Cedar Creek Crafted In BC Chardonnay 2024

CedarCreek Crafted In BC Chardonnay is a unique white wine from the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, produced under a special regulatory exemption. Founded in 1988, CedarCreek is a pioneer of the British Columbia wine industry and is currently owned by the von Mandl family, who have championed a winemaking philosophy of minimal intervention and sustainable viticulture. This 'Crafted In BC' edition was necessitated by a severe 2024 winter freeze that destroyed nearly all local fruit, leading the winery to source premium grapes from the Willamette Valley in Oregon to be processed at their Kelowna estate.

Wine Description

CedarCreek 'Crafted in BC' Chardonnay presents a brilliant, pale gold-straw color in the glass with bright chartreuse and platinum highlights along the rim. Its sensory profile is exceptionally fresh, high-toned, and complex, delivering an energetic, precise, and refined portrayal of cool-climate Canadian Chardonnay. The bouquet opens with a soaring display of crisp green apples, Meyer lemon curd, and white peach, seamlessly layered with subtle underlays of toasted hazelnuts, white flowers, lemon thyme, a touch of pastry crust, and a distinct line of crushed stone minerality. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, sleek, and athletic, showcasing a vibrant core of crunchy orchard fruit, citrus peel, and juicy nectarine. It is characterized by its outstanding inner energy and an incisive, mouthwatering backbone of natural acidity that effortlessly elevates its mid-palate texture. The mouthfeel is broad, weightless, and linear, framed by gentle oak integration and fine-lees stirring (bâtonnage), carrying into a long, dry, and mineral-driven finish accented by persistent notes of citrus zest, toasted almond, and sea salt.