Best of BC: Chardonnay

Chardonnay is an important variety to the growing wine industry of British Columbia. It's forgiving and grows relatively easily in most climates. However, it can often be too strong, too sweet and far too plain or over-oaked, giving fodder to the ABC crowd (Anything But Chardonnay). When done well, as it can be in both the Okanagan and Similkemen Valleys, it has the ability to show-off not only the winemaker's talents but a sense of place and terroir. The following Chardonnays, organized by price point, do both:

$20 and below:

Tinhorn Creek 2009 Chardonnay - $17
Classic aromas of luscious melons, buttery ice cream and orchard fruit with quiet herbaceous notes. Flavours of pears, apples, sweet pineapple and light toasted oak spice and with piquant, lemony acidity; very refreshing. Where to buy: Direct from winery and VQA stores.
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Blackwood Lane 2005 Chardonnay - $19
On the nose you get an intense bouquet of butter and oak with some orchard fruit notes and minerality. On the palate this gold-straw hued wine offers more oak and butter flavours with good acidity and pear, apple and slate notes. Where to buy: Direct from winery.
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La Frenz Winery 2009 Chardonnay - $20
A 50% oaked Chardonnay that display classic flavours of orchard and tropical fruits with excellent minerality and crispness. A bit toastier than the 2008. Where to buy: VQA stores and direct from winery.
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$30 and below:

Poplar Grove 2008 Chardonnay - $22
Only 17% oaked but that 17% goes a long way to add toasty notes and creamy texture to this tasty Chardonnay. Good complexity of flavours with orchard fruits, minerality and citrus acidity. Where to buy: VQA stores and direct from winery.

JoieFarm 2009 Un-Oaked Chardonnay - $23
Aromas of green apple skins, sweetened shredded coconut and canned pineapple. The palate offers orchard fruits, pineapple, lees and the minerality of polished riverbed stones. A quality and tasty, full-textured wine with good acidity, fruit concentration and just a touch of residual sugar. Definitely a Chardonnay for the A-B-C (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd. Where to buy: Private wine stores and online from winery.
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Therapy Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay - $24
A full-bodied oaked Chardonnay with good crispness. Citrus notes and ripe orchard fruit flavours with toasted oak and butter notes. Wet stone minerality adds complexity. Where to buy: VQA stores and direct from winery.

Laughing Stock Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay - $26
A major oak butter-bomb that may be tough for the ABC crowd but for Chardonnay lovers who like toasty aromas and cream on the palate along with their fruit and minerality. Good complexity. Where to buy: Private wine stores and online from winery.

Jackson-Triggs 2007 SunRock Vineyards Chardonnay - $27
This Chardonnay is a mellow charmer. No big butter-bomb oak explosions in this wine, more subtle tastes of tropical fruits, wet slate and margarine (rather than butter). 2008 vintage should be released soon. Where to buy: BC Liquor Stores and VQA stores.
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La Frenz Winery 2008 Reserve Chardonnay - $29
An exceptionally smooth and refined Chardonnay with good aging potential. Big orchard fruit concentration with a touch of residual sugar. Where to buy: Private wine stores and direct from winery.

Painted Rock 2009 Chardonnay - $30
The oak treatment results are surprisingly subtle, imparting mostly vanilla and oak spice flavours. The wine remains fresh and vibrant, never feeling weighed down. Enjoy this wine on its own or with food. Where to buy: Direct from winery.
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Black Hills Estate Winery 2008 Chardonnay - $30
Full-ish bodied and loaded with orchard fruit flavours and tropical fruit and melon aromas. The sublime, citrus acidity and austere minerality on the palate deftly balances the buttery oak flavours and caramel aromas from the partial barrel fermentation (62% French oak, 38% stainless steel). Where to buy: Direct from winery, VQA and private wine stores.
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Cedar Creek Estate Winery 2007 Platinum Chardonnay - $30
The fuller bodied palate has classic Chardonnay flavours of pears, apples with the acidity of roasted lemons. This is an excellent Chardonnay that can be enjoyed on its own. Where to buy: BC Liquor Stores, VQA stores and direct from winery.
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$40 and below:

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2007 Perpetua - $32.99
This wine has excellent fruit intensity and flavour complexity which balances well with the acidity and creates a lovely, long finish. Produced from grapes grown on their Osoyoos vineyards. Where to buy: BC Liquor Stores, VQA stores and direct from winery.
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Herder Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay - $35
A powerful, intense Chardonnay that avoids over-the-top, hit-you-in-the-face buttery oak flavours. The nose is subtle, smoky and refined with a good amount of tropical and orchard fruit aromas shining through. Lees and mineral characters are also present. Where to buy: VQA stores and direct from winery.

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JoieFarm 2007 Reserve Chardonnay - $35
Youthful aromas of butter, pear, apple with floral and mineral notes. On the palate you will taste flavours of lemon, pear, wet cement, green apple, melon and oak notes with high-minus acidity and a seemingly never ending finish. Where to buy: Private wine stores and online from winery.
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Meyer Family Vineyards 2009 Tribute Series Chardonnay - $35
The supreme balance comes from the medley of tart, green apple acidity paired with concentrated orchard and tropical fruit flavours all enveloped in layers of subtle, French oak. Acid, the perception of sweetness and savoury characters create a near-perfect trifecta of balance. Where to buy: Private wine stores and online from winery.

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