Chardonnay shift

Wine producers have moved toward a fresher, more complex style of the popular white

by Ben Sigurdson, Winnipeg Free Press

A few days ago the Decanter World Wine Awards, one of the globe’s biggest and most prestigious, announced the winners of its 2021 competition. More than 18,000 wines from 56 countries were entered in the competition, with some of the wine industry’s smartest brains and best palates judging. (I guess my invite got lost in the mail.)

Of those 18,000-plus wines, only 50 received Best in Show awards, the competition’s highest honour. Among the 50, just one Canadian wine (not available in Manitoba, sadly) nabbed the elusive honour — the Hidden Bench 2018 Felseck Vineyard Chardonnay, which scored an impressive 97 points out of 100. It was one of just a handful of Chardonnays — most of which came from cooler-climate regions of the world — to earn top honours. 

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