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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Fort Berens White Gold Reservetext
90POINTS
16½/20

Fort Berens White Gold Reserve 2021

Lillooet, British Columbia, CanadaIn ‘21, the estate grapes enjoyed a long, slow ripening period with cool nights. As a result, the Chardonnay is bright pale straw. It opens with an inviting lemon peel nose streaked with peach and honey. The textures on the palate are creamy, with a nutty lees undercurrent and a rich long finish. It smells skinner than it is, leaving it in the more decadent California style, albeit with better acidity. Think chicken empanadas, grilled prawns, or creamy mushroom pasta. 50% of the fruit was crushed/destemmed and left on skins for four hours before an overnight settling and a natural barrel fermentation. The other half was whole cluster pressed and fermented naturally. The wine spent nine months in French oak, 30% new, 30% 2nd fill, and 40% neutral, and only went through a partial malolactic fermentation.Tasted: 01 February 2023Tasted by: Prices:
BC$31.99750mlwinery online/direct, select private retailers, grocery
Producer: Fort Berens Estate WineryDistributors: The Drinks List
Grape: ChardonnayCSPC: 541011UPC: 626990118510