{"id":56,"date":"2009-08-04T18:21:09","date_gmt":"2009-08-04T18:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=56"},"modified":"2009-08-05T13:53:38","modified_gmt":"2009-08-05T13:53:38","slug":"focus-on-chardonnay-summer-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=56","title":{"rendered":"The World of Chardonnay is Changing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ChardonnayChardonnay <\/strong>is the most popular white wine in America.\u00c2\u00a0 But the world of Chardonnay is changing.\u00c2\u00a0 I personally didn't think a change was needed, but like most success stories, the general philosophy appears to be a change or die message.\u00c2\u00a0 What is the change taking place in the Chardonnay world?\u00c2\u00a0 The change is in style.\u00c2\u00a0 The traditional California oaked and malolactic fermentation Chardonnay style is being challenged by a new unoaked and fruit-forward movement.\u00c2\u00a0 We found this to be especially true at the lower price points.\u00c2\u00a0 We have seen this stylistic change take place in the many Chardonnays that we have tried over the last 2 years.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0I still think that Pinot Noir has the greatest number of styles for wine lovers to try but\u00c2\u00a0 I am now certain that Chardonnay will continue to present many different options in the near term as well.\u00c2\u00a0 Below is what we found in our recent Chardonnay tastings.\u00c2\u00a0 I will also follow up this post with another summary post of some of my favorite Chard discoveries from my recent trip to California.<\/p>\n

Which Chardonnays were our favorites?\u00c2\u00a0 We found quite a few gems.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0As in the past, we also found that most of the best Chardonnays tended to be premium level wines and\u00c2\u00a0they are priced\u00c2\u00a0at more than $20.\u00c2\u00a0 There are a few exceptions that are priced lower like Kendall Jackson's Vintners Reserve, Foxglove, Stonehedge, Four Vines, and Columbia Crest's \u201cGrand Reserve.\u201d\u009d<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 For the most part, like Pinot, you will need to spend a little more to get a top level Chardonnay.<\/p>\n

Which\u00c2\u00a0Chardonnay won\u00c2\u00a0the KWG Tasting Panel’s\u00c2\u00a0highest honors?<\/p>\n

\"BenoviaOur favorite Chard came from a winery that I had never heard of before.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Benovia \u201cRussian River Valley\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a> just blew us away.\u00c2\u00a0This wine was Excellent<\/strong> and we scored it 94 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 At $35,<\/strong> this wine is a steal.\u00c2\u00a0 The only downside, I could see is there\u00c2\u00a0were only 330 cases made of this delicious wine.\u00c2\u00a0 This wine will appeal to those readers who like the light oak style we talked about above.\u00c2\u00a0 It displays fabulous ripe pear flavors with notes of vanilla, banana, and light oak as well.\u00c2\u00a0 It would pair well with lobster or crab cakes with a light cream dipping sauce.\u00c2\u00a0 It was just yummy!<\/p>\n

\"LaNext up was the 2007 La Crema Chardonnay from \u201cLos Carneros\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> for $30<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We have found Carneros to be a great AVA for Chardonnay in 2007.\u00c2\u00a0 This Chardonnay was the first foray for La Crema in terms of making a Chardonnay from Carneros.\u00c2\u00a0 My hat goes off to winemaker Melissa Stackhouse<\/strong> and her team.\u00c2\u00a0 They hit a home run at their first at bat.\u00c2\u00a0This option is very nicely balanced, rich, and creamy.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a delicious light lemon with notes of honeydew melon blended in.\u00c2\u00a0 There are 3,000 cases so you can probably find some.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored it 93 points<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"ChehalemAnother winner is our favorite Chardonnay from Oregon.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2006 \u201cIan's Reserve\u201d\u009d Chardonnay from Chehalem<\/strong><\/a> seems to be a winner every vintage.\u00c2\u00a0 This year it costs $34<\/strong> and there are only 458 cases produced.\u00c2\u00a0 It was very well received by the group\u00c2\u00a0who tasted it.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and smooth.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a delicious light honeydew melon, and green apple.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 92 points<\/strong> and you should try to score a bottle of this wine as well.<\/p>\n

