Quarry Road Chardonnay 2020 – Tawse Winery

Overview

The Quarry Road Chardonnay 2020 is an elegant and refined white wine, produced from the top parcels of the Niagara Peninsula. This Chardonnay combines rich aromas with vibrant freshness, offering a harmonious balance of ripe fruit and minerality. The exceptional 2020 vintage allowed grapes to develop concentration and structure while retaining the region’s characteristic refreshing acidity. Ideal for those seeking a complex yet approachable white wine, ready to drink now or with some bottle aging. Contains sulfites.

History of the Wine

The Quarry Road Chardonnay was created to showcase the limestone soils and cool microclimate of Niagara. The 2020 vintage featured warm days and cool nights, ideal for achieving aromatic, balanced, and fully ripe grapes. Careful hand harvesting and vineyard management produced a wine that is both elegant and complex, capable of pairing with light summer dishes or richer, structured preparations.

Vineyard Philosophy

The grapes are sustainably farmed, without herbicides or pesticides, with careful canopy management to optimize sun exposure and airflow. Hand selection ensures uniformity and aromatic quality. This approach produces Chardonnay with a strong sense of place, intense aromas of ripe fruit, floral hints, and distinctive minerality, balanced by natural freshness and acidity.

Winemaking Approach

The 2020 Quarry Road Chardonnay undergoes gentle winemaking: fermentation in stainless steel, followed by several months of barrel aging. This combination adds complexity, roundness, and aromatic depth without overwhelming the wine’s natural freshness. The result is an elegant Chardonnay with notes of white and yellow fruit, subtle buttery hints, and delicate minerality, ready to enjoy young yet with aging potential.

Tasting Notes and Pairings

The colour is bright straw yellow with golden highlights. On the nose, golden apple, pear, white peach, delicate flowers, and hints of butter and vanilla emerge. The palate is full and harmonious, with ripe fruit, lively acidity, and a long, mineral finish. Ideal with grilled fish, shellfish, roasted chicken, creamy risottos, or fresh cheeses.

Tech Sheet

• Variety: 100% Chardonnay

• Vintage: 2020

• Aging: stainless steel and barrel

• Alcohol: 13%

• Serving temperature: 10–12°C

• Allergens: contains sulfites

The history of Tawse Winery

Founded in 2001 by Canadian entrepreneur Moray Tawse, the winery stands on the slopes of the Twenty Mile Bench, one of the most prestigious areas of the Niagara Peninsula. From the outset, the goal was to craft Canadian wines capable of standing alongside top international labels, combining technical precision with deep respect for the land. Over the years Tawse has earned major accolades, including multiple awards as Canada’s Winery of the Year, establishing it as a leading force in Ontario’s wine scene. Despite its growth, the winery remains faithful to its founding values: authenticity, discipline and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Vineyard philosophy

Tawse Winery cultivates vineyards on limestone-based, well-drained soils ideal for Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. The agricultural approach is strictly organic and biodynamic, fully certified and implemented with daily commitment. Biodynamic preparations, compost made on-site, biodiversity and adherence to natural rhythms form the core of the philosophy, aimed at maintaining living, healthy soils. Manual work is essential—from pruning to harvesting—ensuring careful control of each parcel and precise grape selection. The cool climate of Ontario encourages slow ripening and remarkable aromatic purity.

Winemaking

In the cellar Tawse blends technical expertise with artisanal precision. The gravity-flow underground facility allows gentle handling of the grapes, minimizing mechanical intervention and preserving freshness. Fermentations rely on both indigenous yeasts and controlled techniques depending on style and varietal. Ageing takes place in stainless steel, concrete, French oak barrels and foudres, with a focus on micro-oxygenation and varietal clarity. The goal is to create wines that reflect the Niagara Peninsula’s identity through tension, mineral drive and clean, expressive aromatics.

Distinctive character

Tawse Winery excels in harmonizing nature, technique and discipline, producing wines of purity, elegance and unmistakable terroir expression. A benchmark for biodynamic viticulture in cool climates, the estate continues to invest in sustainability, research and precision farming. Each bottle captures a rare balance between European tradition and Canadian spirit, offering an authentic and contemporary wine experience. Tawse stands today as one of the most dynamic and influential wineries in North America.