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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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Nicholls Wine

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2005 NICHOLLS Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley (unfiltered)
Bien Nacido Vineyards

This wine has a creamy nose of toasty oak and vanilla with notes of tropical fruits and hints of butter. The wine has rich, ripe fruit on the palate with a lush creamy mouth feel a ...morend great fruit character ranging from stone fruit to ripe apple. The natural acidity shows through the long finish exquisitely, yielding a Chardonnay that will be excellent with food or on its own. Unfiltered.

^$18.00

J Doran Vineyards

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2005 J Doran Vineyards "Taylor Ridge" Chardonnay
Livermore Valley

Provides a strong core upfront fruit with a backbone and structure that will allow to age well. Rich golden straw color. This is not a shy Chardonnay! Perfect with Chilean Sea Ba ...moress, Salmon and Prawns, with accents of pear, mango & apple. Delightful with light summer grilling, a variety of cheeses & fruits as well as a great stand alone wine.

^$22.00

Midlife Crisis Winery

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2005 Chardonnay
Paso Robles

^$19.00

O'Brien Estate

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2006 Chardonnay
Napa Valley

Our goal with the Estate Chardonnay is to craft a wine of natural acid balance that is fruit forward and expressive of our land and what nature gives us each year. The light straw ...morecolor of the 2006 chardonnay exhibits intense aromas of pear, almond, butterscotch and spice that layer with flavors of fig, tropical fruits and spice in a full-bodied, round and creamy chardonnay with good acidity, a subtle touch of spicy oak, and a long finish. This wine is a splendid accompaniment to a wide range of foods, even spicier dishes, or is equally enjoyable to just sip on its own.

It will provide its best drinking over the next two years. This wine has an even creamier finish than the 2005 as it is fully malolactic fermented.

Only 720 cases made. This wine is always the first to sell out - we expect it to be gone by the end of the year. Order yours today so you don't miss out.

^$27.00

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

Terremoto Cellars

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2004 Chardonnay
Suisun Valley

Our Chardonnay straddles the best of both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with a fantastic citrus and mineral characteristic, full mouth-feel, and refreshing acidity. Our Chardonn ...moreay pairs well with a variety of dishes, from lighter fare to boldly spiced and herbaceous dishes, yet provides an earth moving experience on its own.

2006 Critics Choice International Wine Competitionâ€”Critics Award;

2006 Lone Star International Wine Competitionâ€” Silver Medal;

2006 Eastern International Wine Competitionâ€”Bronze Medal

^$14.00

Folie A Deux Winery

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2006 Chardonnay
Napa Valley

The predominance of fruit for our 2006 Chardonnay came from our cool-climate vineyards in southern Napa. While located just outside of the Carneros AVA, this gently rolling site en ...morejoys the same soils, climate and spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay as its famous neighbor. Additionally a small addition of fruit was sourced from the Carneros and neighboring Oak Knoll District appellation to provide a seductive tropical note.

Our 2006 Chardonnay delivers great balance and authority with aromas of green apple and a dash of banana with citrus on the palate accented by a hint of sweet vanilla. In the tradition of a true Burgundian-style Chardonnay, thereâ€™s an understated power that runs from start to finish.

The rich full palate combined with well-integrated acidity makes the Folie Ã Deux Chardonnay a perfect match with one our Chef's favorite dishes including Panko-crusted Dungeness crab cakes with a coconut Thai red curry sauce.

^$18.00

Pleasant Valley Vineyards

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2005 Brittany Morgan Estate Reserve Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

^$35.00

Rhys Vineyards

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2005 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

January, 2008- The difficult 2005 weather produced just a single barrel of concentrated Chardonnay from our Alpine Vineyard. As in the past, this bottling shows the complex rainwat ...moreer, minerals, and lemon rind character that we have come to expect from this vineyard. This is a very powerful wine, and the almost searing youthful intensity begs for a few years of cellaring. We wish we had more!

