Buyers Guide to Vintages July 4th Release

Chardonnay For All, and the Coming i4C Inundation

by David Lawrason, with notes from Michael Godel and John Szabo MS

Timed around the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) in Niagara July 16 to 18, Vintages has assembled a motley crew of global chardonnays in its July 4 release. There are some excellent Niagara versions to be sure (see below), but the rest are from unusual corners of the world, and/or made in an unusual manner. It seems that malleable chardonnay has expanded so far geographically and stylistically that it is now all things to all people.

But there are very few “classic chardonnays” in this release. From Burgundy, only one tidy Chablis made by William Fevre and one modest Blason Macon-Villages. And, of course, there are none from California, which is arguably the modern-day boudoir for the Queen of White Grapes. In fact, in a recent re-run of the 1973 Judgment of Paris, sponsored by The International Wine & Food Society Americas, that pitted California against France, a California chardonnay from Hanzell Vineyard took top spot in an extensive blind tasting, over all white Burgundies.

Instead, we have chardonnays from Tasmania, Argentina’s Uco Valley, Valencia in southeastern Spain, the Tuscan coast of Maremma, Stellenbosch in South Africa, Sicily, the Jura region of France and one simply labelled as Vin de France although made in Roussillon. What binds them, other than their diversity, is that most are priced under $30, which guarantees some winemaking trial and tribulation.

The main challenge at this price/quality point is to get the fruit and oak interplay right. It’s difficult because some chardonnay drinkers love a light and unoaked cool-climate Chablis-esque style, while others love warm climate ripe, soft and spicy barreled chardonnays. It’s hard for winemakers to pick a lane. So, the tendency of higher volume commercial attempts is to drive up the middle — with results that don’t really please anyone. And that’s how I felt about these offerings. No one on the WineAlign Crü singled out any of these wines for special commendation.

The Ontario chardonnays were a different story — they made our rankings despite being generally at higher price points. The unoaked Hidden Bench Beton 2024, Stratus 2025 and Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve 2024 each earned thumbs up. They are wines of poise, balance, depth and complexity, bearing full evidence that this grape has struck a limestone nerve in Niagara. These will likely be at i4C as well.

No less than 34 Ontario wineries will be pouring over three days of events, plus a few from B.C., Nova Scotia and other parts of the world. The international contingent at this annual event dwindles, perhaps directly related to the rise to prominence of the homegrown chardonnay. I don’t have stats to prove this, but especially with California out of the picture, Ontario chardonnay could be crowding out others at the LCBO, resulting in less incentive for international wineries to spend marketing dollars on this event.

I am particularly disappointed not to see more B.C. wineries involved at i4C given the interest in B.C. wines by Ontario consumers. We are well aware that the LCBO discourages B.C. wine through its mark-up structure, but many B.C. wineries do ship direct to Ontario consumers, with the practice now approved in principle by the Ontario government, since signing the July 2025 memorandum of understanding to allow interprovincial direct-to-consumer shipping.

Three of my favourite B.C. chardonnay wineries are pouring at i4C: Quails’ Gate, Tantalus and Joie Farm, with WineAlign and John Szabo MS hosting Quails’ Gate winemaker Kailee Frasch at a dinner Wednesday July 15 at the Dorset in Toronto. The Quails’ Gate Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay, which will surely be poured, is one of Canada’s greats.

You can see the full slate of i4C public events and smaller winery-hosted events at CoolChardonnay. It is an impressive lineup, with most of Ontario’s best chardonnay producers on watch. And over the three days each will be pouring different wines at different events. It is nothing short of a chardonnay inundation. I highly recommend it and, over the next weeks, reviews will be appearing here at WineAlign and my new venture, Lawrason’s Guide to Canada’s Best Wines.

Here are the picks in ascending price order from this release by John, Michael and me. Sara and Megha were travelling.

