Nothing better than an easy drinking patio wine that also pairs nicely with everything from spicy Thai to down home bbq fare. These are wines to share with friends that you know appreciate your good taste and quirky sense of humour. Wines for picnics and beach fires. Enjoy these wines at the beach, on the lake and almost anywhere that evokes good times.
This is what BC wine is famous for, fruit forward, crisp acidity that delights the mouth. The light citrus on the nose follows to the palate in a very pleasing way. Acidity keeps this wine super fresh and so drinkable.
Enjoy this wine on it’s own on the patio or floating on the lake. Either way you will find this wine refreshing with none of the “buttery” notes you may associate with Chardonnay.
This is not your mother’s Chardonnay.
The Charisma Chardonnay is crafted with new wine drinkers in mind and also suits
mature wine drinkers alike. It is pleasing and refreshing. Excellent value for the money.
2022 Charisma Un-Oaked Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
Made from fruit sourced from our high altitude Peachland vineyard, this wine is an electric, easy drinking, fruit forward, un-oaked Chardonnay. With classic cool-climate flavours of lemon peel, ripe pear and creamy flan. This wine is perfect to pair with creamy soft cheeses, cream-based pasta, fresh BC spot prawns or BC
halibut cheeks.
I wasn’t kidding when I said “not your mother’s chardonnay”. This Chard is playful and super fresh. It might just knock your socks off.
The wine stands alone if you’re looking for a wine with great acidity and pleasant minerality. Plenty of flavour without being overpowering.
Knowing that winemaker Val Tait likes to craft wines that appeal to a younger generation she keeps the alcohol content at 13% and brings the flavour quotient up.
This wine is not timid. It exhibits some serious citrus notes with a lingering palate.
So again, with young people in mind I decided to pair the Charisma Un-oaked Chardonnay with a vegetarian dish, one that you can throw together quickly and it’s super easy. You could make it a vegan dish by eliminating the cheese.
Zucchini Lasagna
Preheat oven to 375.
Zucchini, cut in half and sliced lengthwise
grape or cherry tomatoes
olive oil
a little wine
fresh mozzarella, sliced
parmesan
baguette
This is so simple it’s hardly even a recipe. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into strips about 1/4″ thick. Lay out the zucchini and salt generously, set aside.
Heat a skillet or fry pan to medium and add a generous pour of olive oil, once heated add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes burst, add salt and pepper and a few splashes of wine. I used a little of the Charisma un-oaked Chardonnay. If the tomatoes aren’t gooey just use the back of a wooden spoon to crush them a little more. Set aside the tomato mixture.
The zucchini should have given up some of it’s moisture by now. Dry it thoroughly with a paper towel.
Put a small amount of the tomato into the bottom of a glass casserole dish. Layer the zucchini, more tomato and fresh mozzarella slices. At least two layers of each.
Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes adding parmesan on top for the last five minutes.
Serve with toasted baguette.
This is super simple but it is also delicious and goes nicely with the Charisma Un-oaked Chardonnay. The wine works perfectly with the rich cheesiness of the dish.
It makes a great weeknight or lazy weekend meal.
Gold Hill Estate Winery is the featured winery on Wine Club Canada this month. Here is a link to Wine Club Canada if you want to check them out. Please note that this month you can use Valerie10 to receive a 10% discount on subscriptions.
This link gives you all the details about which Gold Hill wines are available to order from wineclub.ca
WineClub.ca is about so much more than just a wine subscription—it’s about the story, and the passion behind every bottle. Every month, My Wine Canada’s Wine Club.ca partners with a different Canadian winery and April’s featured winery is Gold Hill Estate Winery, often small-batch and family-run, to showcase what makes them special. They work directly with the winemakers to select the wines they’re most proud of, the ones that truly represent their craft and the heart of their vineyard. My Wine Canada wine experts help curate these selections, so you’re not just drinking great wine—you’re getting an intimate look into the stories, the people, and the places that make Canadian wine so unique.
Since Wine Club Canada’s Wine Club.ca works directly with the wineries, we’re able to offer these exceptional wines at an incredible value, delivered straight to your door. These are the kinds of wines you’d never find at your local store. With WineClub.ca, you’re not just buying wine—you’re exploring Canada’s wine country in a way that’s personal, effortless, and unforgettable.
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