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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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Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery

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2006 Alfaro Family Vineyards Estate Chardonnay
Lindsay Paige Vineyard

This is a big full bore Chardonnay that is ultra rich and incredibly deep and focused with lovely flavors and a long lush finish. Hazelnuts and white flowers lead to pure pear and ...moreapple fruit, with touches of clove, mineral, honey and vanilla.

^$25.00

Chateau Souverain

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2006 Chardonnay
Alexander Valley

Peach, pear and pineapple fill the nose of this Chardonnay. On the palate the wine is creamy and round with luscious flavors of lemon and pear that harmonize with notes of vanilla ...morebean and spice. The wine has bright acidity and long, lingering finish.

^$17.00

Chateau Souverain

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2005 Winemakerâ€™s Reserve Chardonnay
Russian River

Rich gold in color, the 2005 Winemaker's Reserve Chardonnay offers fresh aromas of honeycomb, mango, dried apricot and hazelnut. On the palate, refined flavors of crisp pear, vanil ...morela bean, spiced caramel apple and lively acidity are rounded by ample texture, dimension and gorgeous viscosity. The wine has a full-bodied, creamy finish.

^$30.00

Dutton Goldfield

CAW Rating: 99

100

1 reviews

2006 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay
Russian River Valley

THE VINEYARD
Dutton Ranch farms over sixty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation. Da ...moren and Steve select their favorite Dutton Ranch vineyards to craft a wine reflecting our vision of classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The vineyards we choose are based on our desire to offer wines with fruit intensity, great acid structure and richness, even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. Mill Station, Rued, Schwartz and Walker Hill are all old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley. They provide the beautiful citrus backbone, spicy floral nose, and tropical and mineral overtones of this offering. Morelli Lane Vineyard, planted to the Hyde clone of Chardonnay, is located high on top of Stoetz Ridge on the west side of the valley, and contributes notes of stone fruit and pear to the wine.

WINEMAKING
The individual lots are barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early

^$35.00

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

Beaucanon Estate

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2006 Chardonnay, Ehlers Lane Vineyard
Nevada County

Our newest Chardonnay is something very special and unique, even for us! Since we didn't make a
Jacques de Coninck bottling this year, so the fruit from our old vine blocks ...more went into our Estate Chardonnay
for a wine of amazing depth and structure.
A lovely, pale gold hue does not prepare you for this intense nose that fills the glass. Sweet Vanillin is noticeable, but just barely outweighs tropicle aromas of ripe pineapple, tangerine and coconut. Carmel, rosemary and limestone are just hinted at but will certainly develope over time.
The palate is full-bodied and rich but with a thrill of lemon acidity that keeps things lively. Flavors of citrus and subtle oak dominate but the nose is echoed as well. With time in the bottle or the decanter, the depth and layers of flavors will shine through.
A joy to drink on its own, this wine will also pair beautifull with luscious shellfish, like scallops, fresh crab in lemon butter or lobster Thermidor. For Contrast pairings, try it with mild Thai dishes, jerk chicken and roast pork.

^$22.00

Viano Vineyards

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2003 Chardonnay

^$12.00

Byington Winery

CAW Rating: 88

100

1 reviews

2006 Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains

The 2006 Quenneville Chardonnay represents the Santa Cruz Mountains perfectly. The wines made from this vineyard are grown up elegant Chards, not young, reckless or impatient wines ...more that rush across your palate and are gone before you know it. At first approach the wine reveals a nutty aroma; and the backbone of caramelized oak that leaves you longing for a taste. As you sip the wine, youâ€™re swept away in its velvety texture and heavy weight on the palate. The finish is crisp and to the point, yet it lingers with the flavor of surlies aging. All in all, this wine is a total package, one that should not be taken lightly. Cellar some for the next 5 years to see how it ages, but certainly have a glass tonight as it very approachable right now.

^$27.00

Byington Winery

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2006 Chardonnay, Redwood Hill
Santa Cruz Mountains

The Redwood Hill Chardonnay displays a beautiful vanilla aroma from the French oak and yeastiness from sur lees aging. Stopping here you might think it to be a typical California C ...morehardonnay, saturated and heavy-handed, but no, the crisp acidity is reminiscent of Granny Smith apples with a luscious pear aroma to round out the nose. I think of the Redwood Hill as a sipping wine, refreshing and elegant all in one. As Spring rolls around, savor this refreshing Chardonnay on a pleasant California evening with simply prepared fresh fish, perhaps a dozen or so oysters. Please enjoy, as I will certainly be doing the same.

