2011 Chardonnay

Aged 5 months sur lie in 100% new French oak. Partially barrel fermented.

This Okanagan Chardonnay from the sunny bench above Skaha Lake simply glows, with generous pineapple and fresh-baked apple pie aromas that lead to generous key lime, Anjou pear, lemongrass and muddled lemon. The time spent in French oak just adds to the wine's charm, framing all of that fruit stunningly, while the spot-on acidity carries the weight and complexity singing straight through the very long finish. Bright and buoyant enough to complement fresh seafood on the beach, but sturdy and bold enough to stand up to heavier fare.

EVOLUTION OF THE WINE

Vintage over vintage I loved how the nose of our Chardonnay was becoming more expressive, but I wanted more. I love the bright acid but I wanted to improve the mouthfeel. The solution for us, as we learn this vineyard was to conduct three micro harvests to capture certain characteristics in the fruit. The first harvest of golden clusters was approximately 20% of the fruit, five days later we harvested 60% and another six days later we harvested the remaining 20%. These wines were then made separately and blended after five months in new French oak.
 

The first harvest underwent malolactic fermentation and the others did not. The result is a wine that I am very happy to say absolutely hit the marks we were aiming for. Amazing minerality on the nose with bright balanced acids and luscious mouthfeel. John Skinner
 

REVIEWS

94 POINTS  Gorgeous chardonnay.  Rich and full, it stays tight and crisp through the long, tension-filled finish, with ripe flavours of pineapple and stone fruit answered by brisk acidity and a smoky-flinty quality thanks to five months of contact with spent yeast (a.k.a. lees) in new French oak barrels…a bargain for great Burgundy-class chardonnay.  Beppi Crosariol
 

Just being released, this is an elegant and polished wine, beginning with appealing aromas of tropical fruit (lime, grapefruit, even lychee). It delivers exuberant flavours of lime, apple and lychee, lifted vividly by refreshing acidity (only a quarter of the wine went through malolactic fermentation). The wine spent five months in oak, gaining texture without gaining oak flavour. This is simply delicious.  John Schreiner
Made from estate Skaha Bench Chardonnay grapes, which were harvested within a two-week period. Each pick was vinified separately and aged five months in new French oak barrels. Only 20% went through a secondary malolactic fermentation. It's an exceedingly chic wine with subtle nuances, which beg to be acknowledged, but alas it's nearly too well integrated. On the nose, expect pink grapefruit, juicy apples and tangerine peel with a backdrop of spiced oak and vanilla. The palate is elegant and seamless; it is also mouthwatering and alive with a spice and cooked brown sugar finish. Fantastic!  Daenna Van Mulligen