{"id":71,"date":"2010-09-28T13:42:49","date_gmt":"2010-09-28T13:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=71"},"modified":"2010-09-28T13:42:49","modified_gmt":"2010-09-28T13:42:49","slug":"plenty-of-very-good-chardonnays-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/?p=71","title":{"rendered":"Plenty Of Very Good Chardonnays — Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"La-Follette-2008-Sangiacomo-Chard\"In this Chardonnay report, we cover all of the 90 point Chardonnays <\/strong>and the other Very Good Chards we tried this summer.\u00c2\u00a0 We will start off with\u00c2\u00a0two late entry Chards that scored above 90 points<\/strong> but missed our last report.\u00c2\u00a0 The first one was Terrific <\/strong>and scored 93 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We had to tell you about this gem, especially since we had never heard of it prior to pulling it out of the sample box.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2008 La Follette “Sangiacomo Vineyard”\u00c2\u00a0 Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $30<\/strong> is a steal.\u00c2\u00a0 It opens with an attractive spiced pear bouquet with a hint of lemon.\u00c2\u00a0 On the palate, this wine is full-bodied and smooth with just a hint of crispy acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 Our group of tasters were quite impressed with its very tasty spicy pear flavors with notes of oak and butterscotch.\u00c2\u00a0 It did not last long and we urge you to find some soon before everyone discovers it.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"2008-Dutton-Palms-Chardonnay\"The other high scoring late entry was the 2008 Dutton Estate “Dutton Palms Vineyard” Chard<\/a><\/strong> for $42<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It was also\u00c2\u00a0quite impressive.\u00c2\u00a0 We awarded it with 92 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It opens with a green apple bouquet and it is medium-bodied, balanced, and very smooth.\u00c2\u00a0 I loved its very tasty gentle oak infused apple favors with a hint of vanilla.\u00c2\u00a0 This wine might not be released yet, so call the winery and get in line.<\/p>\n

\"Zaca-Mesa-2008-Chard\"The next 12 wines<\/strong> all scored 90 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 We'll call it our Classy Chard Case!<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 The 2008 Zaca Mesa Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0from Paso Robles will really appeal to readers who like fruit driven Chard with little to no oak influence.\u00c2\u00a0 They will love the price at $18<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and slightly crisp with gentle acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 I enjoyed its fresh mild lemon flavors with a touch of green apple.\u00c2\u00a0 I would serve it with grilled swordfish with a mango salsa.<\/p>\n

\"Kendall-Jackson-2008-Grand-Reserve-Chard-Label\"Next up is an old standby.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2008 Kendall Jackson “Grand Reserve” Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a> for $20 <\/strong>is always a winner.\u00c2\u00a0 This year’s version is full-bodied, very well balanced, viscous, and smooth.\u00c2\u00a0 Overall it has a terrific mouthfeel.\u00c2\u00a0 Its gentle tangerine and green apple flavors make it a perfect food match for saut\u00e9ed chicken over penne and broccoli smothered with a light cream sauce.<\/p>\n

Washington State <\/strong>has been producing some very nice Chards lately and we really liked this one from Columbia Crest<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 “Reserve” Chard <\/strong><\/a>for $25 <\/strong>opens with a very fragrant apricot and pineapple bouquet.\u00c2\u00a0 It was full-bodied, well balanced, very creamy and elegant.\u00c2\u00a0 I thought this one would pair well with chicken cordon bleu.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Bjornstad-2008-Sonoma-County-Chardonnay\"The 2008 Bjornstad “Sonoma County” Chard<\/a><\/strong> for $25 <\/strong>is another solid entry from this terrific producer\u00c2\u00a0who\u00c2\u00a0went 3 for 3 with me this year.\u00c2\u00a0 This regional Chard is full-bodied, balanced, and rich.\u00c2\u00a0 If you like the traditional California style, this Chard is for you.\u00c2\u00a0 It displays very tasty oak infused Anjou pear flavors with hints of Granny Smith apple and Honeydew melon.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00c2\u00a0paired very well\u00c2\u00a0with my tortellini alfredo.<\/p>\n

\"Byron-2008-Santa-Maria-Chardonnay\"The 2008 Byron “Santa Maria Valley” Chard<\/a><\/strong> for $26 <\/strong>is our next highlighted Chard.\u00c2\u00a0 It is medium-bodied, well balanced, smooth, and creamy.\u00c2\u00a0 It is very complex and has an intriguing combination of flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 They were a mild combination of minerals, unripe pineapple, bread dough, and almond.\u00c2\u00a0 There were also some oak notes that linger in the aftertaste as well.\u00c2\u00a0 It was easy to drink and I thought it would be a very nice match for chicken cordon bleu.<\/p>\n

\"Landmark-2008-Overlook-Chard\"This next wine has made our recommended list for the last couple of years.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2008 Landmark “Overlook” Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> for $28<\/strong> is always Very Good<\/strong> and consistent.\u00c2\u00a0 This year's vintage is medium-bodied, balanced, and easy going.\u00c2\u00a0 I enjoyed its gentle oak influences, along with its green apple and honey dew melon flavors.\u00c2\u00a0 I would pair it with sharp cheddar cheese and sliced Granny Smith apples.<\/p>\n

We loved the 2007 Truchard<\/strong> Chardonnay.\u00c2\u00a0 Their 2008 Chard from “Carneros”<\/a><\/strong> for $30 <\/strong>is another winner as well and it was very well received by our mini group.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied and very well balanced between its mild acidity and fruit.\u00c2\u00a0 We felt its mild green apple flavors with hints of creamy butter and light oak were quite tasty.\u00c2\u00a0 Our group thought it would be a very nice option to pair with chicken cordon bleu.<\/p>\n

\"Donatiello-2008-Middle-Reach-Chardonnay\"The next Chard is a low production offering from C. Donatiello<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 They only made 98 cases<\/strong> of the 2008 “Middle Reach” Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 But if you read the last report we did, you should try to get your hands on any Chard this winery makes.\u00c2\u00a0 This particular Chard was the winner of a mini Chard flight that we conducted.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0It opens with a mild cr\u00c3\u00a8me brulee bouquet with some notes of oak detected as well.\u00c2\u00a0 On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied, balanced, and shows pleasant gentle acidity.\u00c2\u00a0 The flavor profile is a buttery pear with some light oak mixed in.\u00c2\u00a0 The finish is dry and nicely refined.\u00c2\u00a0 The group thought this Chard would be nice with a grilled pork chop with an apple chutney sauce.\u00c2\u00a0 Enjoy — Ken<\/p>\n

Robert Stemmler <\/strong>is best known for its Pinot Noirs, however being in Carneros, they consistently make terrific Chardonnay from this great AVA.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Robert Stemmler “Estate” Chardonnay<\/a> <\/strong>opens with a mild lime bouquet with notes of butterscotch and a hint of pineapple.\u00c2\u00a0 On the palate, it is full-bodied, crisp and savory with tangerine and apple flavors with a touch of melon and light oak.\u00c2\u00a0 Pair this food friendly Chard with trout almondine.<\/p>\n

\"Stuhlmuller-2007-Reserve-Chardonnay\"If you like oaky Chardonnay, this next one may seriously interest you.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2007 Stuhlmuller “Reserve”<\/a><\/strong> for $38 <\/strong>gained praise from oaky Chard fans who like this style.\u00c2\u00a0 It is full-bodied, balanced, and quite rich.\u00c2\u00a0 These tasters loved its oak influenced pear and green melon flavors with a hint of lemon. I thought it would pair well with Chicken St. Timothy.<\/p>\n

\"Freestone-2008-Ovation-Chardonnay\"The last two 90 point Chardonnays cost $45<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The first one is the 2008 Freestone “Ovation”<\/strong><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0from the Sonoma Coast in CA.\u00c2\u00a0 It is not quite as good a the 2007 but a very nice follow up.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel appreciated pleasant acidity and crispy feel throughout.\u00c2\u00a0 That presence was matched by its slightly tart green apple flavors with notes of honey cashew and a touch of lemon.\u00c2\u00a0 The panel suggested pairing it with chicken cordon bleu.\u00c2\u00a0 \"http:\/\/www.kenswDutton-Goldfield-2008-Rued-Chard\"Next up is the 2008 Dutton Goldfield “Rued Vineyard” Chard<\/strong> <\/a>from the Green Valley in California.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0This wine boasts a very fragrant tropical fruit bouquet with hints of pineapple, baked, apple, mild oak, and spice peaking through.\u00c2\u00a0 Its round mouthfeel extended into tasty mild oak influenced ripe green apple flavors with a hint of pineapple and butterscotch.\u00c2\u00a0 It would pair well with chicken, but I would saut\u00e9 it with penne, and peas in a thick white cream sauce.<\/p>\n

We conclude this report with a list of 32 Chards<\/strong> that scored from 86 (Good+)<\/strong> up to 89 points<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 You will certainly find some very nice offerings in this group that will appeal to your palate and wallet.\u00c2\u00a0 We hope you have as much fun trying them as we did.\u00c2\u00a0 Cheers – Ken<\/p>\n

