Kin Vineyards Civil Grit Chardonnay 2019

Paula Bernardino rated this wine as 95/100 with the following review:

What a fantastic Chardonnay! I really enormously enjoyed it! From KIN Vineyards in the Ottawa Valley, their Civil Grit is a unoaked Chardonnay crafted in stainless steel barrels. Nice pale yellow colour and aromas and flavours of apples and pears with a great minerality. I paired it with a chickpea salad with cod fish. Fun and creative label. 13% alcohol. VQA wine. Available at the LCBO (LCBO VINTAGES#: 17199) at $20.95.

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

I've never seen a Chardonnay this pale. It was almost clear in the glass. On the nose it gives a glorious blend of lemon, ripe peach, honey, acacia, and apricot. These aromas translate well into the palate in a medium-bodied ripe peach, lemon, nectarine, and apricot, with a pear drop note.

Made up dry (5 g/l) using grapes from Niagara-on-the-Lake, the wine was aged 9 months on the lees, and periodically subject to battonage. That's where the dead yeast cells, grape seeds, and solids are periodically stirred back into the wine from the stainless steel tank bottom, to enrich the flavours as the wine ages.

This wine is not described as nor certified Vegan, but from Kin's product notes for the 2018 vintage, it appears that it is because the fining was done using clay (Bentonite). (The winery confirmed the way it was made was the same as the 2018 vintage.)

Its medium plus acidity ends with a medium finish. It's a well-rounded, well-balanced, refreshing Chardonnay with character. At 13% a.b.v., it's not a bad sipper.

Pairs easily with seafood and shellfish.

Civil Grit Charonnay is a delicious local wine buy, with VQA grapes certified grown in Ontario.