Prices INCLUDE tax & deposits

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

100% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 2.13 g/L) | 14.5% ABV

95pts Carl's Wine Club | 96pts WineAlign | 95pts Globe & Mail

WOW… this wine is bold, intense, rich, concentrated and some more! For reference, this 2020 is the latest release of my runner up for 2022 Wine of the Year with a spectacular 96pts. This year’s version is as memorable and special, with more tropical notes and richness than its predecessor, due to the hotter growing conditions. While I was a fan of the brighter acidity of the 2019, many of my colleagues have scored the 2020 higher. An incredible nose of lemon curd opens the way for a symphony of aromas including vanilla custard, white peach, grilled pineapple, sea dust and chamomile. On the palate, the tension and energy are palpable and the transition from the orchard fruits to the minerality component is absolutely spectacular. A blend of white peach, golden apple, honeysuckle and zippy mango transitions beautifully towards river rock, salinity and chalky texture past the mid palate which brings an extra layer of depth. The finish is incredibly long and complex, suave and sexy, offering white pepper, cardamom and a hint of hazelnut. (CWC, 9/2/23). 119 cases made.

Pairings: poached steelhead trout, grilled pork tenderloin

Drink now until 2030

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake

100% Chardonnay | Dry | 13.5% ABV

91pts Carl's Wine Club | 92pts Jamie Goode

Bold, rich, soft and generous, this wine was created from the pristine fruits of the Willms, Bator, Bai Xu and Patte Rouge parcels, putting on display some classic Niagara-on-the-lake attributes. A very expressive nose of peach, pineapple and mango reflects the purpose and the approachable style of Les Villages N.O.T.L. Chard. The palate is deep, juicy and creamy with clear mineral edges. Tropical flavours of pineapple and papaya lead the way before setting the table for a sequence of confit lemon, golden apple, crunchy pears, a hit of flint and a sprinkle of white pepper and nutmeg. This wine is perfect for immediate enjoyment. (CWC, 9/2/23).

Pairings: sautéed scallops, grilled monkfish

Drink now until 2026

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Four Mile Creek

100% Gamay noir | Dry (RS 2.13 g/L) | 13.0% ABV

93pts Carl's Wine Club | 97pts Decanter Magazine | 93pts Jaime Goode

This is a high intensity wine highlighted by a pin-point precision and my highest rated Gamay EVER with 93pts. This is where concentration and elegance meet! Fruits were sourced from 42 year old vines from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Generous whole cluster fermentation to 1/3 of the grapes brings rustic and earthy components. The nose is gracious with aromas of raspberry jam, stewed strawberry, licorice, violet and orange bell pepper. The texture is soft, but the tannins are firm bringing a serious definition to the flavours. The palate opens up with dark fruit compote, followed by a breeze of dried rose petals while the back-palate shines with multiple layers of pepper, barrel spices, caramel, nut meg and cardamom, leaving so much room for curiosity, intricacy and complexity. (CWC, 9/2/23). 147 cases made.

Pairings: sweet and spicy meatballs, Cajun shrimp

Drink now until 2028

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

100% Pinot noir | Dry | 13.5% ABV

94pts Carl's Wine Club | 94pts Rick VanSickle | 95pts WineAlign

One of the top Pinots of the vintage, the Wismer-Parke “Wild West-End” is defined by an incredible purity and elegance. Made from a single block of “mystery clone” Pinot Noir, this wine is absolutely fascinating. An exuberant nose of bing cherry, raspberry, fresh herbs, licorice, tomato leaves and cedar box. The palate is at the very next level with impressive precision and freshness. Flavours of red cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant and pomegranate are bursting out of my glass while a herbaciousness brings along the gentle, fresh and layered mid-palate, which also includes red licorice and sandalwood. The finish highlights fine and refined tannins, Chinese five-spice and incredible complexity. This Pinot Noir is an absolute rock star! (CWC, 9/2/23). 73 cases made.

Pairings: wild mushroom risotto, duck confit

Drink now until 2033

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Niagara Escarpment

100% Pinot noir | Dry (RS 1.3 g/L) | 13.5% ABV

92pts Carl's Wine Club | 92pts Rick VanSickle | 93pts Tony Aspler

A beautiful introduction and a clear picture of what to expect in terms of Niagara Escarpment Pinot Noir. Sourced from six vineyards carefully selected in Vineland and the Beamsville bench, this wine is above all approachable, seductive, smooth and elegant. The nose offers aromas of ripe red berries, red cherry, licorice and violet. On the palate, the texture is smooth and silky, offering flavours of raspberry, red cherry, kirsch, a hint of dry herbs and a sprinkle of minerality. The tannins are ripe and soft leading the way to a pleasant and unpretentious finish elevated by a touch of oak spices. Well priced and overdelivers. (CWC, 9/2/23).

