Henry of Pelham?

Baco Noir 2012 and Estate Chardonnay 2013 will become available soon. N. American wines are rare here so are these ones I might enjoy (i.e. high acid, no new oak/toffee/vanilla aromas)?

Don't know about those but I just polished off their late harvest vidal and really enjoyed it.

I've been to Henry of Pelham a few times. I've had their Baco, and while well made, Baco is a grape I don't particularly care for. The aromas are very nice, but the finish seems strange to me, in that it only seems to affect the center of my tongue, not a full mouthfeel finish. However, PaulB loves it. 2012 was an excellent growing year in this area, so maybe this Baco will be enjoyable. I've had many excellent Chardonnays from the area, and I don't recall trying Henry of Pelham's, but I'm sure it would be decent. The Niagara Escarpment actually holds an annual World Cold Climate Chardonnay Conference

Big Baco Noir fan here. H of P can turn out some excellent juice!

Baco Noir wines generally seem overly "stemmy" to my palate. Don't much care for the grape variety, but Henry of Pelham is a first-rate wine producer.

Hi Otto,

Traditionally, the H of P Baco does get a portion of new-oak treatment. See this data sheet for the 2013 release.

The best Bacos keep their naturally zingy acidity in balance. Typically the colour is quite inky; the nose shows the grape's V. riparia heritage, and the palate is lithe and cleansing. Peller's Baco also gets some oak and is a good one too.

I like HoP Baco. When I'm in Ontario I drink as much of it as I can, as it's a variety I can't get back home now, tho' the very first time I tasted it was at a tasting at my local wine tasting club where we were all amazed at its depth of colour and the way it stained our mouths.

I've been to HoP three times and I'ce walked through the Baco Noir vineyards. They do make two, the standard and a Reserve and usually the reserve is best by far, but of the 2013 vintage I preferred the standard.

It's got a distinctive taste, not unpleasant and not obviously hybrid. It does have high acidity so is great with meats. It's a big wine. I'm not aware of over wooding, any wood treatment seems to smooth out any rough edges in the variety.

Not an expert in the variety, but I've tasted as many examples as I've been able, and I think HoP are the best producers of Baco Noir.

If you like wine, give it a go.

If you want to try a Baco, then H of P is about as good as it gets. Having said that I'm not a fan of red hybrids. Niagara is capable of producing good Chardonnay, but I can't recall what this winery does with that grape. Generally better with less overt oak.

I usually age my H of P a couple of years, really is quite unique taste. If anyone travels to the east coast, do they grow BN in Virginia or NY?

****edit, I found this>

http://wine.appellationamerica.com/grap ... -Noir.html

Ontario’s Henry of Pelham has been particularly successful making and marketing wines with Baco Noir, despite the fact that under VQA law, the grape is relegated to Tier 2 status – meaning wines made from the grape may only list "product of Ontario" on the label rather than any specific appellation. Which begs the question; is terroir character limited to Vitis vinifera?

From the link Bob posted above.

I do they grow BN in Virginia or NY?

In the USA
Connecticut , Michigan , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Vermont, Washington, West Virginia , Wisconsin

Thanks for the replies. I'll certainly be buying one Baco Noir to try and I'll post here when I get it.

Baco Noir 2012: Smell: dominated more by oak than any grape aromas (chocolate and roast); taste is better with high acidity and good tannins. It is smooth and elegant and it does kind of seem as if the rough edges where smoothed. The fruit aromas are actually rather nice so I would hope that less wood and less smooth edges would be noticeable.