Culmina Dilemma Chardonnay 2022 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 92/100

Culmina Dilemma Chardonnay is a refined, cellar-worthy white from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, crafted in a precise, Burgundian-inspired style that lets the vineyard speak clearly through every sip. It is full-bodied and dry, with a beautifully composed nose of baked pear, warm brioche, crushed gravel, and a subtle thread of white flower that gives way to a fresh, focused palate with a lingering stony minerality at its core. The texture is rich yet disciplined, with well-integrated oak and a clean, linear finish that speaks to the cool-climate precision of the Okanagan's benchmark bench vineyards. Serve it at slightly below room temperature and cellar through 2030, as this wine has both the fruit concentration and structural backbone to reward patience. The Culmina Family Estate was founded by Donald and Elaine Triggs, who together built Vincor into Canada's largest wine company before turning their attention to crafting small-lot, terroir-focused wines in the South Okanagan, making Culmina one of British Columbia's most compelling prestige producers. Current winemaker Pascal Madevon, who trained in Bordeaux, brings a distinctly classical European sensibility to this bottling. Pair it with a slow-roasted duck confit alongside crispy baby potatoes and wilted greens, where the wine's rich texture and mineral drive will stand up beautifully to the dish's depth, or serve it with a golden caramelized onion tart topped with gruyere and fresh thyme for an elegant and deeply satisfying pairing.

Chardonnay food pairings: roast turkey, duck confit and small roasted potatoes, onion tarte.

Terrific Turkey Wine

This Culmina Dilemma Chardonnay 2022 was reviewed on April 11, 2026 by Natalie MacLean

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Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.

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