Norman Hardie 2005 Riesling

Click here to read the original review from September 2006

And/or the re-taste review from February 2009

(Re-Tasted August 2013) ... It would seem I go back to this wine every four years, it's a 2005 and I have tried it in 2009 and now in 2013, at this rate I guess my last bottle is scheduled to be re-tasted sometime in 2017.  The "problem" last time was the premature petrol that had taken over the bottle and I would have to say it is even more prevalent and even more omnipresent than it was back in 2009.  The petrol never does blow off, as it did in 2009, but there is a pleasant backdrop of lemon pith and zest that still makes it a very drinkable wine as long as you can get passed the gas (and yes, I did say 'pass the gas').  If you have some left in your cellar it's time to drink up, on the other hand, I might wait another 4 years just as an experiment - after all, I've waited this long.  Funny to note that I was one of the first to purchase this wine from Norm, the date is actually handwritten, done before he got the proper officially dated labels in.

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Norman Hardie 2005 County Cabernet Franc

Click here to read the original review from December 5, 2006 Weekly Wine Note

(Re-Tasted October 2009) ... Norm Hardie isn't known for making Cabernet Franc, his specialties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; he's also been known to make a pretty good Riesling and Pinot Gris, this would have been his first Cabernet Franc at his eponymous winery. 2005 was a pretty good year for Ontario reds, though it was a short crop year (meaning we had far less fruit then usual due to a worse than usual winter). This Franc is very Pinot like with a nose that's very raspberry and smoky with tobacco notes. The palate also screams Pinot Noir, so much so that I re-checked the label to make sure it really did say "CabernetFranc": light red fruit, cranberry, sour cherry and some tobacco with a tart acidic finish. There was also a fair bit of earthiness on both the nose and palate, which was another reason I had to re-look at the label. This tasted like a Franc made by a Pinot producer - or a Franc that was mislabelled; either way it was unrecognizeable as a Cabernet Franc, but it was far from a bad wine.

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Norman Hardie 2005 Riesling

Click here to read the original review from September 2006 - OWR Newsletter #39

(Re-Tasted February 2009) ... It was a Riesling weekend. Having consumed, or at least opened and tasted a Lailey Riesling the night previous, I twisted the cap on this Norman Hardie with some trepidation … was I in for the same rude awakening I have found on so many bottles of 2005 Ontario Riesling? My quick answer was yes, but after giving this wine a few hours to mellow I was surprised to say “not as much”. When I first reviewed this wine back in September 2006 (for Newsletter #39), I was convinced it was one of the best Ontario Rieslings I had tried from that year. I have to say that after a bit of aging this wine still doesn’t disappoint, but you have to show some patience. When first opened I was smacked in the face by the gassy smell of petrol, "here we go again", I thought. In about 20 minutes the petrol diminished enough to find a little lime on the nose. The palate was a little more forgiving – there was definitely some fruit here: green apple and watered down lemon-lime nuances, there was also lots of mineral notes and a steady seam of petrol on the tongue. The aftertaste was anything but petrol though – it smoothed and righted itself into a delicious peach nectar. Another hour passed and apple showed up on the mid-palate, though always as an accompaniment of petrol. Lots of Ontario Riesling of 2005 are showing a load of premature petrol – this one is probably the best of the lot for blowing it off.

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