2022 The Long Way Home Chardonnay

TECHINCAL SPECIFICATIONS

Vintage: 2022
Variety: Chardonnay
Appellation: VQA Beamsville Bench
Vineyard: Felseck Vineyard, organically grown and certified 
Picking Date: September 30th, 2022
Alcohol: 13.0%
Residual Sugar: 2.5g/L
pH: 3.30
TA: 6.2g/L
Production: 130 cases
Fermentation: 60% whole bunch pressed, and barrel fermented; 40% skin fermented at low temperatures and barrel aged
Oak: 10 months in French Oak, 20% new
Bottling Date: August 30th, 2023

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Green tinged straw coloured
Nose: Floral, Citrus: clementine and lemon. Stone Fruit: pear and yellow apple.
Palate: Ripe Pear, fresh acidity, lemon zest, flinty, medium bodied, light toast.
Finish: Balanced, structured, layered, creamy texture, lingering, spicy finish.
Cellaring: 5-7 years
Serving Temperature: 12°C
Food Pairing: Fire roasted late season vegetables, grilled trout, creamy seafood curry, chanterelles, pear tart. 
Cheese Pairing: Aged cheddar, Brie, Gouda, Manchego, washed rind Niagara Gold

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

Following the exceptionally cold winter of 2021/2022, spring conditions were variable with big temperature swings and high precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Good vineyard practices like timely leaf removal and canopy management were essential in keeping the vines healthy with the high humidity levels. At harvest, conditions improved favourably to hot and dry, giving the fruit time to ripen completely and the opportunity to pick at optimal phenological ripeness. Although a smaller than usual crop, the 2022 vintage is showing high quality and excellent cellaring potential.

ABOUT THE LONG WAY HOME

The Long Way Home is a lifelong aspiration, a culmination of everything learned and years of experience making wines from unique and off the beaten path vineyards all over the world. It tells the story of leaving behind the known and putting down new roots. It is also a story of coming full circle, of strengthening old bonds and new friends who became close friends and making this wine come to life – Marlize Beyers, Winemaker

WHY CHARDONNAY?

Chardonnay is grown in many regions around the world due to its versatility in style and adaptability to various climates, but its true character can only shine in the right terroir. The Beamsville Bench sub-appellation is one of those, with the soils a mix of gravel, sand, silt, and clay layered in dolomitic limestone, the result of continuous erosion of the Niagara Escarpment and years of glacial activity. In the cool climate of the Bench, Chardonnay`s potential for greatness shows, resulting in elegant wines with fresh natural acidity and intense aromatic expression.