Chardonnay Vertical

What it is
A single-vineyard, lightly oaked, cool-climate Chardonnay from the Lake Country Sub-GI

Where it was grown
Wendell Vineyard, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley
This vineyard is located on the south-westerly slopes of Carr’s Landing, which is Lake Country’s warmest microclimate. The soils consist primarily of sandy loam and with bands of granitic soils throughout.

When it was grown
The story of the 2022 growing season started with a blast of arctic air in late December 2021. The cold weather damaged some buds on the vines, reducing their potential yields. A cool and damp spring delayed budbreak and suggested a short growing season. Summer was hot and dry but the highlight of the growing season was the fall, which felt more like an extension of summer. It was a phenomenal stretch of warm and dry weather that lasted through most of October. The extended season coupled with low yields produced grapes of excellent quality.

How it’s made
Harvest took place in late October after a long ripening period and flavour development. The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and the juice was transferred to French oak puncheons for fermentation and aging. The wine spent a total of 9 months in oak (17% new French), with no malo-lactic fermentation needed this year.

How it tastes
Aromas of lemongrass, sage, peach yogurt, apple, hint of vanilla. A lush mouthfeel with balanced acidity. 🌱 Vegan Wine

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 1.6 g/l
Acidity 6.1 g/l
Alcohol 13.8%

What it is
A cool-climate Chardonnay made in a very hot year.

Where it was grown
Wendell Vineyard, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley
This vineyard is located on the lower slopes of the Carr’s Landing area in Lake Country, which features sandy loam as well as some clay loam soils.

When it was grown
2021 was one of the hottest and driest years on record in British Columbia. The early part of summer brought the highest temperatures ever recorded in the Okanagan followed by prolonged drought that lasted well into the fall. This resulted in a smaller than average crop of very ripe, concentrated grapes. Harvest started in early September and was finished by mid October. All in all, it was an extreme growing season that has created the potential for some truly unique wines

How it’s made
We decided to harvest relatively early to maintain natural acidity and keep the alcohol level moderate. The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and the juice was transferred to French oak puncheons for fermentation and aging. The wine spent a total of 9 months in oak (20% new French), with no malolactic fermentation needed this year.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 1.4 g/l
Acidity 6.3 g/l
Alcohol 13.5%
Cases Made 385

Gold Medal (92 Points) - 2022 National Wine Awards of Canada
”Juicy and ripe- kiwi, melon, juicy fruit gum- leesy-- linear and semi austere palate with a stony/minerality and an engaging old world chalky grit-- Burgundian palate .”

What it is
Cool-climate, Lake Country Chardonnay from a first crop of young vines.

Where it was grown
Wendell Vineyard, Lake Country, Okanagan ValleyThis vineyard is located on the lower slopes of the Carr’s Landing area in Lake Country, which features sandy loam as well as some clay loam soils.

When it was grown
2020 was a year of ups and downs in the vineyard. An unusually warm stretch of winter weather started the year off in a pleasant way until an arctic cold front moved in and damaged a lot of the fruitful buds on the vines. This resulted in a 40% reduction in overall yield. The silver lining, of course, is that with reduced yield generally comes exceptional quality. It turned out that the vines needed a light load this vintage as the summer and fall were cooler than normal causing the fruit to ripen late. All in all, 2020 is a stellar but scarce vintage.

How it’s made
We decided to harvest relatively early to maintain natural acidity and keep the alcohol level moderate. The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and the juice was transferred to French oak puncheons for fermentation and aging. The wine spent a total of 10 months in oak (20% new French), with roughly half of it undergoing malolactic fermentation.🌱 Vegan Wine

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 2.2 g/l
Acidity 6.1 g/l
Alcohol 13.0%
Cases Made 416