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Wine Details
Price:
$18.90 per bottle
Description:
We made our 2005 Un-Oaked Chardonnay in a style that is becoming increasingly popular in the Mâcon region of Burgundy. Notably there is the presence of botrytis which produces a honeyed character (despite the fact that the wine was fermented fully dry) and no oak is used to preserve the a fresh character that supports the botrytised flavours. Most of our Chardonnay has been chosen from the Okanagan Falls area because there is a minerally character to the white wines that exists nowhere else in British Columbia that we have tasted. From what we are able to surmise, this characteristic is due to the gravel and large glacial stones that make up the soil structure here that is unique to the rest of the Okanagan Valley. As well the climate is warm but not overly hot so a long slow ripening process takes place that preserves acidity yet the grapes have no problem achieving full ripeness in vineyards which have been cropped to appropriate levels. Approximately 40% of this wine is made from a clone of Chardonnay known as Chardonnay Musqué which produces a beautifully aromatic wine as the name would suggest. The botrytis originates from the Pinot Blanc that we chose to blend into this wine for that exact reason.
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Varietal Definition
Chardonnay:
Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted grape crop in California and dominates California’s cooler, coastal, quality wine regions. The natural varietal ‘taste and smell’ of Chardonnay is surprisingly unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, as its true character is often guised with dominating winemaking signatures. Chardonnay’s rather subdued primary fruit characteristics lean toward the crisp fruitiness of apples, pears and lemon, but the variety’s full body is capable of supporting a host of complementary characteristics, such as oak, butter and vanilla. Regardless of what is the appropriate style for Chardonnay, the varietal continues to dominate vineyard plantings in every corner of the world. Close attention to clonal selection has made this broad geographic and climactic range of Chardonnay viable in thoughtful viticultural hands.
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Muscat:
Muscat, thought to be one of the oldest grape varieties, is grown worldwide. It is vinified in a multitude of styles, from still to sparkling, and dry to sweet to fortified. Also called Moscato, Moscatel and Muskateller, it is a sweetly aromatic, fruity grape that has many genetic variations and colors. It probably originated in Greece but maybe the independent sultanate of Muscat in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula had something to do with it. Over 200 different varieties and derivatives to the Muscat family exist today. Muscat Canelli, Orange Muscat and Black Muscat are varieties most planted in California, which makes primarily still wine. More unusual is Muscat fermented to total dryness, which leaves greater alcohol levels and no residual sugar. Some Muscats are aged in oak to provide additional complexity.Today’s recommended Muscats represent many of these styles, so use the tasting notes and percent of residual sugar - listed if provided by the winery - to find a wine you’ll enjoy. The more sugar and the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine, though wines above 10 percent alcohol can also be somewhat sweet.
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