2011 Miguel Torres Milmanda

Warning: If you are an ABC (Anything-But-Chardonnay) wine drinker, this post is not for you. 

I have recently been seduced by this misunderstood grape and my wine bar has been filled with Chardonnay ever since. I recently attended the International Cool Chardonnay Festival where I was exposed to some of the world's most incredible cool climate Chardonnay. In honour of my newest love interest, I have decided to blog one of the bottles that left the longest lasting impression on my palate. 

Type: White

Vintage: 2011

Origin: Conca De Barbera, Spain

Producer: Vinicola Miguel Torres SA

Variety: Chardonnay

Size: 750 mL bottle 

Alcohol: 14%

Price: Approx. $45.00

My score: 9/10

I am a huge fan of Ontario Chardonnay, but the gem of my weekend at i4c was Miguel Torres' Milmanda Chardonnay from Spain. This wine had great weight, interesting mouth feel and a long-lasting finish. I had been tasting a lot of Chardonnay with green, crisp fruit aromas, but the complexity of this wine's bouquet is what really attracted me to the wine. I was picking up a lot of the characteristic citrus aromas, but I held onto notes of a syrupy nectarine and rich peach, which made the Chardonnay supple without being deprived of that reminiscent cool climate acid and slight minerality.

After listening to Miguel speak at the event, I was given the opportunity to learn a lot more about the Torres initiative to deliver quality wine, while also committing to sustainable winemaking practises. I suggest checking out the Torres website where you can learn more about these initiatives and this fantastic Chardonnay.