\"KendallNext up was the winner of our big blind tasting and it might surprise you.\u00c2\u00a0 It did not surprise us because Kendall Jackson<\/strong> makes many great chardonnay options.\u00c2\u00a0 This year their 2007 \u201cGrand Reserve\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a> for $24<\/strong> beat out several big names in the Chard world.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and shows good acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is an elegant green apple and light lemon.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored it Very Good+<\/strong> and awarded it 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Given the price point, this Chard is one of the best deals in the marketplace.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel found this wine to be very food-friendly they would pair it with halibut or lobster.<\/p>\n

\"FritzFritz<\/strong> is no stranger to our podium.\u00c2\u00a0 This year it was their 2007 \u201cReserve\u201d\u009d Chard from the Russian River Valley<\/a><\/strong> that caught our attention.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied, very smooth, and creamy.\u00c2\u00a0 Its flavor profile is a delicious toasty oak with ripe pear-like flavors and a hint of cantaloupe.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a terrific food wine and pairs perfectly with Legal Sea Food’s halibut with imperial crab meat.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ChappelletNext up is another prominent name in Chardonnay.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Chappellett Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> from Napa Valley<\/strong>, CA for $32<\/strong> is pretty impressive.\u00c2\u00a0 It certainly caught the attention of the tasting panel.\u00c2\u00a0 It finished in second place in the big blind tasting and we scored it 91 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The best part is there are 8,000 cases available so you can definitely find some.\u00c2\u00a0 Its flavor profile is a toasty baked green apple with hints of honey and subtle oak.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel would pair it with lobster or au gratin potatoes made with cheddar cheese.<\/p>\n

\"TruchardThe next wine brings us back to Carneros<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The Truchard 2007 Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $30<\/strong> also scored 91 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It seems like every Chard we try from their vineyard is truly enjoyable.\u00c2\u00a0 This new release continues that tradition.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied, nicely balanced, and very smooth with lemon and guava flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 It is very easy to drink and food-friendly.\u00c2\u00a0 It will pair well with many foods.\u00c2\u00a0 We would pair it with one of our favorites, Chicken St. Timothy.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

90 Points Chardonnays worth hunting down<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

The first Chard on our 90 point<\/strong> list is the 2007 La Crema\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cRussian River Valley\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $30<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a traditionally-styled, rich California Chardonnay.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full bodied, thick, and viscous.\u00c2\u00a0 It does a very nice job integrating together its moderate acidity and bright lemony flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 Pair this gem with Coquille St. Jacques.<\/p>\n

\"EOSNext up from our big blind tasting is the EOS 2007 \u201cCupa Grandis\u201d\u009d Chard<\/a><\/strong> for $45<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 This tasting gem from Paso Robles, CA is very unique.\u00c2\u00a0 It is very nicely balanced and smooth.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a very tasty light green apple with very distinctive notes of spearmint throughout.\u00c2\u00a0 The spearmint flavor was there last year too so it must be terroir driven.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel felt this tasty wine would pair well with roasted garlic chicken or a rack of lamb.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"JordanNext up is a wine that many of you know, but this year's version really stood out.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Jordan Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> from the Russian River Valley is very impressive.\u00c2\u00a0 It might be the best Jordan Chard that I have tried over the last few years.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied, balanced, slightly viscous, and blends its acidity in quite well.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a crispy pear and green apple blend.\u00c2\u00a0 This Very Good Chard for $29<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0would pair perfectly with a chicken piccata.<\/p>\n

\"MacRostieMacRostie has been making great Chard for quite a while.\u00c2\u00a0 This year the 2006 Wildcat Mountain Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $40 <\/strong>really caught our attention.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a mineral infused blend of apricot and light lemon with hints of caramel.\u00c2\u00a0 The finish was dry and refreshing.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel felt this wine would pair very well with chicken cordon bleu.<\/p>\n

