National Wine Awards of Canada

Average final score from judges at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada. Tasted blind June 2023.

Rhys Pender, MW

Lemon, sherbet, lees and vanilla on the nose with the palate crisp, balanced and showing complex flavours of nuts and...

Michael Godel

Advancing a bit but holding the fort with grip in this stylish and creamy example of chardonnay. Still luxe and...

David Lawrason

This offers good complexity, richness and depth for $20. There are full barrel works with nutty, spicy, vanillin...

Sara d'Amato

A milky chardonnay, with flavours of pineapple, apple, pine nut and honeycomb. Oak makes its presence known on the...

John Szabo, MS

Ripe, buttery and oaky in the late 20th century style, maturing now, with marked coconut-vanilla-oak influence. I'd...

Barry McLarnon

It's a mystery to me how this wine garnered a gold medal and other plaudits from the critics. I like a "kiss of oak" in chardonnay, but the oak in this one is far too dominant. It's a pity heavy-handed winemaking has not allowed the fruit to shine through in this warm vintage. It seems that considerable new oak was used, and I also believe it's seldom a good idea to use American oak in aging a white. It's not a sipper, and it's also difficult to find a suitable food match. Tasted November 2023.

Colio Reserve Chardonnay 2020