It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down and written about the wines from 16 Mile. It’s weird that I haven’t because I drink a lot of their wines. It’s been fascinating to see the progression that this little winery has made in the few vintages since they have became operational. The original batch of wines were handled by Thomas Bachelder, before being handed over to Regan Kapach. The winemaking duties have now been handed off to Morgan Juniper. What has been fascinating about the progression is the amount of respect given to the wine being made. I can’t imagine the challenge of having someone else’s work handed off to you and then making sure it gets to the finish line. Beyond hiring a new winemaker one other exciting thing of note is that their estate vineyards are coming on line. So we will start seeing wines being made from their own property. The only downside is we will be waiting a few years to taste these wines as they tend to hold onto their bottles for a couple of vintages before release. For now here is what is available.
2016 Rebel Chardonnay – $22.95 – **** – There is nothing entry level about this wine, even though it’s the entry to the portfolio at 16 Mile. This spent 18 months in oak but only 10% was new, the rest was either 3 years or older. Coming from the hot 2016 summer you get aromas of sweet corn, pineapple, tangerine, and nice hints of baking spice. There is nice influence in both texture and flavour from the oak but it’s well used and doesn’t overpower. It’s rich and complex, but still light on its feet making it food friendly. The flavours match the nose with nice hints of vanilla that layer over all the fruit and spice. The acids are a little sharp on the mid and finish – but they should soften with some time. Drinking great right now if you’re looking for a Chardonnay to smash with your next fish fry, chicken, or lighter pasta dishes.
2015 Civility Chardonnay – $29.95 – ****½ – There are only 80 cases of this wine available – and I don’t expect it to last very long at the winery so make sure you get it while you can. This is incredibly rich with aromas of orange, pineapple, and dulche de leche. On the palate this is fantastically balanced in every sense of the word – the spice and caramel from the barrel work in perfect tandem with fruit flavours of orange, peach, and pineapple. The acids keep this wine focused and layered but the finish is still long and satisfying with mineral and spice that linger. Chardonnay like this is a challenge for me because it does drink so damned good in its youth – but I expect this to evolve nicely over the next 5 years. The acidity to this wine is keeping it focused and elegant – but with a few years of patience this should become an unbridled party in a bottle.
2015 Tenacity – $50.00 – ****½ – This bottle is made from 100% estate fruit. Even coming from younger vines it’s clear to see the potential from this site for future vintages. This is an exciting bottle if you’re a fan of the winery to get a chance to enjoy the milestone from Joe and Susan, but if you’re just a fan of Ontario Pinot it’s a welcome addition to a solid lineup of premium Pinot from the province. Dark cherry, blackberry, violet, subtle damp earthiness on the finish. The tannin is approachable now, but with a few years in a cellar this should relax.
