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Wine Guide > Chardonnay

Chardonnay

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Chardonnay is a versatile grape. In cold regions such as Chablis, it shows crisp acidity and flavours of green hay with the flinty notes typical of the terroir - the wine even has a green tinge. Just 100 miles south, in the CÃ´te de Beaune, the white Burgundies are much riper and richer, reflecting warmer conditions and the increasing use of oak.

Chardonnay wines taste very different when the vines are grown in hot climates such as those in the plains of California and Australia. The conditions ensure ripe grapes, which lead to high levels of alcohol in the wine, and rich flavours of peach, melon, citrus and tropical fruits. In the 1980â€™s and 1990â€™s many New World winemakers responded to these bold flavours with equally bold use of oak, ageing the wine for long periods in new oak barrels. The cheap way to add oakiness would be the addition of staves or wood chips to wine in stainless steel containers. The intention was to impart complexity to the wines by introducing desirable aromas of vanilla, caramel, and butteriness. Too often the result tasted like chewing on a piece of wood, and this led to something of a consumer backlash against heavy, oaky Chardonnays. Winemakers in Australia and New Zealand reacted with completely unoaked Chardonnays from cooler climates, whereas in the United States there was more emphasis on controlling the oaking process. Thus they experimented with oak from different sources (French, American, Central European oaks all have different effects on wine), with different treatments (for instance toasting the barrels imparts smokiness and toast flavours) and reduced the oak influence by using bigger barrels (which have less oak per volume of wine), oaking only some of the wine in the blend, or using a mix of harsh new oak and older barrels.

More information on Chardonnay

Food Pairing: Pairs well with any poultry and Vietnamese cuisine. Wonderful with fruits, strong cheeses and capers. Also works beautifully with grilled freshwater fish. On a hot day, a very cold chardonnay served with a plate of figs, balsamic vinegar, and a salty hard

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Raymond Burr Vineyards

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2005 Chardonnay
Dry Creek Valley

With hints of pineapple and citrus, this straw honey Chardonnay is a delightful mix of bright focused fruit and creamy, slightly oaked vanilla. It was aged on the lees and is 100% ...morebarrel fermented. Only 712 cases were produced.

^$28.00

Raymond Burr Vineyards

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2006 Chardonnay
Dry Creek Valley

Medium-light golden yellow in color. Attractive citrus and baked apple aroma with a note of toasted oak; crisp, rich green apple, full body with a creamy mouth feel. Well balanced, ...more crisp finish and a pleasant lingering aftertaste.Great food wine. Phyliss Zouzounis (100% barrel fermented, 100% melolactic fermentation)

^$28.00

Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards

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2004 Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

2004 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay
2004 was a unique growing season in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Some of the warmest weather we have ever experienced in September rapidly ...moreaccelerated ripening in most, if not all, of our vineyards. The resulting wines are very laden with fruit and concentration. Yields were below average, resulting in high acidity and sugar at harvest. Our â€™04 SCM Chardonnay is sourced from various individually fermented lots, primarily from the Fogarty Estate vineyards; some Camel Hill Chardonnay was added to fill out the blend prior to bottling. The various lots Chardonnay was whole-cluster pressed and fermented and aged in 15% new French Oak. The lees were stirred once a week for the fourteen months the wine spent in oak. 50% of the wine had its malo-lactic fermentation blocked to preserve freshness and acidity. The wine was racked to tank with its gross lees for an additional month of tank age prior to being bottled.

This blend is intended for immediate consumption; it is absolutely loaded with tropical fruit, lemon oil and brioche and represents one of the more lush SCM Chardonnays we have ever produced.

^$28.00

Manzoni Family Estate Vineyard

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2005 Chardonnay
Santa Lucia Highlands

Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands is always loaded with incredible fruit intensity and firm acidity. Tropical aromas of banana and mango are readily evident while there is ...morea hint of caramel from French oak aging. This wine is fashioned in an approachable style that pairs well with lighter foods, especially chicken and white fish.

^$28.00

Laguna Canyon Winery

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2005 Chardonnay
Los Carneros - Sonoma

Fermented in old French oak barrels using gentle yeast, this elegant wine has a soft silky texture with great fruity aroma. The green apple laced with vanilla undertones and comple ...morex citrus sensations linger on the palate. Enjoy this wine seafood or goat cheese.