Nicholson Vineyards

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2006 Estate Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

^$24.00

Red Soles Winery

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2006 Chardonnay, Loverboy Ranch
Paso Robles

Ok, we all have heard it, "ABC (anything but Chard)". But for some strange reason, Chardonnay continues to be the leading white wine sold in the world, and for good reason. It's th ...moree most versatile of all the white wines made. Itâ€™s like that old sweater you carry around everywhere you go, â€œjust in caseâ€ you need it. And when the weather turns, itâ€™s always there for you. Our Chard is like that old sweater. You know it. Itâ€™s comfortable, and it always gets you out of a jam. Besides, we left the butter out and put the fruit back in!Old Sweater not included.

^$22.00

Four Gates Winery

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2004 Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

^$22.00

Kenneth Volk Vineyards

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2004 Chardonnay, Sierra Madre Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley

In keeping with our model of creating complexity in the vineyard, the 2004 Kenneth Volk Vineyards Sierra Madre Chardonnay came from two separate vineyard blocks, planted to two dif ...moreferent clones of Chardonnay; Dijon Clone 95, which is known for early maturity and high intensity fruit aromatics, and Robert Young Clonal selection, which adds minerality and lower-toned apple and pear flavors.

The parcels were hand-picked on different days, barreled into 30% new Hungarian Trust and 20% new Demptos Allier Burgundy barrels, with the balance going into two-year old French Burgundy barrels acquired from Kistler Vineyards.

The wines were fermented in the innovative OXO barrel rack system, allowing for a superior marriage of the oak flavors and the wine, while maintaining fruit aromatics. This closed system technology also imparts a luxuriously creamy texture to the wine. About 20% of the barrels went through spontaneous malo-lactic fermentation. The wine has aromas of sliced apple and toasted grains. On the palate, it is rich and mouth-filling with flavors of pear, citrus, honey and vanilla, which are balanced by bright natural acidity. This natural crispness makes th

^$24.00

Talley Vineyards

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2006 Estate Chardonnay
Arroyo Grande Valley

Hints of mineral, grilled nuts, toast and anise along with more dominant notes of orange blossom are
present in the aroma of the 2006 Estate Chardonnay. On the palate, the f ...morelavors are consistent with past
vintages: lemon, hints of pineapple, and subtle mineral tones. The texture is a bit softer and richer and the
flavors more concentrated than the 2005 vintage. This versatile wine pairs well with filet of sole, halibut or
grilled chicken breast.

^$26.00

Alicats Winery

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2005 Passito di Chardonnay
Cienega Valley

The wine is luscious and very sweet, with flavors of dried apricots, vanilla, brown sugar and, curiously, a faint hint of chocolate. Itâ€™s made in tiny quantities and may not be e ...moreasy to find, but itâ€™s worth the hunt.

^$30.00

Ancien Wines

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2005 Chardonnay
Carneros

Our Chardonnay represents a culmination of many years of clonal evaluation and plant selection." We have been selecting cuttings from the most flavorful plants from the vineyards ...morewe had sourced - with the idea of making our own â€œsuperâ€ selection. The vineyards were planted to â€œOld Wenteâ€ or â€œRobert Youngâ€ selections, so we were already starting with some of the most revered cuttings in California*. Even so, we were intent on making a good thing even better. We had these cuttings planted for us at the Toyon Ranch on the Napa side of Carneros and they produced their first juice in 2001. This blends with the Old Wente selection from Sangiacomoâ€™s Vella Ranch.
The wine has layers of forward fruit, complex nuances of yeast and barrel, and a striking minerality that is seldom seen in California Chardonnay. This combines with structure and balanced acidity that promises further development over time.

^$32.00

Arger-Martucci Vineyards

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2006 Chardonnay
St. Helena

The 2005 Carneros Chardonnay was picked at 24.8 brix with excellent acids. The wine was barrel-fermented in French oak with a combination of 25% new oak and the remainder in 2 and ...more 3 year old barrels so as not to overwhelm the wine. The bouquet gives forth a soft, toasty nose with hints of grapefruit and citrus. This softness carries through on the palate with a lush mouthful of rich, Chardonnay character along with the same hints of toast and grapefruit. The most striking feature of this wine is its balance of appropriate acid and texture on the palate.

^$30.00

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

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

Per Bacco Cellars

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2006 Chardonnay
Edna Valley

It is seamless on the palate with hints of mango and pineapple. The rich texture and body are amplified by the inclusion of new French Oak, which adds a spicy balanced finish.

^$32.00

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Top Rated Chardonnay

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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