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lowing within the local community. While working Tastings are by appointment only and take place in
out of a host winery eliminated a lot of risk and the modest space Bachelder rents to produce his
extra cost, it also meant that technically, his wine wine, nicknamed “The Bat Cave”. Bachelder has
didn’t belong to him because his licence to produce experienced huge success working in this way and
was tied to the host winery. It was in 2009 that continues to work virtually as he strives towards
Panagapka applied for his own licences to produce, his goal of defining the best vineyard sites in the
meaning he could make wine in any willing facility Niagara region.
and keep his rights to the final product.
The success of these virtual wineries is leading
The 2027 label remained virtual for over a decade; more winemakers to consider this approach to
experiencing great success selling to restaurants their business. Without the burden of running a
and liquor stores until last year when Panagapka storefront and tasting room, virtual winemakers are
joined Calamus Estate Winery as Head Winemaker. able to focus on their main goal of producing great
Today, Calamus is allowing Panagapka to continue wine. In a time where many businesses are being
producing wine under his popular 2027 label and forced to adapt to an online world, virtual wineries
has given him his own retail space and tasting room already have the upperhand, and it doesn’t have to
on their property. Now, Panagapka has the oppor- mean having a huge online presence or using cut-
tunity to sell his wine directly to the public after ting edge technology. Many winemakers who are
making a name for his wine virtually for so many choosing to go virtual are taking this route because
years. it simplifies their business and allows them more
freedom. At the end of the day, the focus should be
While Panagapka started 2027 as a virtual winery on creating a quality product.
in order to develop his reputation as top-notch
winemaker in Niagara, Thomas Bachelder had the In an ever expanding world of technology and
fortune to already have a solid reputation in the social media, the reality is that when someone
community when he started bottling under his own creates something great, people will find it. Word
Bachelder wine label. He had already been pro- on the internet can spread faster than wildfire and
ducing wine in Burgundy and Oregon and worked wine lovers are quick to discover the latest and
as Head Winemaker for Le Clos Jordanne, a well- greatest that the wine world has to offer- virtual or
known winery in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appella- not. The idea is to use technology and make it work
tion of Niagara. in the best way possible for you and your business.

Bachelder made the decision to go virtual instead
of opening his own tasting room because it allowed
him the freedom to focus on his main goal; defining
the terroir within the Niagara Peninsula. He focuses
mainly on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, acting as a
“negotiant” he purchases grapes from the best sites
in the region and labels them by their single-vine-
yard name. Using minimal intervention winemaking
techniques, he demonstrates the unique differenc-
es between vineyard sites, even going as far as to
define different ends of a single-vineyard plot.

Each year Bachelder releases multiple examples
of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from vari-
ous sites around the region. At first he was selling
his wine simply by word of mouth but now he has
launched a website and online store. His wine can
be purchased in “Terroir Packs”, that allow consum-
ers to experience the distinct contrast in his sin-
gle-vineyard wine. Bachelder wine sells out quickly
upon release and is often reserved in advance.

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