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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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2005 Chasseur Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

Very reliant on winemaking complexities for its extraordinary sense of range, this deeply fruity effort has a full-bodied, mouthfilling feel on the palate yet is so impeccably bal- ...more anced that it also matches the long-aging potential of Chasseur's Lorenzo bottling without giving up any of the ready, come-hither approach that is the hallmark of the Twin Hill edition. In short, this one comes as close to capturing the best that California has to offer in Chardonnay.

^$48.00

Chasseur Wines

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2005 Chasseur Twin Hills Ranch Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

This wine is densely packed and very youthful to the nose, but gradually expansive; unveiling as it airs, scents of citron, white peach, green apple, flint, vanilla butter cream an ...mored nutmeg in a bold and concentrated display. That impression of coiled strength is reprised on the palate, as citron, peach, apple and mineral notes carve a path through its plush blanket of vanilla cream custard and nutmeg. The finish is long and quietly penetrating, continuing the sense of suppressed drama.

^$48.00

Calera Wine Company

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1995 Chardonnay
Mt. Harlan

Wine Spectator reviewed this wine in 1998 as follows: "Smooth, ripe, rich and concentrated, with a focused core of spicy pear, hazelnut, fig, melon and light toasty oak. Complex an ...mored inviting, finishing with a spicy flavor and fine length. 90 points." Laurie Daniel, writing just two months ago (Sept. 7, 2005) in the San Jose Mercury-News, wrote: "They also poured a 1995 Mt. Harlan Chardonnay to let me see how the wine ages. It was rich, fleshy and still vibrant."

^$49.00

Stagâ€™s Leap Wine Cellars

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2005 Arcadia Vineyard Estate Chardonnay
Napa Valley

The 2005 ARCADIA VINEYARD Chardonnay opens with a gorgeous bouquet of orange blossoms, lemon grass, and wildflower honey. This inviting perfume is enriched with flavors of spiced a ...morepples and pears laced around a flinty core. The wine has a bright, juicy entry with expanding roundness on the mid-palate, finishing with a dancing lightness and lingering sensations of citrus and vanilla spice. Itâ€™s an excellent companion to herb-crusted salmon on a bed of mesclun, chicken saltimbocca with lemon sauce, or as an aperitif with Epoisse, the traditional Burgundian cowâ€™s milk cheese.

^$50.00

Sonoma Coast Vineyards

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2005 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

Chardonnay has, for me, always been about its food pairing qualities and our
2005 is a strong statement in that regard. This wine displays refreshing acidity
combined ...more in great proportion with full extraction and richness that is complete on
the palate. The taste profile is evolving a crÃ¨me brÃ»lÃ©e richness in the framework
of a silky acid matrix. Fresh pear, mango and zesty lemon set the tone for fruit.
The aging potential for this wine is outstanding as all the elements of balance and
structure are in harmony.

^$50.00

Landmark Vineyards

CAW Rating: 97

100

2 reviews

2005 Lorenzo Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

The 2005 Lorenzo Chardonnay continues to express the distinctive minerality of this 30+ year old Russian River Valley vineyard. The tight acid leads to exquisitely focused lemon r ...moreind, tangerine and nutty flavors, integrated with sweet, toasty, smoky oak. The 2005 Lorenzo is a wine that will age gracefully and promises to develop more complex aromatics with time.

^$50.00

Cakebread Cellars

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2006 Chardonnay Reserve
Carneros Napa Valley

We night-harvested 100% of our Carneros Chardonnay grapes and whole-cluster-pressed the fruit to obtain the freshest, purest juice possible. After cold-settling the must in tank f ...moreor 36 hours, 75% of the juice was inoculated with cultured yeast strains that enhance the rich fruit character of Chardonnay, while 25% fermented with native yeast strains fostering greater complexity and a pleasing minerality. All the juice fermented in French oak barrels, 35% new, with 14% undergoing a secondary, malolactic fermentation to engender a silky, creamy texture. Aging the wine in barrel on its primary yeast lees for 15 months, with plentiful stirring and no racking, further magnified its textural and flavor richness. After racking off the lees, the wine was bottled in January, 2008

^$55.00

Blackjack Ranch Winery

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2005 Chardonnay â€œBlack Cap Reserveâ€

Probably the single greatest chardonnay we have ever produced. This comes from the very, very special block immediately in front of the winery/tasting room. Clone 76 (Dijon) fruit ...moreoffers unbelievable concentration and complexity.

