Celebrating BC Chardonnay
It thrills me to shine a spotlight on today’s celebrated wine grape. Responsible for some of the cheapest and most expensive wines in the world, it can range from dreadfully uninteresting to divinely expressive. Everyone knows it, and everyone’s got an opinion about it. There’s no shortage of controversy and strong feelings about this one, so let’s dive in with a spirit of discovery and openness.
It sits at 2nd place among white wine grapes planted in BC, with 22% of the acreage. It cracks the top 4 planted varieties in all except the hottest and wettest regions of BC. So, yeah, we’re talking big league. Equally treasured and embraced as a single-varietal, blend, or sparkling wine - this is none other than the OG from Burgundy: Chardonnay.
I can already hear the reactions. “Mmm I love a good Chardonnay,” is one. Another sounds something like, “Um no thanks, what else do you have?” Lovers love it, and haters hate it. The reasons for this will be explored in Part 2 on this blog. But like it or not, Chardonnay is here to stay. It’s essential for any wine-producing region that can provide the necessary cooler climate conditions in which this vine thrives. More so than any other, this grape is a blank slate. Remarkably unremarkable, actually. But it’s this highly malleable quality, a propensity for accepting influence, that sets Chardonnay apart for better and for worse.
Photo credit: Wines of BC (Painted Rock Winery, Jon Adrian)
All white wines, whether still or sparkling, need a dependable blending partner. Chardonnay saves the day. Wineries need a reliable and versatile grape that keeps the lights on. Again, Chardonnay saves the day. Producers who want to showcase their unique terroir, enviable soils, winemaking prowess, or barrel budget - again, Chardonnay - you guessed it. Let’s just break it down and set aside the fluff. Chardonnay is like any other wine. It’s an expression of the fruit, how and where it was grown, and the hands that transformed it. When you look at it this way, you can appreciate the variation and diversity of this most famous wine grape, and that’s what we’re here to do.
Now I did allude that this is a rather bland grape. However it can’t be said to have no character at all. It is capable of bringing high acidity, very useful for production of sparkling wines and crisp still wines like the style of Chablis. High acidity also gives winemakers the substrate to allow malolactic fermentation if they so choose. This softens the sharp edge and leaves a slippery, smooth texture and allows the creamier lactic acid to tug at your cheeks and gums long after your sip. Aromas are usually delicate citrus and green apple, but can vary from region to region and vineyard to vineyard. Wines of this style are more likely to come from sites on the west side of Okanagan Lake, Kelowna, Lake Country, Okanagan Falls, and Vancouver Island. If warmer conditions allow more advanced ripening, exotic essences of peach, pineapple, or banana emerge. You may find this kind of Chardonnay coming from sites on the eastern side of Okanagan Valley like the Naramata Bench, Skaha Bench, or Oliver and Osoyoos.
If you’re apprehensive of selecting a Chardonnay from a wine list or tasting bar, I don’t blame you. You don’t always know what you’re going to get. You might know that different regions have a certain style, whether it’s Burgundy, New Zealand, or Napa. But since Chardonnay can run the gamut in BC, it’s worth asking your server or tasting room associate a few questions, since they know best and are there to help! We all want to have positive experiences with wine. Even if I don’t like a wine I try, I have learned something and expanded my knowledge by one more wine and I consider that a positive experience.
Try one of the excellent Chardonnays from BC below, which were provided by the producers for this feature. While it’s an important blending partner, these are all 100% Chardonnay (and 100% delish). I would recommend enjoying these just lightly chilled to give all the intricacies opportunity to be appreciated.