Benovia<\/strong> returns to the podium with its 2007 \u201cLa Pommeraie\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a> for $48<\/strong>. This option opens a toasty honeydew melon-like bouquet.\u00c2\u00a0 On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, shows excellent balance, and is smooth.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a delicious light apricot and mango with hints of butterscotch and cashews.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel felt this Chard would be quite delightful on its own or with an appetizer like prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe.<\/p>\n

\"ThelemaThe 2007 Thelema \u201cSutherland\u201d\u009d Chard<\/a><\/strong> was our highest scoring Chard from South Africa.\u00c2\u00a0 At $20<\/strong> this wine is a also a good value.\u00c2\u00a0 We also scored this wine 90 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The downside is that only 500 cases have been imported.\u00c2\u00a0 This option is a full-bodied wine, pleasantly viscous and creamy.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a very tasty cr\u00c3\u00a8me brulee and mild apple with a hint of caramel and minerality.\u00c2\u00a0 We felt this Chard would also pair perfectly with Legal Sea Food's Halibut stuffed with Imperial crabmeat.<\/p>\n

\"FoxgloveOur top value Chard so far is the <\/strong>2007 Foxglove Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 This wine is a steal for $16.<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 It hails from San Luis Obispo County in CA.\u00c2\u00a0 We scored this wine Very Good+<\/strong> and gave it 90 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We have\u00c2\u00a0purchased this wine and the Kendall Jackson \u201cVintner's Reserve\u201d\u009d below as two\u00c2\u00a0of our everyday Chards.\u00c2\u00a0 This impressive offering is light-bodied, balanced, and shows gentle acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 There are light melon flavors with hints of minerality.\u00c2\u00a0 We really enjoy it and find it very food-friendly.<\/p>\n

The top value wine at the 89 point<\/strong> level is the 2007 Kendall Jackson \u201cVintners Reserve\u201d\u009d.<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 <\/a>For $12<\/strong> this wine is also a steal.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0It is clearly the best and most consistent Chardonnay on the market priced below $15.\u00c2\u00a0 There is a ton of it available and it seems to get better every year.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, balanced, slightly acidic, with light lemon flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 We also found a hint of honeydew melon as well.\u00c2\u00a0 It is one of the most popular Chardonnays for a reason.<\/p>\n

\"LandmarkNext up is the always very consistent 2007 Landmark \u201cOverlook\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0for $29<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 There are 18,000 cases of this wine so it is widely available.\u00c2\u00a0 We seem to recommend it every year.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and elegant. It displays a classic California Chardonnay style with light pineapple with hints of lemon and touch of oak and butter.<\/p>\n

Another consistent performer is the 2007 MacRostie Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $23<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, smooth, and very nicely balanced.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is lemon custard with some honeydew melon and a hint of cashews.\u00c2\u00a0 It is nicely refreshing and it would pair\u00c2\u00a0well with baked scrod.<\/p>\n

\"FreestoneIf you are looking for a\u00c2\u00a0crisp styled Chard, give the 2006 Freestone Chardonnay<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>a try.\u00c2\u00a0 This wine is medium-bodied, clean, and refreshing with citrusy flavors that show a touch of minerality and caramel.\u00c2\u00a0 Our panel found\u00c2\u00a0this wine to be very food-friendly and would pair nicely with chicken cordon bleu or a slow roasted pork tenderloin with apple compote.<\/p>\n

\"DuttonAnother Chard that the panel recommended was the 2007 Dutton Goldfield \u201cRussian River Valley\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> for $35<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We found this wine to be full-bodied, quite smooth, satiny, and very well balanced.\u00c2\u00a0 It is tasty with light apple flavors and a touch of toasty light oak.\u00c2\u00a0 Like the Freestone it is very food friendly and would pair well with trout or sole.<\/p>\n

