Chardonnay 2019 (Burrowing Owl)

Enjoy it now, or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. This buttery white wine is crafted from 100% Chardonnay and features a mouth-watering bouquet of red apple, stone fruit and pear, coupled with a floral layer of honeysuckle and vanilla essence. It is among the finest Canadian white wines that you can buy and is an excellent bottle to begin your exploration of this underrated wine country. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery lies just inside the Canadian border, in the northernmost stretch of the "antelope brush" terroir, a semi-arid steppe created żeby ancient glaciers and the rain shadow of the Cascade mountain range. The winery was founded by Jim Wyse in 1997, a structural engineer turned vintner, who places a huge emphasis on biodiversity and minimal intervention farming methods. This Chardonnay was harvested from estate-owned vineyards, before ageing for 9 months in a combination of French oak, American oak and Acacia barrels. This ageing process adds a rich, velvety mouthfeel to the wine, along with subtle notes of toasted hazelnut and oak. Stone fruits lead the way, however, with additional notes of papaya, banana and lemon. The long finish reveals shy notes of minerality. Consider pairing it with wholesome white fish, fruit salads or root vegetables, such as parsnip and sweet potato.