50th Parallel 2020 Estate Chardonnay
Home-grown Lake Country fruit is 75% whole-bunch pressed and the remaining 25% allowed 24 hours of skin contact before pressing. 90% of the juice is fermented in French oak (30% new) and 10% in concrete eggs. Lees aging progressed for 10 months and malolactic fermentation was ceased at 75%. If you look for oaked Chardonnay, look no further. The colour is a rich golden yellow. The nose is rich and buttery while retaining sharp citrus potency and flashes of green apple and pear. There is also salted caramel and sea spray. You get what you want on the palate - round and creamy mouthfeel, lean citrus fruit and puréed chestnuts brimming with fresh, briny acidity. Who needs California when this is so close to home. Bottle price: $55.00
Arrowleaf Cellars 2022 Chardonnay
Another cool-climate Lake Country expression from a single vineyard. Grapes were harvested late October and whole-bunch pressed, with fermentation and 9 months aging in French oak (17% new). No malo on this one. Gorgeous medium lemon yellow colour. Aromas beginning with ‘c’ include citrus, canned green beans, and cashew. Under ‘b’ we have banana and butterscotch. The palate is lush and super approachable, medium acidity, medium finish. The ultimate crowd pleaser with smooth, well-rounded texture. Bottle price: $25.10.
Painted Rock 2022 Chardonnay *sold out, 2023 release coming soon
Standard practice for this producer, the wine is a blend of multiple Skaha Bench micro-lots harvested at precise intervals. 85% is aged in French oak (45% new, 55% old), and 15% in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation proceeded to 23%. This one is sold out online but still pouring on site. Petrichor on the nose, delicate lemon and pear, and toasty notes. The palate has tart acidity with flavours of fresh lemon and toasted almond. I get the popularity - balanced and inoffensive, good structure, goes down easy. Textbook cool-climate Chardonnay that should benefit from cellaring. Bottle price: $44.99.
Little Engine 2023 Elevation - new release!
100% Naramata Bench Chardonnay. Hand harvested and sorted, with some grapes whole cluster pressed, and some destemmed then cold soaked. Fermented in stainless steel, putting ripe fruit at the forefront. Pure and simple, the nose is full of stones and the palate is packed with golden delicious, juicy pear, and white peach. One of these is not like the others - this one is the standard bearer for fruit-forward, unoaked, naked BC Chardonnay. I only wish there was some left for the second assessment! My family finished this bottle first, which tells you something. Bottle price: $32.40.
Blue Mountain 2022 Estate Cuvée Chardonnay - new release!
From their Okanagan Falls estate vineyards, which are manually thinned to limit crop yield. Hand harvested, whole cluster pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels and aged 14 months. Barrels are a mixture of new and used. Nose is pure wet rock, salty breeze, freshly sliced lemon, and a hint of buttercream. Despite significant time in oak, the wood only buttresses the pristine fruit rather than acting as a facade. Concentration is superb and this Chard is fresh, soft, vibrant, and enticing with an oyster shell finish. This is a lesson in character, terroir, and meticulous winemaking. Bottle price: $29.90.
Bench 1775 2019 Chardonnay
Naramata grapes were hand picked then crushed, destemmed, and gently pressed into stainless steel. Fermentation was completed in barrel with partial malolactic conversion. Now this is interesting. Atypically aromatic and complex with peach, melon, flint, lemon zest, fresh oregano, and gooseberry on the nose - Sauvignon Blanc-esque. In lingua, browned butter succumbs to laser sharp acidity and rich fruit wrapped in oak tulle. This isn’t for everyone but I find it unique and sophisticated. Well done. Bottle price: $31.75.
There is exceptional Chardonnay coming out of BC and I dare say it is an under appreciated variety here. Sure we produce more Pinot Gris, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, but Chardonnay definitely has the most sex appeal among the white varieties and it’s just so useful to winemakers, and that alone deserves acknowledgement. Having said that, we can see the impressive devotion to quality as well as the colourful variation in expression on display. So if you’re a doubter, I beg you - don’t discard the Chard. Explore, ask questions, and search out what you love. I guarantee you’ll find it somewhere in a BC Chardonnay.
*Stay tuned for Part 2 of our series on Chardonnay, only on the uncorkBC blog. Next time, we will go into more detail about contrasting styles in BC, why some people don’t like Chardonnay and the reasons why, and food pairing guidelines.
This blog post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney.