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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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Chasseur Wines

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2006 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

This wine offers a dense and sophisticated perfume, as focused white peach, citron and Fuji apple scents find a comfortable harmony with its almost equally expressive vanilla cream ...more wafer, nutmeg, bees wax and mineral notes. The wines concentration is even more obvious on the mid-palate, where the richness of texture is almost sinewy and the firm lemon-citrus notes cut in for balance. The finish is mouth-cleansing dry, yet the flavors shift toward a more gentle stance, as tarte tatin and toasted hazelnut join more prettified lemon and apple flavors at the end. Delicious now and decidedly food-friendly, it will evolve positively for another few years.

^$40.00

Chasseur Wines

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2005 Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

The rich, ripe notes of this wine are of honey and citrus characteristics.

^$40.00

Chasseur Wines

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2005 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

Nuances of nutmeg and cinnamon come through on the mid palate making this wine a perfect companion to chicken or pork.

^$40.00

Selby Winery

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2006 Dave Selby Reserve Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

Soft flavors of apricot and pear expand to a honeyed, rich flavor with broad mouth-feel and hints of spicy oak. Enjoy this wine with richer foods like lobster bisque, crab cakes, o ...morer creamy pasta dishes of any kind. This lushness on the pallet pairs beautifully with French food.

^$40.00

Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery

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2009 Jenkins Vineyard Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

The fruit for this wine was grown in our home vineyard, resting at 1,400 feet in the foothills of California's Santa Cruz Mountains above Los Gatos. Planted in 1999, this sloping ...moreone-acre vineyard produced just less than three and a half tons of fruit for the 2009 harvest. The grapes were hand harvested early in the morning and transported directly to the winery. They were then immediately whole cluster pressed and fermented and aged in French oak barrels.

"The 2009 Jenkins Vineyard Chardonnay opens up with rich, ripe tropical fruits. These aromas are enhanced by those of nectar-filled apple blossoms, melon, pineapple and vanilla. On the palate you'll discover an abundance of pear, green apple and vanilly with undertones of sweet oak, cedar and cinnamon. Although this Chardonnay boasts rich creaminess, it has a succulent and vibrant finish showcasing its minerality and lemon curd flavors."--GJ

^$40.00

Tolosa Winery

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2004 Tolosa 1772 Chardonnay
Edna Valley

We prefer to serve this â€œ1772â€ Chardonnay at cool room temperature, ~60-65F or so, in an oversized glass that will frame the aromas of lemon curd, marmalade, and cardamom pod. ...moreWe like the sense of balance between all the elements in this wine; it displays both a honeyed sweetness and herbal notes; structured acidity with a rich smoothness; and an interplay between the apricot / white peach and subtle, harmonious French oak. It would be fantastic with wilted bitter greens, tossed with a sprinkling of sea salt and olive oil.

^$42.00

Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate

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2005 Upper Barn Chardonnay
Upper Barn/ Alexander Mountain Estate

From a single Vineyard at 1800 feet in elevation. Only 305 cases produced.

92 Points - "2005 CHARDONNAY UPPER BARN ALEXANDER VALLEY A vineyar ...mored made famous by Helen Turley in the 1990s, exhibits more brioche, white peach, apricot, and poached pear characteristics along with good underlying acidity (typical of the Chardonnay vintage). Drink it over the next 4-5 years." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, December 2006

^$42.00

Roessler Cellars

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2005 Clos Pepe Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay

The 2005 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay from the slopes of Laytonville in Mendocino County exemplifies of the high quality of wines produced from this cool-climate site. Classic ...more chardonnay fruit, lemon zest, and cut grass build to almost Viognier-like aromatics of apricot and floral notes on the nose, along with vanilla and toasted oak. The nose is reflected in the palate with a creamy, almost viscous mouthfeel enlivened by balanced acidity. The oak and fruit work well together, and the citrus and stone fruit notes are joined by crisp pear and minerality through the finish.

^$42.00

Chalk Hill Estate Winery

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1999 Chardonnay
Chalk Hill

A classic Indian Summer at Chalk Hill brought our Chardonnay to full ripeness in late September, and picking conditions remained ideal through October. Each vineyard component was ...morevinified lot-by-lot and barrel-by-barrel until composed in a final blend in the summer of 2000. This Chardonnay features the mineral, citrus, floral and tropical fruit notes characteristic of the estate while also displaying the rich, creamy textures, the elegance, and the fabulous length and structure of the best Burgundies.

^$42.00

Ledson Winery & Vineyards

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2005 Russian River Chardonnay Reserve
Russian River Valley

This Chardonnay is an assemblage of four different clones grown from vineyards along the Russian River. What emerges is a wine generous and complex with upfront flavors of apple, p ...moreeach, pear and melon. Additional aging for this Reserve wine leads to a creamy and buttery texture that lingers throughout the long, toasted vanilla finish. This would pair beautifully with grilled chicken or fish dishes.

^$44.00

Testarossa Vineyards

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2005 Rosella's Vineyard Chardonnay
Santa Lucia Highlands

Bright straw color with aromas of honey, peach, mango, lemon and fig jump readily out of the glass. Upon taste, the crisp acidity is balanced by richness and weight. Flavors of crÃ ...more¨me brulee and hazelnut linger through the finish. Drink now through 2011. - Bill Brosseau, Winemaker

^$44.00

Chateau Potelle

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2005 Chardonnay VGS
Mount Veeder

2005 vintage is very consistent from our previous vintages with one slight difference: it has a stronger acidity backbone, which is going to ensure very long aging for this wine. ...more

Entirely fermented with its own natural yeasts, the wine is unfined and unfiltered. That painstaking winemaking method protects the terroir and its delicate nuances making Chateau Potelle Chardonnay VGS unique and different and a favorite for many restauraneurs and wine lovers.

