Put a lil Canada in your glass! Deep golden straw in the glass, a nose rather closed-in but many slight elemnts peeking out. Decanting a Chard is not common around here, but these wines are typically not shy. And–as usual–drinking it quite *warm*, around 65: probably 20 degrees above what most would. Generous toasty, buttery nuances gradually evolve, along with black tea and herbs de Provence down pear and apricot paths. Despite the color, it doesn’t feel all *that* aged, though at 6, plenty of golden Chard tertiary notes are evolving.

Tasting it definitely tells a 6-YO story, though not excessively so. It’s at a nice place: the dustiness is accentuated with polished ripeness and acid working its way down perfectly into the oak and butter. A chalky middle back-hands the fruit, again: more shy pear-sauce and apple-butter laying claim to a core revolving around sharp apricot and supple nectarine. The oaky elements are festering nicely: it’s got a fat chunk of barrel in it, reflecting pretty much the norm for west-coast, new-world versions of this variety. Supple and sexy, tangy and bright, it’s fairly amazing, un-over-wrought stuff. Big wine, but not *too* big, although oak carries the finish LONG after the last swallow.

2016 URSA MAJOR Chardonnay Okanagan Valley BC 13.5

https://ursamajorwinery.com/