2023 Chardonnay
A rich, textural Chardonnay from our Hidden Terrace Vineyard.
Tasting Notes
This wine transports us to the small parcel it is grown in. We're met with dandelion and shepherd's purse still blooming in the interrow. The breeze carries with it the blossoming fruit trees nearby. There's a rocky outcrop facing south, baking in the midday sun. It's all here in the glass. This block’s classic pithy lemon and ripe pear are on display, accentuated by the landscape around it. The acid is focused and taught, piercing through a roundness that sits on the mid-palate, keeping the richness in check. Baked bread, punctuated by subtle baking spice. Lemon in the periphery brings it around full circle and it subsides with a rich, textural finish.
Vintage Notes
Preceding the 2023 growing season, the Okanagan experienced a harsh cold snap that reduced yields by an average of 35%. The growing season then started slowly due to below-average temperatures extending into April, delaying bud break until early to mid-May. The pace of the season quickly accelerated in May, the warmest in the last 25 years, allowing shoot growth and flowering to catch up to seasonal averages. The unusually warm temperatures persisted into June before returning to more typical weather conditions into July and August. The combination of record setting warmth and an exceptionally small crop gave us wines that are rich and powerful, showcasing opulent fruit ripeness that is seamlessly balanced by excellent freshness – a testament to our meticulous vineyard management and precise, early picking decisions.
Wine Facts
Acid: 5.6
Alcohol: 12.6%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Fermentation: Fermented with wild yeasts. 10 months on fine lees in French oak puncheons - 13% new oak. Followed by 4 months in stainless steel.
Ph: 3.5
Residual Sugar: 0.7
Vineyard Designation: Hidden Terrace
Blend: 100% Chardonnay