawrason – Wine of the Day: Norman Hardie Winery Niagara Pinot Noir 2010
Tony Aspler – Norman Hardie Winery Chardonnay 2009.