MyWinePal: Ontario Chardonnay Review: Two Wines From Cave Spring Vineyard Part 1PR SAMPLE

My next set of Ontario Chardonnay wines to review comes from Cave Spring Vineyard. This winery is one of the pioneers in the area, having been around for four decades. They are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario and their wines are also vegan-friendly. The two wines I received to review are Cave Spring Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 (coming from a selection of West Niagara vineyards situated along the south shore of Lake Ontario) and Cave Spring Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2024 (from their Cave Spring Vineyard, nestled on a hillside of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario, known as the Beamsville Bench). 2024 was a warm, sunny vintage with balanced precipitation, high ripeness levels and moderate yields, according to the winery. Here are my notes for these wines.

I have two more Chardonnay wines from Cave Spring Vineyard which I will post in a separate article.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Cave Spring Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 (ON $18.95)

The vineyards for this Chardonnay are a mix of shale and limestone soils. 78% of the grapes come from the Beamsville Bench, and 22% from Lincoln Lakeshore. Winemaker’s notes, “Whole-berry pressing; fermented 95% in stainless steel, 5% in new 225L French oak barrels, over 6 weeks at unregulated temperatures using exclusively indigenous yeast; aged 10 months sur lie; 30% malolactic fermentation; minimal sulphur additions.”

Appearance: A clear, bright, medium-plus intensity lemon colour.
Nose: Medium-plus, youthful aromas of juicy tropical fruits, pineapple, along with hints of oak, butterscotch, toast, and orange. Deeper aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dryish, or fruity, with a medium-plus body, and a thicker, round, smooth mouthfeel. Medium-plus to pronounced flavours of pineapple and other sweet fruits, plus touch of toasty oak. Medium-plus acidity. The wine tastes drier, there is no acidic prickle and the flavours are more subdued.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with some oaky dryness, pineapple and some bitter grape stem. The flavours for this wine are more subdued after decanting.

I recommend opening and enjoying this wine with it’s juicy tropical fruit aromas and flavours. Decanting, subdues the flavours and lessens the acidic brightness of the wine.

Rating: no decanting. The Cave Spring Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 shows a clear, bright medium-plus lemon colour and opens with youthful aromas of pineapple and other tropical fruits layered with hints of oak, butterscotch, toast, and orange. The wine is dryish with a medium-plus body and a round, smooth mouthfeel, offering pronounced pineapple and sweet fruit flavours balanced by medium-plus acidity and touches of toasty oak. It finishes medium-plus in length with pineapple and light oaky dryness, while the wine becomes more subdued and drier in impression after decanting.

Cave Spring Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 and Cave Spring Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2024 with wines in glasses

Cave Spring Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2024 (ON $24.95)

The Cave Spring Vineyard’s soil is stony, clay-loam till rich in Escarpment dolostone, limestone, shale, sandstone and flint, with traces of Canadian Shield granite and gneiss. Winemaker’s notes, “Whole-berry pressing; 8-week fermentation, 35% in a 3,500L cask, 20% in neutral 500L barrels, 15% each in new and 2nd–4th fill 225L French-oak barrels, and 15% in tank; all lots fermented at unregulated temperatures using exclusively indigenous yeast and aged 10 months sur lie; 85% malolactic fermentation; minimal sulphur additions.”

Appearance: A clear, bright, medium-plus intensity lemon colour.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of fresh tropical fruit, with touches of toast, apple, and white flowers. Same aromas after decanting, but lighter in intensity.
Palate: This wine is dry, medium-plus body with a silky smooth, soft, slightly thicker mouthfeel. Ripe apples, apple skin, flavours with some tropical fruits, oranges, butterscotch, and nutmeg spice. Medium acidity. A lighter mouthfeel, but same flavours after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with flavours of apples and pineapple, and touches of nutmeg and butterscotch. Some drying tannins and tartness on the finish. No change to the finish after decanting.

An elegant Chardonnay. Enjoy the soft, smooth texture of this wine and wide range of aromas and flavours. I recommend pouring the wine and enjoying it as decanting lessens the aromas and flavours.

Rating: The Cave Spring Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2024 shows a bright medium-plus lemon colour with aromas of fresh tropical fruit, apple, toast, and delicate white floral notes. The palate is dry and medium-plus in body with a silky, smooth texture, offering ripe apple, apple skin, tropical fruit, orange, butterscotch, and a touch of nutmeg spice balanced by medium acidity. It finishes medium-plus in length with apple and pineapple flavours alongside hints of nutmeg and butterscotch, with light drying tannins and a touch of tartness.