Norman Hardie started his journey in his early twenties at the University of Dijon in Burgundy where he earned his sommelier certification. He then worked for seven years at Four Seasons Hotels. In 1996 he... Read More

Norman Hardie started his journey in his early twenties at the University of Dijon in Burgundy where he earned his sommelier certification. He then worked for seven years at Four Seasons Hotels. In 1996 he started a six-year journey as an apprentice winemaker in Burgundy, South Africa, New Zealand, Oregon and California. Of particular note, he learned from Pascal Marchand at Comte Armand. (Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux) in Burgundy. Pascal and Norman hold each other in the highest regard.

Norman explained; "I've been around the world looking for cool climate, clay and calcareous limestone, only to realize that it was right here on my doorstep the entire time." In 2003 he planted 12,000 pinot noir vines in Prince Edward County and in 2004 he added 3,000 chardonnay and 2,000 pinot gris vines.

Norman Hardie makes dramatic, elegant, low-alcohol wines from both the Niagara and Prince Edward County appellations. These are wines of great finesse that improve with age. He makes the reserve bottling "L” (always a blend of Niagara and County) only in vintages he thinks are really strong, for either Pinot or Chardonnay - the decision usually being made in the late spring or summer, after the barrel chamber has warmed up enough to push the wines through malolactic fermentation, and he and the team are able to fully assess the quality of the wines in barrel. These are truly cold climate wines, just like in Champagne it's impossible for malo to finish before the wines warm up.