^$27.00

Landmark Vineyards

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2005 Overlook Chardonnay
Sonoma Valley

The 22 separate vineyards that comprise this year's Overlook include such distinguished growers as Sangiacomo, Bien Nacido, Martinelli and Lorenzo. All the wine in the Overlook bot ...moretling is barrel fermented using indigenous yeasts that undergoes full malo-lactic fermentation. The wine is aged sur lie for nine months in Burgundian barrels and racked to tanks for blending. Six weeks prior to bottling in August of 2006, the wine received a light isinglass fining. It was bottled without filtration.

The aromas of toasted almonds, caramel and coconut are followed by crisp green apple and lemon rind flavors that convey certain minerality. The acidity and balance of the 2005 Overlook is much more Burgundian than previous offerings. This wine will pair well with seafoods and shellfish, and complement pastas with cream sauces, as well as roast chicken and pork roast with fruit.

^$27.00

Landmark Vineyards

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2005 Damaris Reserve Chardonnay
Sonoma Valley

Three distinct vineyard blocks comprise this year's Damaris Reserve, all planted and farmed by the Sangiacomo family, third generation Sonoma County grape growers. Each lot was bar ...morerel fermented in French oak, using indigenous yeast and aged for 13 months sur lie. Malolactic fermentation was completed in September of 2006. After racking and fining, the wine was bottled without filtration in January of 2007.

An opulent, rich texture reveals concentrated apricot nectar and orange peel spice, all framed by beautifully integrated oaky toastiness which is carried to a long finish by the crisp acidity, which characterized this exceptional vintage.

^$38.00

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

Bighorn Cellars

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2006 Chardonnay
Napa Valley

NEW RELEASE! Our 2006 Napa Valley Chardonnay is a a wonderful blend of three outstanding Chardonnay Vineyards - including our home vineyard at Silverado Trail Wine Studio!
...more

Fresh, fruit forward and full bodied, this Chardonnay incorporates the flavors of the ocean cooled rolling vineyards of the Carneros region including tropical fruit and delicate floral notes with aromas and flavors of peach and citrus zest from our warmer Napa locations.

^$25.00

Husch Vineyards

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2006 Chardonnay

This estate Chardonnay is fruit forward and very food friendly. Aromas of crisp Bosc pear, Red Delicious apples, citrus blossom and lemon zest intermingle with the modestly restrai ...morened bouquet notes of toasted oak, vanilla, nutmeg and hints of clove. On the palate, fruit reflecting the nose abounds with the additional suggestion of stone fruit. A full round mouth-feel and balanced acidity ensure successful food and wine pairing across a range of cuisine, especially grilled fish or grilled chicken topped with our Tomatillo Sauce.

^$15.00

Husch Vineyards

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2006 'Vine One' Chardonnay

Because so many Chardonnay wines today emphasize their oak character, we wanted to return to old world techniques for making a wine that distinguishes itself with the quality of it ...mores fruit. To reach this goal we fermented about half of the wine in tank and the remaining half in French oak barrels. The stainless steel component showcases the unique fruit in this wine while the barrel component adds a texture and richness to the final blend.

Look for the lively aromas of apricot, peach, and floral notes. The fruit shines in this lightly-oaked wine and a mineral component adds to the complexity. The bright acidity and lean style make it a great food wine. Enjoy it with Rosemary Roasted Chicken or fresh seafood.

^$18.00

Husch Vineyards

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2005 Chardonnay 'Reserve'

The 2005 Special Reserve Chardonnay shows spice aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, anise, vanilla and clove as well as a healthy dose of toasty oak and subtle yeast notes. On the palate r ...moreipe pear, granny smith apple and mango dominate followed with a hint of citrus zest and mineral overtones. Creamy oak enhances the rich mouthfeel, helps integrate the fruit and spice and leads to a long finish. Enjoy a glass of this full-bodied wine before dinner.

^$25.00

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

Laguna Canyon Winery

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2005 Chardonnay
Lodi

Medium-bodied with lots of vanilla and toasty character, this wine is well balanced with citrus undertones. This makes a good table wine that pairs well with pasta dishes, chicken ...moreand barbequed sausages. Serve chilled but not cold. Enjoy it with your best meat dish, good old cheese or even with a chocolate after dinner. Perfect with polenta and Gorgonzola.

^$16.00

Boeger Winery

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2006 Carson Peak Chardonna
El Dorado

Chardonnay has aromas of buttery spiced caramel, cinnamon baked apples and toast. The palate is bold yet soft and velvety with a balanced acidity. The lingering finish is spicy, sm ...moreooth and clean. Great for aging for a few years in the cellar!

^$12.00

Boeger Winery

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2005 Chardonnay
El Dorado

This wine possesses delightful aromas of green apple and a hint of honey. The flavor of soft oak on the palate blends with crisp acidity to bring together a nice, round finish.

^$18.00

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Top Rated Chardonnay

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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