Meyer Family Vineyards launched a year ago with a pair of well-acclaimed 2006 Chardonnay wines (totalling about 650 cases) from its small vineyard on the Naramata Bench. These wines are even better than the debut release. They rank among the very best Okanagan Chardonnays and are the match of Chardonnays from anywhere.

The Micro Cuvée Chardonnay has been given what the winery likes to call “the full luxury treatment.” That includes whole cluster pressing, barrel fermentation, and eight months of lees stirring to give the wine a rich texture. Malolactic fermentation was not allowed, preserving the brilliantly focussed fruit flavours (a touch of lime) and the crisp finish. Since the Tribute Chardonnay gets much the same treatment, the Micro Cuvée represents the very best barrels, the most complex and concentrated wine of the vintage.

The Tribute Chardonnay is crisp and refreshing, with citrus aromas and flavours, with a kiss of oak, a satisfying weight and an overall elegance. By preserving the natural acidity, the winemaker has produced a wine that is vibrantly alive.

It is called Tribute because the winery dedicates one of its wines each year to a distinguished artist. The 2007 vintage is a tribute to the late Bill Reid.