Buyer’s Guide Vintages July 4: White & Rose

Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc 2025, Western Cape, South Africa
$16.95, Abcon International Wine Merchants Inc.
John Szabo – A terrific value. Fleshy, ripe, juicy, well-balanced and fruity chenin, a South African specialty. I would make this a summer house white..

Poças Tongue Twister Vinho Verde 2025, Douro, Portugal
$16.95, Majestic Wine Cellars
David Lawrason – Silly name, but this typically light, zesty and quenching Vinho Verde reminds me of Nova Scotia Tidal Bay from the other side of the Atlantic. It is based on loureiro, the most aromatic and muscaty of the varieties in northern Portugal. Chill well.

Zacharias Assyrtiko 2024, Peloponnese, Greece
$18.95, Profile Wine Group (Vin Vino)
David Lawrason – Here’s a great value, zesty, spry and refreshing white made from Greece’s most important acid-driven white grape. The nose is yellow pear and apricot, with dried flowers, caraway and lemon. It is medium bodied, crisp and tart-edged with some CO2 and a briny finish.
Michael Godel – An example of assyrtiko richer than those that come from Santorini. Best for pesto on pasta or a full chop of basil and parsley over grilled fish, calamari.

Torre Zambra Incastro Rosa 2025, Abruzzo, Italy
$19.95, Marchands Des Ameriques
David Lawrason – Such life and zest in this organically grown rose. Enjoy the lifted nose of rhubarb, fresh evergreen/herbs and minerality. It is medium weight, stony, very refreshing and bright with a hint of CO2.
John Szabo – There’s lots of appealing things happening in this montepulciano rosé from Abruzzo. Well-made, and organic certification is a bonus. Chill and enjoy over the near term.

Filodivino Serra46 Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi Classico 2023, Marche, Italy
$19.95, The Living Vine
Michael Godel – There are times when basic equals classic, and typical translates as timeless. This verdicchio of the dei Castelli di Jesi Classico points to all the correct elements and is finer than the average white made anywhere in Italy.

Wittmann 100 Hügel Trocken Riesling 2024, Rheinhessen, Germany
$21.95, Woodman Wines & Spirits
John Szabo – Lovely, juicy-fruity, fresh and crunchy, fully dry but also fleshy, riesling from the biodynamic-certified Wittmman estate in the Rheinhessen, perfectly balanced and seamlessly integrated. Drink now or hold short term. Delicious now.

Hidden Bench Béton Chardonnay 2024, Ontario, Canada
$29.95, Mark Anthony Wines & Spirits
David Lawrason – An unoaked chardonnay fermented and aged in large concrete eggs. It is meant to resemble Chablis and it certainly does, with a nose of apple, lemon, sourdough and fine herbs (tarragon perhaps). It is medium weight, fleshy and warming with 13% alcohol. The length is excellent, but texture impresses most.
Michael Godel – Give a pure chardonnay some concrete treatment and great interest will follow. High quality vintage for the Hidden Bench portfolio and here quite definitive of, and for, Bench chardonnay.

Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2024, Ontario, Canada
$34.95, Family Wine Merchants
Michael Godel – A reserve quality so very befitting the name, in reference to both tier and style. A chardonnay of delicacy, the fantasy of sweetness, an exotic tang and finally the texture that comes from a warm Niagara season.
David Lawrason – This is a generous yet tidy and refined top-rung chardonnay from old vines on the estate. A bit understated and soft but crammed with fruit that is almost tropical with peach/banana, vanillin, nutmeg and leesy/toasty notes. Flavours are generous but it feels restrained. The length is excellent to outstanding.

Stratus Chardonnay 2025, Ontario, Canada
$35.20, Stratus Vineyards
John Szabo – Another step forward for Stratus chardonnay, edging slowly but surely
toward more balance and freshness with each vintage. The ripeness and drought of 2025 is felt nonetheless in the extract and sheer weight and density, and the excellent length, a large-scaled, substantial wine and a wild flavour ride for the money.

