WEEKEND WINE PICKS
La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2019, Sonoma County, California $31.99 I 89/100
UPC: 049331002222
As big and as sprawling as it is, the Sonoma Coast AVA is known for its strong maritime influence due to fog moderating the warm summer temperatures. It is always the richest version of the brand's many Chardonnays, mixing ripe red apple and lemon curd with orange and coating baking spice and vanilla-scented oak. It boasts a broad mix of clones, all barrel fermented and aged seven months in a mix of French (75 per cent) and American (25 per cent), but only 17 per cent is new. It is a perfect Chardonnay vintage and a wine you can enjoy now through 2023. Dungeness crab is a terrific match in British Columbia.
Moraine Chardonnay 2019, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley $26 I 89/100
UPC: 626990127796
This easy-drinking, well-crafted Chardonnay is coming off some of the oldest vines on the Naramata Bench and is all barrel fermented in French oak. I love the combination of acid and creamy textures that pull you into the glass. Look for a mix of citrus-soaked hazelnuts and ripe melon, and red apple with a slick of butter in the finish. It is a terrific wine to be enjoyed with fresh West Coast seafood dishes such as halibut, prawns, and crab.
Foxly Chardonnay 2016, Okanagan Valley $28.99 I 89/100
UPC: 626990440840
Foxly is a new line of wines from Foxtrot that is more affordable and drinkable sooner, but it firmly remains within the house style. Leaner, tighter, and sophisticated, they are wines for wine drinkers and people who love to serve their wine with food. Look for a mix of green apple mixed with a citrus mineral undercurrent and a long, lean, fresh. A ready-to-drink bottle of Chardonnay that is made for the table.
Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2019, West Kelowna $23.99 I 90/100
UPC: 778856119015
Am I in B.C.? Chardonnay at 12.5 per cent is such a delight to nose and drink. It signals a desire to make wines of place and wines that speak to the grape it's made from. This wine has been solid for years, but it doesn't mean it can't evolve, and this label continues the journey to something more than ordinary. Restrained, it mixes bright apple with fresh lemon, some complexing lees, and a clean, balanced finish.
Marcel Cabelier Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2015, Jura, France $26.99 I 89/100
UPC: 03570590109324
This old vine Chardonnay (25 years) is made in the famed region of Jura, Cotes du Jura, to be specific, and it opens with a touch of oxidation given its six years in the bottle. After that, its saline hazelnut aromas and flavours draw you toward the glass and bring on thoughts of grilled fish and mushroom risottos. It is a Chardonnay for the enthusiast and the dinner table. It is nice to see it in just under 30 stores at a very competitive price.