^$55.00

Testarossa Vineyards

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2005 Diana's Reserve Chardonnay
California

Our Diana's Reserve, named for our cofounder Straw color. Aromas of lemon meringue, honey, anise and banana-orange. The palate starts out smooth and silky while developing structur ...moree and complexity throughout the long, supple finish. The fruit and spice carry in unison from beginning to end. This wine should drink well through 2012 - Bill Brosseau, Winemaker

^$55.00

Chasseur Wines

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2005 Chasseur Lorenzo Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

Bright, forthcoming and expressive of its distinctive fruit source, this tightly-packed, mineral-infused Chardonnay offers Corton-Charlemagne-like structure and balance coupled wit ...moreh a sense of ripeness and flash that is pointedly Californian. Aromas of apple skin, honeycomb, white peach and preserved lemon are firmed and darkened by strong undertones of gun-flint and toasted grain. In the mouth, it seems charged with fruit energy and is cuttingly crisp, as its compressed flavors of green apple, white peach, nutmeg and vanilla are again foiled by bright acidity and mineral firmness. The finish is ultra long, polished and sleek, with apple skin, white peach, Green Gage plum, bees wax, custard, lemon and flint joining with fine harmony. Terrific, yet it may improve for 5 years.

^$55.00

Chasseur Wines

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2005 Chasseur Durell Chardonnay
Sonoma

This concentrated and subtly complex young wine has intriguing mineral, acid and ripe fruit influences and is distinctly different from its siblings. Its array of preserved lemon, ...morepeach pit, bosc pear, bees wax, mineral and toast scents harmonize in a well-developed, but youthfully low-key mix which promises even greater distinction as the wine evolves. It is both rich and subtle in the mouth, but its future direction is evident, as layers of fruit and spice fan out at the end. Firm, but palate-coating, the finish lingers impressively, infused with a dark mineral/toasted oak combination that lurks below grander notes of apple skin, white peach, preserved lemon, peach pit, honeysuckle and dried fruit. Certain to improve for several years, it will be as distinctive as it delicious.

^$55.00

Fritz Winery

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2005 Russian River Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

A classic golden straw-colored Chardonnay, showing a full body with the elegance of a crisp finish influenced by the coastal fog the Russian River Valley. This wine features a beau ...moretiful balance of tropical fruits, mineral notes, oak and bright lively acidity.

This balance will offer fullness in the mouth, without being unctuous, and ends in a delicate lingering finish.

^$60.00

Grgich Hills Cellar

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2004 30th Anniversary Chardonnay
Napa Valley

Released in 2007, this limited-edition wine celebrates the 30th anniversary of our winery. For this special wine we hand selected our best lots, crafting a rich, intensely concentr ...moreated Chardonnay. A harmonious blend of Granny Smith apple, hazelnut, acacia flower and lychee nut aromas are supported by the wineâ€™s firm structure and creamy texture. This is a full-bodied Chardonnay with a lingering aftertaste that echoes in your mouth long after the wine is gone.

^$73.00

Chalk Hill Estate Winery

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2005 Founder's Block Chardonnay
Sonoma County

FIRST PLANTED IN 1974, our original Founderâ€™s Block of Chardonnay has bestowed us with incredibly low yields of correspondingly concentrated fruit. The 2005 Founderâ€™s Block Cha ...morerdonnay has effusive stone fruit aromas of apricot and fig that build on the floral, spice, and hazelnut. The wine unfolds with rich aromas of golden apple, honeysuckle, nutmeg and mineral flavorsâ€” all adding mouth-filling texture and holding aloft clean, citrus notes that weave through to the lingering finish.

^$90.00

Chalk Hill Estate Winery

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2002 Estate Vineyard Selection Chardonnay
Chalk Hill

The original Founderâ€™s Block, planted in 1974, offers incredibly low yields of extremely concentrated fruit. By careful barrel-by-barrel selection, only eighteen barrels of the r ...moreichest, most opulent wine were chosen for this premier blend. Effusive stone fruit aromas of apricot and fig build on the floral, spice, and hazelnut notes. The wine unfolds with rich layers of golden apple, honeysuckle, nutmeg and mineral flavorsâ€” all adding texture and holding aloft clean, citrus notes that weave through to the lingering finish. The structure and firm acid balance indicates cellar worthiness.

^$90.00

Keller Estate

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2004 Precioso Chardonnay
Keller Estate

The Precioso Chardonnay is an elegant marriage of mineral, pear and tangerine,with hints of oak. A bit shy on introduction, with time in the glass the apple and lemon notes awaken ...moreand present themselves. While rich and sensuous on the palate, the wine displays a youthful firmness and long finish. Enjoy its optimal beauty between 2007 and 2012. The fruit for this wine, from our oldest vineyard, was fermented and aged 15 months in a new Sequin Moreau â€œGrand Cruâ€ barrel. Twenty-four cases of magnums were bottled unfiltered and unfined.

^$150.00

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2005 Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

CAW Rating: 100

100

2 reviews

The wine produced from this vintage is from Chardonnay grapes grown exclusively in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This smooth refreching wine has an upfront applely-grassy start with a light oaky, buttery finish.

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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