Jean Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2024, Loire, France
$41.95, Connexion Oenophilia
John Szabo – Cool and subtle on the nose, yet with an impressively rich and fleshy palate. There is considerable extract on the palate, a genuine, low-yielding wine of notable density and concentration. Fruit tacks neither citric nor tropical but which finds a comfortable sort of white- and yellow-fleshed orchard fruit milieu. A challenging vintage from which Roger emerged triumphantly.

Buyer’s Guide Vintages July 4: Reds

Marquês De Borba Colheita Red 2024, Alentejo, Portugal
$15.95, Sylvestre Wines & Spirits
John Szabo – Your summer “house” red is here — a pleasant, juicy-fruity wine from southern Portugal, plump, dark fruited and with minimal oak influence, very tasty and satisfying for the money.
Michael Godel – Just the ripe fruit facts, no wood to make mention of and a top value BBQ wine for the summer of (insert your name) 2026.

Janare Alfabeto Aglianico 2022, Campania, Italy
$19.95, The Vine Agency
David Lawrason – Lots of energy authenticity for $20! A beefy, firm aglianico with fragrant and lifted aromas of blackcurrant, violet, fresh herbs and modest oak spicing and resin. It is medium-full bodied with a sense of energy and structure, and minerality on the finish. The length is excellent.

Garzon Reserva Cabernet Franc 2023, Uruguay, World
$23.95, Mark Anthony Wines & Spirits
John Szabo – There’s a real sweet fruit essence and silky-smooth texture that will make this widely appealing, made with evident care and precision, yet with neither bling nor flash (read: overt oak or extraction), just low-yielding, well-farmed fruit treated gently and respectfully. I think its drinking perfectly now. Aged in 50 hectolitre untoasted French oak casks.

Firriato Le Sabbie Dell’etna Rosso 2021, Sicily, Italy
$26.95, Profile Wine Group (Vin Vino)
David Lawrason – From the nerello twins — mascalese and cappuccio — and grown on the northern slope of Mt. Etna, this captures the unique tenderness yet strength of Etna Rosso. The nose lifts strawberry-pomegranate seed, red rose florality, shrubbery and that slow burn volcanic sulphuric flint. It is medium weight with firm mouth-watering acidity, warming 13.5% alcohol and some gritty tannin.

Loveblock Pinot Noir 2022, Central Otago, New Zealand
$29.95, The Vine Agency
David Lawrason – From a small Otago vineyard called Someone’s Darling, owned by Kim and Erica Crawford, this is a robust and intensely flavoured if jammy pinot. Expect lifted raspberry pie, fresh dill-like herbality, clove spice and cola notes. It is easy going and generous but not simple, with fruit and herbs and mossy notes hitting excellent length.

Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Docg 2021, Tuscany, Italy
$49.95, Cavinona Wine Agency
John Szabo – 2021 is a terrific vintage for Fèlsina Riserva — this is succulent, richly extracted, fluid and dense, complex and perfumed, a real essence of sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga. Drinking beautifully now, but will no doubt sail gracefully into the late 2030s.
David Lawrason – Getting up there pricewise, but a classy, complete Chianti Riserva moving into prime, with the bones to age into the mid 2030s. The nose is lifted with classic currant/cherry fruit, tomato paste, rosemary, cedar, leather and tobacco. It is medium-full bodied, firm, with excellent depth.

Closson Chase Churchside Pinot Noir 2023, Ontario, Canada
$55.00, Closson Chase Vineyards Inc.
Michael Godel – Had a talk internally back in November 2025 and suggested waiting a year. Nine months later there is this feeling that three more months (minimum) would go a long way towards seeing some momentum change. Churchside 2023 simply rips.

And that’s a wrap for July 4. Our review of the next July 18 release will be delayed by a couple of days as all of us will be at i4C on the dates we normally taste Vintages releases. The theme is summer wines, with yet another focus on local chardonnays.

David

Use these quick links for access to all of our July 4th Top Picks in the New Release. Non-premium members can select from all release dates 60 days prior.

John’s Top Picks – July 4th
Lawrason’s Take – July 4th
Michael’s Mix – July 4th

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