I bought this 2005 Chard from Willow Springs Winery near Stouffville the same day that I bought some 2005 Baco Noir from the same winery. What makes the winery noteworthy is the fact that it's located north of Toronto, completely away from any lake effect offered by Lake Ontario - something from which wineries in the Niagara Peninsula, by contrast, clearly benefit.
This Chardonnay really hit the bullseye in 2005, which was a superb year in Ontario and should be especially good for our reds. The quality of the fruit really shows through here, making for a remarkably good vinifera wine grown in a non-traditional location for Chardonnay in Ontario.
13.2% alc. Lovely crystal-clear bright straw colour with a youthful greenish tinge and plenty of pétillance. Ripe, estery green-apple and pineapple fruit explodes on the nose; brightly aromatic. Crisp, perfectly dry and warm on the palate with excellent fruit ripeness evident from the texture. Very dry and warm towards the finish, with pure Chardonnay-fruit replays and lots of minerally crispness along the mid-palate into the finish.
This is remarkably good juice.