Black Swift Vineyards – Pinecrest Chardonnay – 2015
This is the Chardonnay I want in my glass!!! On the nose, I get toast and vanilla so I know the oak is there. I also get nice citrus notes of lemon and some guava on the tropical side. On the front palate, I get the creamy lemon flavour that indicates that malolactic fermentation has taken place but there is that toasty brioche characteristic as well. This wine is opulent but very well balanced. I would compare it to the style of a French Meursault. I find that it is so hard to get the balance right in Chardonnay and I think it is easy to get too bold on the oak. Though I like Rombauer from California I am often left with the feeling that the oak overpowers some of the delicacy of the fruit but I do not feel this way about Pinecrest. The fact that I am comparing this wine to Rombauer and Meursault should tell you that I think there is value and great winemaking going on here. Again, not cheap but if you are in the Okanagan to treat yourself then this is a wine I would choose from The Hatch.
