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90POINTS
16½/20
Hester Creek Chardonnay 2020
Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaLast year I praised the evolution of this wine, shedding weight and oak in favour of zest and freshness, and it continued in 2020. It was also well-received at the National Wine Awards. So you can expect the same svelte styling and honeyed lemon, ripe, peach, orange that slide down effortlessly. The finish is clean with a dusting of mineral, stony, leesy ginger notes and a touch of resin to up the complexity. The grapes are sourced from handpicked fruit off Block 17, a low yielding site planted to Burgundy clones 76 and 809. The free run juice is cold settled for five days. Then, post ferment, the barrels are stirred weekly until the malolactic fermentation is complete. 45% of the wine is barrel fermented in 35% new French oak, and the remainder is fermented in stainless steel, aged and stirred on fine lees for ten months. Opulent but with some underlying freshness. Baked halibut, anyone?Tasted: 18 September 2021Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $21.99 | 750ml | winery online/direct, select private retailers |
Grape: ChardonnayCSPC: 467258UPC: 626037001096
