BC Chardonnay for Summer Sips

Chardonnay. Some people love it; others are not too crazy about it. From my speaking with people, I think it is mainly the heavily oaked chardonnays that are not as enjoyable for many people. But the good news is that there are many unoaked chardonnays which are lighter in body and show more fruit character. Mission Hill brought worldwide attention to Okanagan wines when their 1992 Mission Hill Grand Reserve Chardonnay was awarded the Avery Trophy for the Best Chardonnay at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Chardonnay can show a wide range of character including peach, pear, apple or tropical fruits, mineral notes and rich full-bodied buttery, toasty flavours if aged in oak. It can be a heavy white wine with oaking, and can be a replacement for some red wines. Try with a bbq'd steak.

Checking the www.EverythingWine.ca website, for $15-$25 BC Chardonnay, I came up with 33 wines:

Arrowleaf Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$17.99
Blasted Church Chardonnay Musque 750 mL	Chardonnay	$21.99
Cassini Cellars Chardonnay 750mL	Chardonnay	$23.99
Cedar Creek Estate Chardonnay Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$15.99
Cedar Creek Platinum Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$23.99
Crowsnest Vineyards Stahltank Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$21.99
Desert Hills Unoaked Chard 750 mL	Chardonnay	$18.99
Dirty Laundry Chardonnay unoaked 750ml	Chardonnay	$23.99
Dragonfly Hill Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$19.99
Gray Monk Unwooded Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$16.99
Herder Vineyards Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$23.99
Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$17.99
Kettle Valley Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$21.99
Mike Weir Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$16.99
Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$18.99
Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$19.99
Mt Boucherie Summit Reserve Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$23.99
Mt Boucherie Unoaked Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$17.99
Nk'Mip Cellars Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$15.99
Pacific Breeze Winery Sangiacomo Vineyards Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$22.99

Peller Proprietor's Reserve Chardonnay 1.5 L	Chardonnay	$15.99
Quails' Gate Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$18.99
Quinta Ferreira Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$24.99
Robin Ridge Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$22.99
Sandhill Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$17.99
See Ya Later Ranch Unleashed Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$19.99
See Ya Later Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$19.99
Sonora Ranch Chardonnay 1.5 L	Chardonnay	$17.99
Summerhill Estate Winery Chardonnay, Organic 750 mL	Chardonnay	$24.99
Thornhaven Chardonnay 750 mL	Chardonnay	$18.99
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Chardonnay 750ml	Chardonnay	$19.99
Township 7 Semillon 750mL	Chardonnay	$19.97 | $22.99
Township 7 un-oaked Chardonnay 750mL	Chardonnay	$21.99

Chardonnay is quite a popular grape amongst BC wineries. Some chardonnay's in my tasting notes are:

• Therapy Vineyards Chardonnay, 2007 - Pale lemon. Vanilla, apple, and butterscotch aromas. Butterscoth, leees, citrus, and orange peel flavours. Round mouthfeel.
• Dirty Laundry Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay, 2007 - Light lemon colour. Tropical fruit, lemon, and honey on the nose. Some roundness in the mouth. Vanilla, apple and pear flavours.
• Greata Ranch Reserve Chardonnay, 2006 - Single vineyard. Slight oaky aroma and lime. Topical fruit flavour with a vanilla finish. Medium body, some roundness on the palate.
• Greata Ranch Chardonnay, 2006 - Pale straw coloured. Oak, vanilla, and pineapple aromas. Oak, apple and citrus flavours. Light acidity, but very fruity.

Cheers!

Naramata Bench Spring Wine Release 2010

Just a week before the huge Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival opens, I attended a much more low-key, but very enjoyable, event: the Naramata Bench Spring Wine Release 2010.

This is the second time I've attended this event. Last year I came upon a new winery to me called, Van Westen Vineyards, where their wines beguiled me. So this year, the first winery I went to see was Van Westen, as I was not disappointed. Their 2008 Vino Grigio and their 2008 Vivacious whites and their 2006 Voluptuous are highly recommended. The Vino Grigio 2008, is of course Pinot Gris. It had a light peach and melon nose. Good acidity with more peach and melon on the palate. The Vivacious 2008 is Pinot Blanc with a hint of Pinot Gris, again has peachy fruit as well as some apricot aromas. Good acidity. Peach and apricot flavours with a touch of greenness. Their Voluptuous 2006 is a barrel aged blend of 67% Merlot and 33% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet in colour. Very ripe plums and black fruit aromas. Medium body, black ripe fruit, plums, black cherry flavours with drying tannins.

Other notable wines are the La Frenz Merlot 2007, La Frenz Andrew Vineyard Riesling 2009, La Frenz Sonoran Vineyard Chardonnay 2009, Lake Breeze Seven Poplars Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Lake Breeze Gewurztraminer 2009, Therapy Merlot 2008, and Howling Bluff Estate Pinot Noir 2008. I'm sure there are more wines, but I only had 1.5 hours at the tasting room.

The La Frenz Merlot 2007 was deep garnet in the glass. A very nice nose, with sweet black cherry aroma. Sweet, black cherry flavour with a hint of vanilla. Very smooth on the palate. Outstanding.

The La Frenz Andrew Vineyard Riesling 2009, is light lemon in colour. Flowery and apple aromas. Good acidity with a bit of residual sugar. Red apple and citrus flavours. Elegant.

Hmm, 3 La Frenz in a row. I must also like La Frenz's wines alot too! The La Frenz Sonoran Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 was light lemon colour in the glass. Vanilla and nutmeg aromas. Lots of flavour on the palate of apple, oak and pineapple. Very creamy with medium acidity.

Lake Breeze is also a consistent producer in the Okanagan. The Lake Breeze Seven Poplars Sauvignon Blanc 2009 has citrus and slight herbal aromas. High acidity, with citrus and gooseberry flavours. Eat with fresh seafood.

The Lake Breeze Gewurztraminer 2009 is very pale coloure. But has a wonderful lychee and rose petals aromas. Off dry, with medium acidity. Lychee and red delicous apple flavours.

The Therapy Merlot 2008 has a lot of leather, coffee, cherry and plum aromas. On the palate there is more of the coffee and cherry flavour, accompanied by some chocolate. Medium tannins. Quite different from the La Frenz Merlot. Maybe buy one of each and do a side-by-side comparison?

Last, one of my favourite Pinot Noirs in the Okanagan is the Howling Bluff Estate Pinot Noir 2008. New world style, with ripe strawberry and cherry aromas with a bit of sweet spice and vanilla. Silky on the palate with vanilla, cherry, and raspberry flavours.

I hope you have a chance to try some of these wines, either here, or even better over in the Naramata Bench at the wineries' cellar doors. Enjoy!