World`s top Chardonnay, it`s from Canada?

http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/12/news/co ... t.fortune/

It would be interesting to see the entire line-up I guess?

I think we need to see the entire lineup, and consider the vintage/producer quality of the Burgs in particular. Also, it's one data point - without a doubt it means that one should take notice, but it is not enough to declare Canada the producer of the world's best Chard. But, what else can we expect from the sensationalist, perspective-less media?

What Rryan said!! ..Kinda hard to think the Judgement of Montreal will have anywheres near the same impact as the fabled tasting of Paris, especially since all the judges were from Canada

That's odd...I didn't feel my wine world being rocked when this happened.

Matter of fact, this is the first I've heard of it. Wait, let me check. Nope, still not rocking. They might be expecting too much from this one event.

Wouldn't be bad to try the wine. Maybe we have a doughty Canadian crew of winelovers who are willing to essay the point and report back to us?

What wines were in the competition, who were the judges, what vintages of each?

...Wouldn't be bad to try the wine. Maybe we have a doughty Canadian crew of winelovers who are willing to essay the point and report back to us?

I haven't had the Clos du Jordon, but, living about 7 miles from the border and having visited several of the Niagara Peninsula wineries, I've had some very nice Chards, Rieslings, Pinots and Cab Francs from the area. However, it has also been my experience that the best ones get sold out at the wineries and never seem to get out of the country.

I told my friends at the Stampede that"I will get some fun out of this list."
Oh...I have the maple leaf flying over the horse barns, the chicken run looks great with the flag (upside down?) and all the doggies have maple leaf bandadas.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/5357 ... c9.jpg?v=0

Here is the apparent order of finish...>

Chardonnay
1. 2005 Clos Jordanne "Claystone Terrace" (Ontario)
=2. 2005 Saint-Aubin 1er cru, "Clos du Meix", Hubert Lamy
=2. 1999 Rosemount Estate "Roxburgh" (Australia)
=4. 2006 Meursault "Le Limozin", Jean-Claude Bosset
=4. 2005 Santenay "Clos de Malte", Louis Jadot
=6. 2006 Beaune "Clos des Mouches", Joseph Drouhin
=6. 2006 Kumeu River Estate (New Zealand)
8. 2005 Mer Soleil
9. 2002 Sonoma-Cutrer "Les Pierres"
10. 2006 Château Montelena
11. 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé "2 Terroirs", Mommessin
=12. 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Chaumes", J.-N. Gagnard
=12. 2004 Arrowood
14. 2005 Pouilly-Vinzelles "Les Quarts", La Soufrandière

I would have thought they could have had a better selection from California?

I think we need to see the entire lineup, and consider the vintage/producer quality of the Burgs in particular. Also, it's one data point - without a doubt it means that one should take notice, but it is not enough to declare Canada the producer of the world's best Chard. But, what else can we expect from the sensationalist, perspective-less media?

I go along with Ryan. "Best in world" is always hyperbole but this tasting does demonstrate that Niagara has produced a chard to be taken seriously in a decent (but no more) peer group, e.g. no Domaine Leflaive, Coche-Dury, Marcassin, etc.

Any journalist who spells "palate" as "palette" has questionable vinous credentials.

Why wouldn't it win - it looks as if it might have been the most expensive Chardonnay there!
And we all know that the most expensive wines are the best!
Or have I been reading too many marketing blurbs.

