Four premium Chardonnays from Meyer Family Vineyards highlight the fabulous flavours from the 2022 vintage. The wines include fruit from the Naramata Bench and Okanagan Falls sub-GIs and cover the spectrum from bright and fruity to smooth and buttery.
Let’s start with Chris Carson’s comments on the 2022 growing season and vintage.
2022 Harvest and Vintage Notes
“The 2022 vintage was a classic Okanagan growing season with a typical Spring budburst in early May and beautiful weather into June. We had beautiful flowering weather from late June into July which resulted in good yields across the valley.
July and August were consistent with previous years although slightly cooler slowing the vines growth cycle. Leading up to harvest, the crop level was significantly higher compared to past vintages and needed more time to ripen. The weather was perfect for ripening with warm days and cool nights providing a lengthy hang time for our Pinot Noir blocks to develop flavours and physiological ripeness.
The white varieties were harvested later than normal but the fruit was able to develop a great balance of sugars to acid and superb flavours.”
Chris Carson
The Wines
Meyer Stevens Block Chardonnay 2022 ($27.04)
The estate-operated “Old Main Road Vineyard” is located on a terrace on the famed Naramata Bench sub-GI. One of four acres was planted in 2006 with French clones 4 and 5; has the steepest slope and is the coolest part of the Old Main Road site.
The soil comprises alluvial deposits making up a silt loam overlaying a clay loam. As the vines have matured this section of the vineyard has developed its own unique terroir and has justified its own designation. The “Steven’s Block” notation pays homage to owner Janice Stevens-Meyer and her family.
At the winery, the fruit was fed directly into the press with an ensuing long gentle whole cluster pressing employed. Only the finest, purest juice from the early stages of the pressing was used for this wine with the more astringent “hard press” kept separate. A long cool indigenous fermentation of 6 weeks occurred in a stainless-steel vessel. The wine was left on its fine lees for a further 10 months in older French oak barrels. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred.
Alcohol: 13.5%, pH: 3.49, TA: 6.9 g/L
Vibrant citrus aromas with bright floral notes. Medium-bodied and medium-plus acid with a smooth soft mouthfeel. Flavours of lemon curd, white peach, honey and a flavourful mineral backbone. 93 Points
Meyer McLean Creek Road Chardonnay 2022
The estate “McLean Creek Road Vineyard” was originally planted in 1994. The vineyard is within the Okanagan Falls sub-geographical indication (sub-Gi) which was designated in 2018 and recognized as being geologically unique in the production of wine grapes. It has a predominantly steep southerly aspect with the soil comprised of alluvial and glacial deposits making up a mix of gravel and sandy loams.
The Chardonnay is planted in two separate blocks, one on the far east side of the south-facing slope and the other on the west end of the slope. The variation of east and west leads to differences in flavour development and in turn more complexity in the finished wine. Although not certified organic, organic/sustainable farming principles are practiced.
The fruit was gently de-stemmed via gravity into small open-top fermenters and allowed to cold soak. After cold soaking, an indigenous yeast fermentation began lasting two weeks and peaking at 32 degrees Celsius, with gentle hand plunging of the must throughout. After a post-maceration period, the wine was transferred to 100% French oak barrels (25% new) where it remained for 11 months. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred in late spring. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.
Alcohol: 13.5%, pH: 3.69, TA: 6.5 g/L
A bright, fruit-forward wine that is lightly oaked producing an elegant cool-climate Chardonnay. Captivating aromas of citrus and honeysuckle. The wine has flavours of Key lime, green apple and mandarin orange with a lingering finish. 92 points
Meyer Old Main Road Chardonnay 2022 ($32.26)
The “Old Main Road Chardonnay” will continue to be produced in the same style from 26-year-old vines on the famed Naramata Bench.
At the winery, the fruit was fed directly into the press with an ensuing long gentle pressing employed. Only the finest, purest juice from the early stages of the pressing was used for this wine with the more astringent “hard press” kept separate.
A long cool fermentation began in stainless steel vessels where it remained for most of the ferment. The must was then transferred to 100% French oak (25% new) to complete fermentation. The wine was left “sur lie” for 11 months without battonage. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred in late spring. In keeping with our philosophy to maintain as much as possible a hands-off approach in the cellar to allow the true expression of the terroir this wine is unfined and coarsely filtered.
Alcohol 13.5% / pH:3.46 / TA:6.7 g/L
On the nose are citrus, pineapple, and butter. The buttery texture has flavours of pineapple, peach and vanilla. Fine oak integration and balance with a long finish make for a sophisticated chardonnay. 92 Points.
Meyer Anarchist Mountain Dekleva Chardonnay 2022 ($32.26)
Anthon (Tony) Dekleva planted these Chardonnay vines in 1985 which are mysterious unknown clones. The Anarchist Mountain Vineyard was previously the home of JAK’s sister Terry Meyer Stone and her partner Andrew Stone and is located in Osoyoos, BC. Tony Dekleva was a miner by trade, and he shook the whole valley when he blew a hole in the side of the mountain to create a cave that served as the reservoir for irrigation. This vineyard has the highest elevation in Osoyoos at 518 m and has a westerly aspect with silt soil over clay loam.
At the winery, the fruit was fed directly into the press with an ensuing long gentle pressing employed. Only the finest, purest juice from the early stages of the pressing was used.
A long cool fermentation began in stainless steel vessels employing indigenous yeast, where it remained for most of the ferment. The must was then transferred to 100% French oak (33% new) to complete fermentation. The wine was left “sur lees” for 11 months without battonage. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred in late spring. The wine is unfined and coarsely filtered.
Alcohol: 13.5%, pH: 3.54, TA: 6.4 g/L
A vibrant aromatic nose with Meyer lemon, honeysuckle and caramel. A well-rounded mouthfeel with flavours of pear, white peach and mandarin orange with a hint of minerality. The finish is smooth and long. 92 Points
Here is the link to buy these elegant BC Chardonnays – Meyer Family Vineyards website