King’s Ransom Chardonnay

Okanagan Valley winemaker Benoit Gauthier has the benefit of sourcing this Chardonnay from estate vines with Dijon clones 76 and 95, and the interest and investment in this program includes a barrel program of 100% new French oak. Yet this Chardonnay doesn’t come across as overoaked. Among the fun notes for this wine were fresh churros — the deep-fried Mexican pastry with cinnamon — but there’s also a sense of grassiness, sautéed butter, wind-blown loess and kiwi fruit.

This wine exceptional. It is inviting, powerful, elegant, seductive, finessed, silky and refined. It leaves a long-lasting impression on the back palate, and the refreshing citrus lift balances the butterscotch richness. The balance, complexity, incredibly long length and harmonization of structural components makes this one of the best Chardonnays in the Okanagan Valley! It took me back to Burgundy, where I sipped Grand Cru Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive in his vineyard, yes, it is that outstanding!

This is one of the best Chardonnays in the Okanagan. It is generous, powerful, elegant, and finessed, leaves a long-lasting impression on the back palate, refreshing citrus thread ties it all together in a silk bow. Puligny Montrachet Grand Cru comes to mind. This is what every Chardonnay should aspire to be…

Made from the best vineyard parcels and aged 16 months in French oak, this is a rich yet structured chardonnay with all kinds of complexity and depth. The nose shows lifted toasted hazelnut, peat smoke, vanilla and spice atop peachy fruit. It is full bodied, rich and smooth yet buttressed by decent acidity and alcohol warmth. The length is excellent to outstanding. A richer style.