^$45.00

Fritz Winery

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2005 Russian River Reserve Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

GOLD MEDAL WINNER
SONOMA COUNTY HARVEST FAIR

To create this wine I carefully selected 20 barrels out of 200. My target criterion was ...moreelegant opulence. The nose of this wine is very rich in creamy qualities however; the distinct lemon/apricot/ mineral qualities keep it light and elegant. The elegance is further enhanced with a tasteful accent of French oak. Again, not too much.

On the palate, the same character shows with fullness but the Russian River acid helps keep it in balance and gives it a long lingering elegant finish.

^$45.00

Merryvale Vineyards

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2003 Merryvale Chardonnay Silhouette
Napa Valley

This wine was selected barrel by barrel from our finest NapaValley Chardonnay lots. All of the lots were from the cool end of NapaValley, either in the windy Carneros or just north ...more of the city limits of Napa. The vineyards are mostly planted with Dijon clones which produce low yields and concentrated, intensely flavored fruit. Each lot was fermented in predominantly new French oak barrels from our favorite coopers. All of the wine was uninoculated and fermented with native yeast, a method that accentuates the richness of the wineâ€™s mouthfeel. The wine is dense, rich and complex, with a long smoky, toasty oak finish.

^$45.00

Nicholson Ranch Winery

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With a very small berry year and intense concentration in the raw material, the wines seemed to lack the need for barrel impact. Most of the new wood went into our estate Chardonna ...morey after 10 months barrel aging. The absolute best new barrels of clones 96, 76 and hillside 4 went into a small stainless tank at this time to complete their aging process in the absence of oak and for clarification. Because the oak program is diminished in this wine, most of the structure comes from natural tannin and a bit of shriveling that occurred during the very hot end of August in 2004. The creaminess that opens the wine came predominantly from one use barrels that had just enough impact left to richen the wine without drying it out. The Dijon clones add the mineral/citrus notes that distinguish Natalie from the estate bottling while the clone 4 adds pure fatness in the way of tropical fruit and vanilla extract.

^$45.00

Nicholson Ranch Winery

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2003 SONA Late-Harvest Chardonnay
Sonoma Valley

The only â€œsweetâ€ wine this winery has ever produced. In homage to our owner, Deepakâ€™s, heritage this golden liquid was dubbed SONA (meaning gold in Hindi). This wine offers r ...moreich texture to the palate with subtle hints of oak, butterscotch, citrus and dried apricots. On the finish, the taster is greeted with sweet honey and vanilla characteristics.

^$45.00

De Loach Vineyards

CAW Rating: 94

100

1 reviews

2006 Golden Coast Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

This full-bodied Chardonnay draws its structure and spice from grapes grown on carefully selected hillside vineyards in the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast appellations. ...more

The cool Sonoma Coast microclimate contributes a spicy bouquet of citrus and ripe pear. This Chardonnay is highlighted by elegant buttery textures and flavors of golden delicious apples and marzipan almond past with lively mouthwatering flavors, crisp acidity and distinctive balance.

This wine is showing well now and will continue to gain complexity for 1-2 years. Try it as an elegant aperitif paired with hors d'oeuvres, or with almond-crusted chicken with arugula.

^$45.00

Dutton Goldfield

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2005 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay
Rued Vineyard, Green Valley-Russian River Valley

In 2005, Mother Nature gave Russian River the kind of year we always hope for, but don't often get. We had early budbreak, then great vine growth from late spring rains; perfect fl ...moreowering conditions for the chards, followed by a cool summer and moderate, dry late harvest weather. Consequently, the fruit ripened slowly and evenly; retaining its acid while building flavor and concentration. We were rewarded with a Rued offering of particular density, balance and longevity, even for this vineyard. It draws one in with aromas of pear, lychee, lilac, ginger and toffee. In the mouth it continues the orgy of opulence, but balanced with moderate alcohol and bright acidity which enables the fresh spiced pear and tropical fruit to shine through to the finish. Clearly this is a special vintage of a special wine for us. Dan loves nothing more than great aged chardonnays, and this one should certainly fit that bill in 5 to 15 years. In the meantime, it will show wonderfully now with almost any lobster or crab dish, or a roasted game bird. 564 cases. 95 points, Wine Enthusiast.

^$45.00

Ledson Winery & Vineyards

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2004 Chardonnay, Carneros Reserve
Carneros Region

Aromas of apples and peaches lead into a smoky, vanilla finish. Two different fermentation processes lend complexity and richness to this wine. The wild yeast fermentation brings f ...moreorth subtle fruit nuances while the prise de mousse fermentation highlights the bolder citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit.

^$48.00

Brown Estate Vineyards

CAW Rating: 100

100

1 reviews

2006 Chardonnay
Chiles Valley District

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 b ...moreright, spare and lean with unmistakable chardonnay roundness. This is a refreshingly deep wine with a subtle creamy texture and the slightest hint of toasted brioche on the lengthy finish. Its firm acidity persists through layers of classic fruit, balancing the richness of its distinct chardonnay quality and reflecting the minerality of the hillside vineyard source. Non-malolactic fermentation, bright acidity, and westerly hillside exposure result in a uniquely lean, deep chardonnay. Drink now through 2020.

^$48.00

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2004 Carneros Chardonnay
Ã–dmann Vineyard

CAW Rating: 100

100

1 reviews

Fresh sweet apple, honey rich mouthfeel

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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