The Facts Whether you like it or not (and since it's fashionable these days to be Anti-Chardonnay you probably don't) Chardonnay is California's most popular and consistently good wine, as well as the most widely planted grape. Not only does it taste great the day you buy it, but some can even improve with another six months to a year in the bottle. Extra time allows the flavors to blossom and develop complexity, the textures soften and the mouth feel can turn creamier. Another Chardonnay benefit - diversity. Chardonnay can grow in cooler coastal regions as well as in warmer inland valleys. It can be handcrafted in tiny quantities to reflect a specific site, it can be made in a crisp, high acid, non-malolactic style or it can be made to resemble a top flight white Burgundy - complete with barrel fermentation and full blown malolactitc fermentation, with some sur lie aging thrown in as well. Or, it can be made with elements of all of these styles. Best of all, it can be made in massive quantity without compromising quality. Despite all of Chardonnay's benefits, there is also reason to be cautious. Many big name, big brand Chardonnay's are also out there - in many cases polluting the shelves. The problem stems from the grape's immediate popularity. As soon as the varietal caught on, anybody and everybody began to plant it wherever they could find room. Believe it or not, quality was not always a priority. As a result, lots of blah Chardonnay began hitting the shelves making it difficult to tell one from the next. The key to finding quality Chardonnay, in my opinion, is finding a quality producer that makes their Chardonnay with pride and also from a specific place (such as Sonoma County, Santa Barbara or Monterey versus the generic California appellation). And believe it or not, you can find quality without breaking the bank. Last year I went to the trouble to taste more than 50 Chardonnays and can happily say that I found several at reasonable prices that offer all the elements of a tasty wine - good fruit, proper balance, delicious flavors and a nice little finish that leaves you wanting more. Tasting Notes - hey, give me a break! I'm not Robert Parker Jr.! 2001 Yellow Tail Chardonnay - South East Australia: Golden straw yellow color. Fragrant nose with toasty oak, citrus and tropical fruit. Juicy fruit on the palate with good acid and just enough toasty oak for balance. Good wine and an excellent value at $6.99. 2000 Yangarra Park Chardonnay - South East Australia: Brand new from Kendall Jackson. Straw yellow color. Citrus and tropical fruit on the nose. Creamy fruit and creamy mouth feel. Good acidity, notes of toasty oak and a long finish. Not sure if this would be any good with food but a nice wine to just sit down and drink. Fine value at $10. 1999 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay - Monterey, CA: If you like white burgundy, this one is for you. Nose is full of citrus, lemon, apple and pear with shades of oak underneath. Well balanced on the palate with lots of lemon flavor blending with the oak. Good acids, nice lingering finish with fruit and oak all working together. A steal at $10. 2000 Estancia Pinnacles Chardonnay - Monterey, CA: Straw yellow color. Mild nose with spice, apple, pear, pineapple and oak. Smooth on the palate. Creamy and classy. Well balanced and crisp in all the right places. Price is right at $10. 2000 Bogle Chardonnay - California: This is the exception to the rule - this is NOT a typical, mass produced, blah California appellation Chardonnay. Pale straw color. Apples, pears with a touch of tropical citrus and vanilla. Quite complex given it's address. Lighter in style with crisp acids and creamy fruit. One word - YUMMY! 2000 Meridian Chardonnay - Santa Barbara, CA: Straw yellow color. Nose has oak, toast, spice, tropical fruits. Smooth on the palate with creamy pineapple. Well integrated flavors. Long finish. Incredible value and one of my over-all favorites. So consistent year in and year out and made in MASSIVE QUANTITY. Perfect as a house white. 1999 Belvedere Healdsburg Ranches Chardonnay - Sonoma County, CA: Straw yellow and very bright in color. You can see the quality in this one! Oak, toast, butter, cream, fruit all in the nose. Intense on the palate with lots of flavor. Good acid, well balanced. Lots of lemon and citrus. Full bodied. Spice - cinnamon/clove? Long finish. Complex wine. $13 and worth it. 1999 Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay - Columbia Valley, WA: Straw yellow color. Fruity nose - apple, pear, pineapple and peach. Good balance, good acids. Creamy fruit is silky smooth. Nice long finish. Oak is there but does not interfere. Another great value at $10. 1999 Barossa Valley Estates Chardonnay - South East Australia: Gold color. Butter, cream, spice and fruit on the nose. Very ripe and bold. Smooth, creamy and spicy with a surprisingly crisp finish. Good quality from Down Under. 2000 Hardy's Nottage Hill Chardonnay - South East Australia: Pale straw color. Exotic nose - fruit and spice notes. Smooth and crisp. Tastes like a blend - Semillon? Vanilla and spice on the finish. Good wine turns great when you see the price - $5.99! 1999 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay - Columbia Valley, WA: Not only is this a beautiful package [my favorite color is yellow] but an AMAZING wine. Straw yellow color. Fruity nose - apples, pears with shades of oak. Buttery, creamy fruit on palate. Well balanced with a long, spicy finish. Fruit and oak working together in harmony. Like a spicy vanilla custard, if that makes sense. Excellent value at $10. 120,000 cases made - what's not too love? Columbia Crest for everybody! Chardonnay - hate it if you must but you're only cheating yourself. It comes in all styles from light, crisp and juicy to full, rich and toasty and everything in between. Are you sure you still don't like it? That's it, finally! Thanks for the visit. As always, please feel free to write me at cellarbrat1@yahoo.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Everyone gets a reply! All feedback is welcomed and appreciated. See ya next time from the cellar, and remember wine is more fun than you think ... Gunerman writes "The Brat In The Cellar" monthly for the Rochester, NY chapter of Wine Brats. The column is featured on Robin Garr's WineLoverPage.com and mirrored at www.BratintheCellar.com. Also available is "The Brat Report", a weekly subscription based wine newsletter designed to educate and entertain. "The Brat Report" is available for $12/year. To subscribe, send a check/money order along with a valid e/mail address to: The Brat In The Cellar, PO Box 462, Pittsford, NY 14534. Have questions? Want to see a free sample? Send an e-mail to thebratreport@hotmail.com. Everyone gets a reply!
Volume Two
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