1.\u00c2\u00a0Snoqualmie 2008<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0(Columbia Valley, WA) $10<\/strong> (89)<\/strong>
\n2. Kendall Jackson 2008 “Vintner’s Reserve”<\/a><\/strong> (California) $14 (89)<\/strong>
\n3. Foxglove 2008<\/a><\/strong> (Central Coast, CA) $15 (89)<\/strong>
\n4. Merryvale 2008 “Starmont”<\/a><\/strong>(Napa Valley, CA) $20 (89)<\/strong>
\n5. Adelsheim Vineyard 2008 “Willamette Valley”<\/a><\/strong> (Willamette Valley, OR) $22 (89)<\/strong>
\n6. C. Donatiello 2007 “Russian River Valley”<\/a><\/strong> (Russian River Valley, CA) $24 (89)<\/strong>
\n7. Stuhlmuller 2008 Chard “Estate”<\/a><\/strong> (Alexander Valley, CA) $24 (89)<\/strong>
\n8. Stoller 2008 “SV Estate”<\/a><\/strong> (Dundee Hills, OR) $28 (89)<\/strong>
\n9. Stoller 2007 “SV Estate”<\/a><\/strong> (Dundee Hills, OR) $28 (89)<\/strong>
\n10. Duckhorn 2008 “Migration” <\/a><\/strong>(Russian River Valley, CA) $30 (89)<\/strong>
\n11. Ferrari Carano 2007 “Reserve”<\/a><\/strong>(Carneros, CA) $32 (89)
\n<\/strong>12.\u00c2\u00a0Merryvale 2008 “Carneros”<\/strong><\/a>(Carneros, CA) $35 (89)<\/strong>
\n13.\u00c2\u00a0Fogdog 2008<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma Coast, CA) $35 (89)<\/strong>
\n14.\u00c2\u00a0Hunnicut 2008 “Napa”<\/strong><\/a>(Napa Valley, CA) $35 (89)<\/strong>
\n15.\u00c2\u00a0Sonoma Cutrer 2006\u00c2\u00a0\u201cThe Cutrer\u201d\u009d<\/a><\/strong> (Russian River Valley, CA) $35 (89)<\/strong>
\n16.\u00c2\u00a0Smoking Loon 2008 Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong> (California) $9 (88)<\/strong>
\n17. Buried Cane 2007<\/a><\/strong> (Washington) $12 (88)<\/strong>
\n18. Navarro 2008 “Mendocino”<\/a><\/strong> (Mendocino, CA) $17 (88)<\/strong>
\n19.\u00c2\u00a0Rustenberg 2008 “Stellenboach”<\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 (South Africa) $20 (88)<\/strong>
\n20. Mulderbosch 2007 Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong>(Stellenbosch, South Africa) $21 (88)<\/strong>
\n21. Sonoma Cutrer 2008 “Russian River Ranches”<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma Coast, CA) $23 (88)<\/strong>
\n22.\u00c2\u00a0Ferrari Carano 2008 “Sonoma County”<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma County, CA) $23 (88)<\/strong>
\n23. Sonoma Cutrer 2008 “Sonoma Coast”<\/strong><\/a>(Sonoma Coast, CA) $24 (88)<\/strong>
\n24. Fritz 2008 “Russian River Valley”<\/a><\/strong> (Russian River Valley, CA) $25 (88)<\/strong>
\n25. Sonoma Cutrer 2006 “Les Pierres”<\/a><\/strong>(Sonoma Coast, CA) $36 (88)<\/strong>
\n26.\u00c2\u00a0Leeuwin Estate 2007 “Prelude Vineyards”<\/a><\/strong> (Margaret River, Australia) $36 (88)<\/strong>
\n27.\u00c2\u00a0Dutton Estate 2008 “Kyndall’s Reserve”<\/a><\/strong> (Russian River Valley, CA) $36 (88)<\/strong>
\n28.\u00c2\u00a0Shoofly 2008 “Chook Raffle”<\/a><\/strong> (Adelaide Hills, Australia) $14 (87)<\/strong>
\n29. Layer Cake 2009 “Virgin”<\/a><\/strong> (Central Coast, CA) $14 (87)<\/strong>
\n30.\u00c2\u00a0Michael and David Philips 2008 “Seven Heavenly”<\/a><\/strong>(Lodi, CA) $16 (87)<\/strong>
\n31.\u00c2\u00a0Pepperwood Grove 2008<\/a><\/strong> (CA) $7 (86)<\/strong>
\n32.\u00c2\u00a0Chateau Ste Michelle 2008 “Columbia Valley”<\/a><\/strong> (Columbia Valley, WA) $13 (86)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this Chardonnay report, we cover all of the 90 point Chardonnays and the other Very Good Chards we tried this summer.\u00c2\u00a0 We will start off with\u00c2\u00a0two late entry Chards that scored above 90 points but missed our last report.\u00c2\u00a0 The first one was Terrific and scored 93 points.\u00c2\u00a0 We had to tell you about […]<\/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":[13,11,126,8,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chardonnay","category-kens-wine-guide-tasting-panel","category-wine-ratings","category-wine-recommendations","category-wine-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71","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=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kenswineguide.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}