Pairings: veal and mushroom sauce, grilled chicken

Drink now until 2027

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

100% Chardonnay | Dry | 14.0% ABV

96pts Carl's Wine Club - #2 Wine of the Year 2022 | 95pts WineAlign | 94pts Anthony Gismondi | 95pts Jaime Goode

A stunning blend of texture, minerality and complexity, this wine is an exceptional expression of the twenty Mile Bench. From an isolated parcel of the Northern part of a very sought-after vineyard, the Wismer Foxcroft “Nord” displays an incredible precision and a “world class” concentration. The nose offers a great deal of pear, green apple, Meyer lemon, flint and stone with wet crushed gravel, jasmine flower and almond cookie. The palate is tightly knit and showcases a serious personality like some of the Grand Cru Montrachet. Out of the gate, the minerality is evident with a touch of chalkiness on the texture. The mid-palate is filled with orchard fruits, citrus, and hazelnut, while the finish lingers forever and expresses a splendid saltiness at the very end. Easily a decade long potential. A truly unforgettable wine. (CWC, 27/12/22). 150 cases made.

Pairings: tuna tartar, salmon filet with cream sauce

Drink now until 2029

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Four Mile Creek

100% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 2.3 g/L) | 13.5% ABV

93pts Carl's Wine Club | 93pts Rick VanSickle

This is a seductive blend of richness, texture, tropical fruits and minerality showing the broad spectrum of the hot and long 2020 vintage. After undergoing a 100% natural fermentation, this gracious wine, from 42 year old vines, spent 20 months in slightly used and neutral French oak barrels. The nose offers discrete and distinctive aromas of ripe lemon, golden pear, ripe peach and a hint of jasmine flowers. On the palate, the wine is big but balanced, where the bright acidity keeps the tropical flavours from being invasive and heavy. A front palate filled with lemon curd, white peach, pineapple and yellow apple leads us to the mid-palate: soft, layered and incredibly deep with white flowers like chamomile, a good dose of salinity and even a hint of fresh herbs. The finish is long and complex reminding me of great bottles from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma, California. 30 minutes of decanting is suggested prior serving. (CWC, 9/2/23). 119 cases made.

Pairings: bouillabaisse, Moroccan chicken thigh

Drink now until 2028

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Four Mile Creek

100% Gamay noir | Dry (RS .13 g/L) | 13.0% ABV

92pts Rick VanSickle | 93pts Globe & Mail | 92pts WineAlign

92+pts Carl's Wine Club 

This is more of a straight-forward, fruity and easy-going wine: with that said, this is far from simplistic. The aromas of this wine announce a plush and generous wine like red berry jam, cassis, red current and a hint of earthy mushroom. The palate definitely screams warm N.O.T.L. vintage with tones of ripe fruits (black cherry, ripe strawberry, plum, cassis, currant jam). A great depth on the mid palate is accented by a layer of dark chocolate and licorice. The finish is bold and textural, with medium+ length created by a multitude of different spices from pink pepper to cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. The acidity hits at the right place and the right time and I like the New World contrast this wine brings compared to the other two Gamays available in this feature. This is the style of wine that I would consider perfect for a BBQ. (CWC, 17/2/23).

Pairings: Greek lamb kebob, spicy sausages and grilled peppers

Drink now until 2028

Thomas was born and raised in Montreal, and trained in winemaking in Burgundy. He spent time making wines in Oregon, then Burgundy, then back to Orgeon, and finally moving to Niagara to help start Le Clos Jordanne. 

Thomas and his wife Mary then embarked an ambitious project they called Bachelder: to make cool climate Chardonnay in the three places they know intimately (concurrently): Burgundy, Oregon and Niagara.

As it turned out, the wines from Niagara became most sought-after, and today Bachelder exclusively makes terroir-driven wines from select vineyards across Niagara. 

Our goal is to help discover, quantify, and name the terroirs of Niagara – to map them, one by one, and to deliver their energy and their purity of spirit to your glass.

We’re inspired by our spiritual home – Burgundy – where the grapes we love (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir) originally evolved, where even the tiniest of vineyards are kept scrupulously apart in the winery, and then put separately, lovingly, obsessively into small, individual bottlings.

Our goal is to “keep out of the way” and let the best parcels and the most harmonious barrels come forward to liberate and define small patches of Niagara land. 

It takes a long time to discover terroirs. But the journey has its rewards.

Join us: become part of today’s growing local Terroir movement that is defining our lands in real-time. 

Pull some corks and dream of the vineyards from which these wines come!

Santé! Cheers!

Thomas and Mary