Township 7 champions Chardonnay

Photo: Winemaker Mary McDermott

Consumers appear to have gotten over the “anything but Chardonnay” phobia that began in the 1990s in apparent reaction to over-oaked Chardonnays. I have no independent market data to back up my assertion. I am basing it simply on the quality of Chardonnays being made by British Columbia wineries. No one would invest so much in viticulture and winemaking as most producers do if consumers were not buying the wines. Township 7 Vineyards & Winery is one of those producers that has made an effort to produce great Chardonnays. The case in point is the winery’s 2020 Reserve Chardonnay.

Mary McDermott, the winemaker, began by combining fruit from three vineyards – the estate vineyard just outside of Penticton and two south of Oliver, the winery’s Hidden Terrace Vineyard and the Becker Vineyard, which is farmed by Phantom Creek Estates. The point of combining fruit, Mary explains, was to achieve “layers of complexity” in the wine. After the fruit was crushed, the juice went into French oak barrels (15% new), where fermentation was done with indigenous yeast. The wine in the barrels was hand-stirred for eight weeks, increasing lees contact and adding flesh to the texture. “The battonage process, as well as the partial malolactic fermentation, softened any harsh acids [and produced] a rich and textured mouthfeel,” Mary writes. This is a lot of work for a wine that retails for $31.97 (and is available only the Township 7 wine club). The quality is on a par with the superb Chardonnays from CheckMate Artisanal Winery – which sell for three times as much. I wonder if Township 7’s club members realize how lucky they are.

Those who have not joined the club can sample Mary’s skill with Chardonnay by buying the winery’s Provenance Series Chardonnay 2019 at $22.97. It is available at either of Township 7’s wineries, at the winery’s online store and at select private wine stores. The two Chardonnays, which were released this spring, total about 1,000 cases. I bet both are sold out by this summer now that Chardonnay is back in fashion.

Here are notes on those wines and two other releases.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Gewürztraminer 2019 ($26.97 for 348 cases). A portion of the fruit for this wine was fermented spontaneously in neutral French oak barrels while another portion was fermented over four weeks at about 12◦C in stainless steel. The object is to craft a wine in the style of Alsace. This wine begins with aromas of honey mingled with orange peel, spice and lychee. On the palate, there are hints of ginger and orange. The finish is dry with a touch of bitterness. 89.

Township 7 Provenance Series Chardonnay 2019 ($22.97 for 598 cases). This wine was fermented 50% in French oak barriques and 50% in stainless steel. Only the former was allowed malolactic fermentation. The result is a crisp wine with bright acidity and just a hint of butteriness. The wine begins with aromas of apple and citrus which are echoed on the palate. 90.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Reserve Chardonnay 2020 ($31.97 for 326 cases). This is an exceptional Chardonnay from an exceptional vintage. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeast in French oak barrels (15% new). The wine was stirred on the lees in barrel for eight weeks and allowed partial malolactic fermentation. The texture is rich and creamy. The wine has aromas of butter, apple and ripe apricots. On the palate, stone fruit flavours mingle with guava, mango, pineapple and vanilla. The finish simply does not quit. 94.

Township 7 Provenance Merlot 2019 ($26.97 for 798 cases). This is a bold red, benefitting from two to three weeks of maceration on the skins. The wine was aged 18 months in American and French oak barrels. It begins with aromas of cassis, cherry and plum, all of which is echoed in the layers of fruit on the palate. Decanting brings out additional complexity. 91.