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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve Chardonnaytext
89POINTS
16¼/20

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve Chardonnay 2016

Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaWinemaker Andrew Windsor is the man behind this signature Tinhorn Chardonnay grown over the rocky soils at the base of Mt. Kobau along the Golden Mile Bench sub-appellation. The 2016 looked a lot like 2015 early on but the heat subsided and the growing season was far more measured with a long cool sunny September that allowed for a perfect ripening period while retaining acidity. As you might expect it’s whole-cluster pressed and sent directly to barrel. The fermentation is split evenly between new, one-year-old and neutral French oak barrels with minimal sulphur added. Post ferment the barrels were topped then were left alone to go through malolactic fermentation before a spring blending session. The final recipe was aged 50/50, in oak and stainless, for 17 months. The nose is tropical with hints of almonds and marzipan. The palate is similar with a fennel/sagebrush Golden Mile? undercurrent. It’s full flavoured and well worked but in a good way and at 13.5 percent alcohol it’s not as alcoholic as the 2015. Dungeness crab or lobster tail with butter would be our match. There is no rush to drink this it will age well over the next three to five years.Tasted: 17 December 2017Tasted by: Prices:
BC$34.99750mlwinery direct, private wine shops
Producer: Tinhorn Creek VineyardsDistributors: Trialto Wine Group
Grape: ChardonnayUPC: 624802981314