After winning the Ontario Wine Award for best Chardonnay under $20 Derek Barnett has big bottles to fill (so to speak) to duplicate the feat – and he may have gone one better with his 2016: 10 months in French oak and 100% full malolactic might all sound familiar from the 2015 specs … plus nice buttery nuances from nose to palate, and good acidity on the finish, but it’s the mid-palate that has it cranked up a notch: green apple, sweet peach, plus gentle but persistent spice … it’s all there: texture, balance and a long finish. Might be even better than last year’s model.
Price: $20.00 – Rating: ****+