With space extremely limited in the CWG cellars (well 115% capacity reached and counting) it was time to thin the herd. Where better to start then a 6 year old Beamsville Bench Chardonnay. Angels Gate winery may be known more for its amazing restaurant and scenic overlook of the lower bowl leading to Lake Ontario than for its wine, but this is one of the nice whites that annually come out of the picturesque vineyard. With The bench becoming more and more renown for its cooler climate Chardonnays it is a great time to get interested in them if you are not already. Great growing conditions, stronger and stronger winemakers and vines reaching their maturity have led to some amazing Burgundy style wines lately from the subregion. On to this wine that comes from 30 year old vines that was barrel fermented and allowed to age on its lees!
A beautiful yellow wine flows from the bottle as light floral notes tickle your nose. The first few sips yield a full bodied Chardonnay with a great amount of vanilla and caramel. Hints of melons, pineapples and other citrus linger but never overwhelm. The finish is neither long nor is it short, seems to just slowly tail off, almost like butter… The acidity is fresh and one could describe this as crisp. The wine overall opens up nicely but take care to serve it in the correct stemware (Chardonnay/Burgundy) as this wine will not give you much when consumed from narrow or deep glasses. Not a classic but a wine worth a nod to your host that serves it, or the guest that brings it.
The CWG Subjective Rating is 86 out of 100
