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91POINTS
16¾/20
Little Engine Platinum Chardonnay 2021
CanadaLittle Engine chardonnays all have a California riff when it comes to style. They are richer and weightier than most BC chardonnay, which chase the leaner, more reductive Burgundian model. That said, the Platinum has much to offer. The fruit is all hand harvested from Naramata Bench. It opens with refreshing lemon curd and white flowers. The attack is smooth, weighty, and long on the palate, evoking more peach and apricot mixed with orange marmalade and vanilla. The power is balanced by the acidity and salinity of the Naramata fruit, leaving you wanting more, rather than tired. I like it now, but it will hold through 2026 if cellared properly. The grapes for this wine were harvested at different times, late September and early October, based on flavours in the vineyard. Most lots are whole cluster pressed, while the riper fruit is destemmed and kept cool with about 12 hours of skin contact. Free and pressed juices are separated and settled for up to 36 hours. Fermentation is long and remarkable, using a variety of yeasts in French oak complementary to the fruit character. Some barrels undergo partial or complete malolactic fermentation to add palate richness. The wine is barrel-aged for 17 months and stirred regularly. The final blend comprises 68% new French oak puncheons with the balance in 2nd & 3rd fill barrels.Tasted: 07 November 2024Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $97.00 | 750ml | wine club member exclusive |
Grape: ChardonnayUPC: 626990285328