^$28.00

Consentino Winery

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2004 Chardonnay
Napa Valley

Gold Medal - West Coast Wine Competition

Citrus and green apple flavors come to the front with mineral and subtle oak notes. This medium full-bodied wine is rich an ...mored yet very firm in texture. Excellent aging potential.

^$28.00

Nichols Winery & Cellars

CAW Rating: 90

100

1 reviews

2002 Chardonnay, Paragon Vineyard
San Luis Obispo County

Gold Medal- Los Angeles County Fair
Bronze Medal- Orange County Fair Chardonnay, Paragon Vineyard is rich with layers of grapefruit, pear, apple and spice. It is a lighte ...morer style of Chardonnay then past years. Flavors are also wrapped with delightful mineral notes which are integrated with Almond, caramel, vanilla, banana, smoke, and toast. It is complex, rich, with an explosion of fruit that is extremely well balanced. It has well defined depth, silky texture, balanced acidity and a clean crisp finish.

^$28.00

Moshin Vineyards

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2006 Chardonnay

Include golden apples, pear and banana followed by a kiss of oak.

^$28.00

Keller Estate

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2005 La Cruz Vineyard Chardonnay
La Cruz Vineyard

Produced in the traditional Burgundian style: barrel fermented in 30% new French oak, with malolactic fermentation and extended sur-lee aging that creates a rich, creamy texture wi ...moreth vanilla, caramel and hazelnut flavors.

^$29.00

Chappellet Vineyards

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2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Napa Valley

Vivid and rich, our Chardonnay is produced from fruit grown in the southern reaches of Napa Valley. Here the cooling marine influence of the San Pablo Bay is famed for enhancing th ...moree abundant fruit flavors of this varietal. This wine's vibrant citrus notes and silky texture are beautifully balanced, with depth and richness achieved from sur lie ageing in French oak barrels and full malolactic fermentation.

An aromatic mÃ©lange of tangerine, pear and nutmeg greets the nose. Upon tasting, waves of rich pineapple and lemon are framed by a subtle layer of oak spice. The palate is round and lush, and the natural acidity of these cool-climate Chardonnay grapes gives the wine a refreshing finish.

^$29.00

Addamo Estate Vineyards

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2005 Reserve Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley

This beautifully balanced, medium-bodied wine is equally pleasurable from the porch to your dinner table. Its light straw color embodies very full flavors with notes of vanilla and ...more creme brulee which are backed by ripe tones of anjou pear and yellow apple.

^$29.00

Goosecross Cellars

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2005 Estate Chardonnay
Carneros

Our Chardonnay ripened slowly in the cool, Carneros fog, intensifying the fruit and lending it our signature crisp finish. Geoff fermented about 40% of the wine in barrels for full ...moreness and complexity, and the balance at low temperatures in stainless steel for purity of fruit. By bringing the two together he created one wine that's both opulent and lively. Bright and nicely focused. Abundantly fragrant with distinctive and intense fruit. Loaded with spicy pineapple, rich guava, creamy vanilla, and crisp citrus. The lingering signature finish is the mark of several months of aging sur lies.

^$29.00

Wiens Family Cellars

CAW Rating: 100

100

1 reviews

2006 Estate Chardonnay
Estate Vineward, Temecula

Creamy pear, apple, melon, and tropical overtones float elegantly on a silky, balanced crispness in our 2006 Estate Chardonnay. This intensely managed vintage from the vineyards su ...morerrounding our winery bestowed a very light crop, yielding the fullest flavors and exceptional richness.

^$29.00

Merryvale Vineyards

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2004 Merryvale Chardonnay Carneros Reserve
Carneros

This wine was carefully assembled from our best lots from the cool Carneros viticultural area both in Napa and Sonoma. It is mostly a combination of wines made from Dijon clones an ...mored flavorful and low-yielding Seeâ€™s selection vines. The flavor of the fruit is complemented by the toasty oak spice, richness and complexity of native yeast fermentation in new French oak barrels. Due to relatively warm, dry weather in early spring, budbreak started very early in 2004 and the first stages of vine growth went very quickly.

^$29.50

Mariposa Wine Company

CAW Rating: 95

100

1 reviews

2006 CRU Vigna Monte Nero Chardonnay
Santa Lucia Highlands

All of the grapes were gently crushed and barrel fermented; 30% of the barrels used were new, mostly French oak, with some American wood. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation ...more in the barrels, had extended lees contact with bi-monthly stirring. Golden hued with golden delicious and green apple aromas that are characteristic of this cool climate site. Focus lush fruit complemented and balanced by a toasty, nutty nuances from the dark toast French oak barrels. Apple, oak and butter flavors are fully integrated and harmonious on the palate, underscored by a rich, round, lingering finish.

