2020 Monte Creek "Living Land Series" Chardonnay | 92pts

This wine was my very top value wine of 2023, one of my top Chardonnays of our 2024 Chardonnay Marathon (which included 112 Chardos), and a Gold Medal at the National WineAlign competition last year. This 2020 vintage is now sold out at the winery, so this is your only chance to get your hands on a few bottles. On the nose, this wine exudes purity and freshness with orchard fruits like perfectly ripe peach and yellow apple, but also a stunning spark of lemon zest and a hint of white flowers. With 75% of this wine aged in French oak, you can expect a slight wood influence but also some linear precision from the 25% aged in concrete eggs. The wild ferment brings complexity and an extra “je ne sais quoi” to an already spectacular wine. The palate is a mix of crisp apple, Meyer lemon, peach, vanilla and a chalky minerality that often reminds me of some great Niagara Chardonnays. The mid-palate is juicy and well defined, while the finish lingers for almost a minute to remind you of the OUTSTANDING potential of Chardonnay in many different regions of Canada – including the Thompson River Valley! Don’t miss out on this one! (CWC, December 1, re-tasted July 4, 2024).  

2020 Monte Creek “Living Land Series” Chardonnay

BC, VQA Thompson Valley

100% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 2.3g /L) | 12.9% ABV

92pts Carl’s Wine Club | Gold, WineAlign 2023

Top Value Wine of the Year, 2023

Food pairing: chicken Ballotine, tuna sashimi

Drink now until 2026

Winery price: $21.99 | $25.39 including tax & deposit