Chardonnay
1. 2005 Clos Jordanne "Claystone Terrace" (Ontario)
=2. 2005 Saint-Aubin 1er cru, "Clos du Meix", Hubert Lamy
=2. 1999 Rosemount Estate "Roxburgh" (Australia)
=4. 2006 Meursault "Le Limozin", Jean-Claude Bosset
=4. 2005 Santenay "Clos de Malte", Louis Jadot
=6. 2006 Beaune "Clos des Mouches", Joseph Drouhin
=6. 2006 Kumeu River Estate (New Zealand)
8. 2005 Mer Soleil
9. 2002 Sonoma-Cutrer "Les Pierres"
10. 2006 Château Montelena
11. 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé "2 Terroirs", Mommessin
=12. 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Chaumes", J.-N. Gagnard
=12. 2004 Arrowood
14. 2005 Pouilly-Vinzelles "Les Quarts", La Soufrandière

So, the best Burg was a village level Chassagne, albeit from a great vintage and a great producer, but still . . . . if you're going to say the Clos Jordanne was pitted against the "best in the world" there had better be a GC in there somewhere. I don't think the person(s) who put the list together knew what they were doing. Perhaps this explains why we only now heard about this in the wine world - the competition wasn't good enough to prove much of anything. Still, if you can best a Chassagne from a great vintage and a great producer, then you obviously deserve some respect - just being able to say you can run with the crowd above is definitely something. Here's what they should have done: take Canada's 12 best Chards from the last 10 years, and put them up against 12 of the best GC white Burgs from the same period. Then see which group is higher on average. Then you might be able to say something. What? I hear cries of "that's not fair." Well, it's not very fair to say you're the best in the world when you weren't up against the best in the world either. But let's not undermine this completely - I still think it's an accomplishment, and perhaps a sign of what's to come - certainly I will be keeping an eye out for news from the Canadian wine scene. So kudos to the Canadians on this success.

Here is the apparent order of finish...>

Chardonnay
1. 2005 Clos Jordanne "Claystone Terrace" (Ontario)
=2. 2005 Saint-Aubin 1er cru, "Clos du Meix", Hubert Lamy
=2. 1999 Rosemount Estate "Roxburgh" (Australia)
=4. 2006 Meursault "Le Limozin", Jean-Claude Bosset
=4. 2005 Santenay "Clos de Malte", Louis Jadot
=6. 2006 Beaune "Clos des Mouches", Joseph Drouhin
=6. 2006 Kumeu River Estate (New Zealand)
8. 2005 Mer Soleil
9. 2002 Sonoma-Cutrer "Les Pierres"
10. 2006 Château Montelena
11. 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé "2 Terroirs", Mommessin
=12. 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Chaumes", J.-N. Gagnard
=12. 2004 Arrowood
14. 2005 Pouilly-Vinzelles "Les Quarts", La Soufrandière

Ah, that explains it: no Chablis, but then we all know it isn't really Chardonnay.

Ryan writes.......But let's not undermine this completely - I still think it's an accomplishment, and perhaps a sign of what's to come - certainly I will be keeping an eye out for news from the Canadian wine scene. So kudos to the Canadians on this success.

I will keep you up-to-date along with my igloo building process!!

I will keep you up-to-date along with my igloo building process!!

Huh???

Just a joke! Many in Europe think this is our winter lifestyle.

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=how ... =&aq=f&oq=

It *is* difficult to maintain a constant 15C temperature for storing wine in an igloo. And you should see the monthly bill for feeding my dogsled team.

Any pronouncements of "world's top" anything should be taken with a grain of salt.

I have no doubt that some Canadian winemakers are now producing world-class wines, though I'm more than a little put off when I see a Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir priced at $90 at a local wine boutique.

Hi Bob,

I have never tried the Le Clos Jordanne chards (I am virtually an abc person). However, they do make excellent pinots. I have had their village level pinot and their claystone terrace pinot. The claystone terrace pinot was the best pinot I have had from Ontario to date. I think this winery does make fine wines and focuses on pinot noir and chardonnay and it is partially owned by a burgundy wine maker. I stopped buying their claystone terrace pinots this year when they increased the price to $40 from $35. My main problem with Ontario wines, is not their quality but their value! I can buy better pinots than they make for $40 from California.

I will keep you up-to-date along with my igloo building process!!

Igloos are such convenient abodes for those wishing well chilled whites.