^$29.99

Waugh Cellars

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2005 Russian River Chardonnay

This latest vintage follows the 2004, which received numerous high scores for its classic California Chardonnay styling, nice acidity and tropical fruit notes. As always, there was ...more no Malo-lactic fermentation and no new oak was used in the aging of the wine. The 2005 exhibits a pale lemon gold color and is defined by an explosion of ripe citrus and floral tones with an oily texture and dense weight that is balanced by incredibly structured acidity. With its incredibly long and silky finish, you will enjoy this bottle through its last drop.

^$30.00

Testarossa Vineyards

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2006 Castello Chardonnay
Central Coast

Pale straw color. Initial aromas of honey, lemon, orange blossom, fig, and banana jump readily out of the glass. Layers of citrus, honey, and crÃ¨me brulee flavor the palate, surro ...moreunded by lively acidity. The finish starts subtle, yet focused then begins itâ€™s ascent to a lengthy, multi-dimensional finish of fruit and spice. Drink now through 2013.

^$30.00

Melville Vineyards

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2006 Estate Chardonnay
Santa Rita Hills

With an electric green-gold hue this wine has an elusive and fresh aromatic array of saline, limes, lemon drops, lemon-lime margarita, green apple skin, white currants and white ap ...morericots. Even more alluring are the other aspects of chalk, saltwater taffy, angel food cake, gingerbread, seashell, Italian parsley and orange-flower blossom. In the mouth, the wine is ample and fleshy yet remains very chiseled, delineated and crisp.

^$30.00

De Loach Vineyards

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2006 Chardonnay OFS
Russian River Valley

Selected from Our Finest vineyards, this Chardonnay is a marriage of the best that the Russian River Valley has to offer. It highlights the grace and elegance of one of the most b ...morealanced growing seasons in years. The Norris Vineyard, in the Chalk Hill sub-appellation, lends floral notes brought on by its long, cool fermentation in stainless steel. The Ritchie and BCD Vineyards, from the heart of the Russian River Valley, bring richness and balance, while the fruit from the Reuling, Hawk Hill and Windmill Vineyards lend power, nerve and elegance.

The 2006 Selection has a bouquet that incorporates spicy aromatics along with floral, toasted and tropical notes. On the palate, the richness of the sur lie aged wine is joined by the raciness and expressiveness of the stainless steel portion to bring balance and length. A wine to be enjoyed today, tomorrow and for several years to come.

^$30.00

Pacific Ridge Vineyards

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2005 Pacific Ridge Vineyards Chardonnay
Santa Barbara County

It has been ten years since our first Chardonnay was produced from Bien Nacido. This harvest presented a bit of a challenge that actually resulted in more evenly developed fruit. ...more Cool temperatures kept acid levels high, so a longer hang time was required for the Ph to rise. The temperatures did allow a slow enough rise that although sugar levels rose, the fruit was balanced at harvest, with wonderful maturity of flavor. A higher than usual alcohol level resulted, which has very nicely matched with the accentuated structure and complexity of the fruit from this harvest.

Our chardonnay from the two vineyards was fermented separately and later blended to produce a wonderfully complex wine. A proportion of this blend was barrel fermented. The wine was handled with minimal processing to retain the most possible flavor and reflect the terroir of these premiere vineyards. It was not heat or cold stabilized so may be a bit delicate (donâ€™t refrigerate for long periods but store at proper white wine cellar temperature). No fining was done but a filtration was performed before bottling.

Aged in a mix of neutral and newer French oak

^$30.00

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2006 Chardonnay
Chiles Valley District

CAW Rating: 100

100

1 reviews

This wine is characterized by a crystal clear brilliant canary diamond color and an impressive nose of Key lime, tropical pineapple, honeysuckle, kiwi and Meyer lemon zest. It is bright, spare and lean with unmistakable chardonnay roundness. This is a refreshingly deep wine with a subtle creamy text ...

More Chardonnay Ratings

Combined Rating
100.0 1 reviews	2006 Estate Chardonnay Wiens Family Cellars
Flavor
5.0 1 reviews	2006 Estate Chardonnay Wiens Family Cellars
Impression
5.0 1 reviews	2006 Estate Chardonnay Wiens Family Cellars
Bouquet
5.0 1 reviews	2006 Estate Chardonnay Wiens Family Cellars

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