I have been on a bit of a white wine kick lately, and even though it’s cold outside (below -30º C last night) a nicely chilled bottle can be a great treat in front of the fireplace. Obviously, the 2007 Burrowing Owl Chardonnay is just that kind of bottle. Chardonnay has had its share of detractors in recent years, due mostly to the overabundance of cheap, semi-sweet, over-oaked examples offered by pretty much every budget winery.
A proper Chardonnay should be dry, and can have varying amounts of oak, depending on the style. Regardless of style, if the grapes are good and the winemaker knows what he (or she) is doing, the results are always delicious. The French refer to Chardonnay as the “King of Grapes” for good reason.
The 2007 Burrowing Owl Chardonnay has an warm nose, with hints of pear and apple along with a faint sense of sweetness. The traditional oak is there as well, but is soft and inviting. In the mouth, the feel is delicate and buttery with a nice toasty edge from the oak. The apple and pear are still present but now with a hint of caramelization. There is also the faint hint of mineral, which nicely rounds out the flavours. It finishes dry and perhaps just a little short.
This is definitely a great stair-step wine for all those non-Chardonnay drinkers out there. The oak is not overpowering and the flavours are light and approachable for a full-bodied white. As with most oaked Chardonnays it is adaptable and great with everything from cheeses to red meats.
I do, however, have one issue with this wine – the cork, or rather the plastic imitation cork. There is nothing I hate more than a plastic “cork” in a good bottle of wine. It’s like going to a great sushi restaurant, ordering some very expensive red tuna sashimi and when the plate arrives it comes with a plastic fork. It just looks and feels wrong. I understand that natural cork has a reasonably high fail rate, with up to one in twelve bottles receiving a “bad” or ill-fitting cork. Over time I have become okay with the new screw-tops (especially for wines that are meant to be consumed young), but I don’t think I will ever be good with the plastic “cork”. That being said, if the choice of cork is my only real criticism of this wine then that is pretty minor indeed.
Synopsis:
Availability: Limited (2008 is the current vintage)
Price: High ~$40
D’s Rating: 4/5
Notes: A good wine to introduce new drinkers to Chardonnay while still having strong appeal for fans.
dustonthebottle 