The Da Silva family hail from Portugal where their family grew grapes from the 1700’s. The family immigrated to BC’s Naramata Bench in 1955 and purchased their first farm four years later. Close to 70 years later, their family pays homage to craft wines that reflect the terroir of their nine vineyards. I received two red wines and two white wines to review from the Da Silva family, which will also be shown at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2024. Today, I am tasting their Da Silva Vineyards and Winery Vinhedo Series Chardonnay 2022 and their Vinhedo Series Hidden Hollow Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023. The winery has three tiers of wines: Tradicional (entry-level), Vinhedo (mid-tier), and Legado (their flagship level).
My Wine Tasting Notes
Da Silva Vineyards and Winery Vinhedo Series Chardonnay 2022 (BC $33.99)
The grapes for this wine come from two different vineyards in Pentiction: Blenheim Hill Vineyard and Lazy Dog Vineyard. The grapes are crushed, stainless fermented, and then barrel-aged in new American oak barrels for 8 weeks on the lees. 286 cases were produced.
Nose: This wine has light aromas of peach and pineapple. Pine needles to start but it fades. A hint of vanilla and a touch of sweet spices with air. Mostly peach and pineapple aromas after decanting. No pine needle or vanilla scents.
Palate: Dry with a round, velvety, creamy, thicker mouthfeel. Lower acidity. Tropical fruit flavours, along with a light touch of oak and some herbaceousness. Tropical fruits, particularly pineapple, are more evident after decanting.
Finish: Medium to medium-plus length finishing with tropical fruit flavours, plus some bitterness and herbaceousness. Thick and smooth mouthfeel to the finish. No change to the finish after decanting.
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This Chardonnay has a bright medium-plus intensity mix of lemon and gold colour. Light aromas of peach and pineapple, and a touch of sweet spices with air. Dry with a round, velvety, creamy, thicker mouthfeel. Lower acidity. Tropical fruit flavours, along with a light touch of oak and some herbaceousness. Medium to medium-plus length.
Da Silva Vineyards and Winery Hidden Hollow Vineyard Vinhedo Series Chenin Blanc 2023 (BC $35.99)
Crushed, cold soaked then stainless steel fermented. 245 cases were produced.
Nose: Bright aromas of stone fruits, a touch of orange blossom and hints of apple and herbaceousness. Stronger apple aroma and no herbaceousness after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry and lean, with a light mouthfeel. Pronounced flavours of citrus, green fruits, minerality, and a touch of stone fruits. As you get toward the finish, the stone fruit flavour shows more peach character. Vibrant acidity. The wine bumps up to a medium mouthfeel and becomes rounder but is still lean after decanting. More stone fruit flavour, some floral, and fewer green fruits on the palate.
Finish: A medium to medium-plus length finishing with mouthwatering acidity. Tart citrus, peach and minerality on the finish. A touch of honey at the very end. A light mouthfeel to the finish. A rounder mouthfeel on the finish with decanting.
– This wine has a bright medium-intensity mix of lemon and straw colours. Bright stone fruit aromas, along with orange blossom and apples. A dry, lean wine with a light mouthfeel. A mix of citrus, stone fruits, and minerality. Vibrant acidity. Medium to medium-plus length.Where Can I Buy These Wines?
- Da Silva Vineyards and Winery Vinhedo Series Chardonnay 2022
- Da Silva Vineyards and Winery Hidden Hollow Vineyard Vinhedo Series Chenin Blanc 2023 (the website says 2023 vintage is now sold out, but 2024 will soon be released)