Our final highlighted wine is the 2007 EOS \u201cEstate Private Reserve\u201d\u009d Chardonnay<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>from Paso Robles, CA.\u00c2\u00a0 Priced at $20<\/strong> it is another nice value.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a lighter styled Chard that is balanced, soft, and creamy.\u00c2\u00a0 However, the flavor profile is a buttery popcorn with notes of light oak.\u00c2\u00a0 Its rich flavors and light weight are a nice contrast.\u00c2\u00a0 Give it a try and enjoy the experience.<\/p>\n

Other impressive Very Good Chardonnays worthy of your consideration:<\/strong><\/p>\n

20.\u00c2\u00a0Chateau St. Michelle 2007 Chard \u201cCanoe Ridge Estate\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Horse Heaven Hills, WA) $22<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n21.\u00c2\u00a0Clos Pegase 2007 Chard \u201cMitsuko's Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/strong><\/a>(Carneros) $24<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n22.\u00c2\u00a0Dutton Estate 2007 Chard \u201cKyndalls Reserve\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Russian River Valley) $36<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n23.\u00c2\u00a0Napa Cellars 2007 Chardonnay \u201cMt. Veeder\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0$35<\/strong> (89<\/strong>)
\n24.\u00c2\u00a0Patz & Hall 2006 Chard “Alder Springs”<\/a><\/strong> (Mendocino) $60<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n25.\u00c2\u00a0Charles Creek 2007 Chard \u201cLas Patolitas\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma County)\u00c2\u00a0$25<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n26.\u00c2\u00a0Stonehedge 2007 Chard<\/a><\/strong> (California)\u00c2\u00a0$12<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n27.\u00c2\u00a0Dutton Estate 2007 Chard \u201cDutton Palms Vineyard\u201d\u009d<\/strong><\/a> (RRV) $42<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n28.\u00c2\u00a0Merryvale 2007 Chard \u201cStarmont\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>(Napa) $20<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(88<\/strong>)
\n29.\u00c2\u00a0Mulderbosch 2006 Chard<\/a><\/strong>(Stellenbosch, SA) $21<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(88<\/strong>)
\n30.\u00c2\u00a0Trefethen 2007 Chardonnay \u201cNapa Valley\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $30<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n31.\u00c2\u00a0Solaire 2007 Chard<\/a><\/strong> (Santa Lucia Highlands) $15<\/strong> (88<\/strong>)
\n32.\u00c2\u00a0Joseph Phelps 2006 Chard \u201cOvation\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(Sonoma Coast) $60<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(87.5<\/strong>)
\n33.\u00c2\u00a0Murphy Goode 2006 Chard \u201cSonoma County\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $17<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n34.\u00c2\u00a0Joseph Carr 2007 Chardonnay \u201cCarneros\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> $17<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(87<\/strong>)
\n35.\u00c2\u00a0Four Vines 2008 Chard \u201cNaked\u201d\u009d<\/strong><\/a> (Santa Barbara County) $14<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(87<\/strong>)
\n36.\u00c2\u00a0Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Chard \u201cEthos\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(Columbia Valley, WA) $32<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n37.\u00c2\u00a0Neil Ellis 2008 Chard<\/strong><\/a>(Stellenbosch, SA) $20<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(87<\/strong>)
\n38.\u00c2\u00a0Columbia Crest 2007 Chard \u201cGrand Estates\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(Columbia Valley) $11<\/strong> (87<\/strong>)
\n39.\u00c2\u00a0Columbia Crest 2006 Chard \u201cTwo Vines\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (WA) $8<\/strong> (86)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As you can see we are recommending several Chardonays and we have more top quality Chards to follow in our next blog post.\u00c2\u00a0 There are several different styles and price points represented in the above list.\u00c2\u00a0 Try some and enjoy.! Cheers – Ken<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in America.\u00c2\u00a0 But the world of Chardonnay is changing.\u00c2\u00a0 I personally didn't think a change was needed, but like most success stories, the general philosophy appears to be a change or die message.\u00c2\u00a0 What is the change taking place in the Chardonnay world?\u00c2\u00a0 The change is in style.\u00c2\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,11,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chardonnay","category-kens-wine-guide-tasting-panel","category-wine-recommendations"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=56"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=56"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=56"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=56"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}