Chardonnay

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Pink Ribbon Wines has issued two special edition wines to celebrate the month.  They are releasing a Chardonney and a Cabernet Sauvignon, which supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  They are going to donate money from each purchase towards breast cancer research.  On October 30th Pink Ribbon Wines [...]

The newest poster in the Redwood Creek series of vintage posters that they release throughout the year. Featured Poster: Chardonnay Text on the poster reads: "The catch of the day, a LIVELY Chardonnay. Redwood Creek. Satisfy Your Taste For Adventure!" Visit Redwood Creek website to learn more and to request your free Redwood Creek Chardonnay Poster. FYI: "Vintage Posters may o

(I didn't write this. My awesome friend Cindi from college emailed it to me yesterday and since I've been so busy with the Not Quite Hot Enough Calendar site, uploading all you hotties, I thought I'd use my homework pass...) IMPORTANT HEALTH ADVICE FOR WOMEN. Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to a

Well, I had recently decided to rock the boat a bit on the Squires board and make the claim that David Ramey's '05 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay could go toe to toe w/ the same vintage from the board's darling, Mark Aubert. See I'm an Aubert lover as well, but when I tasted David Ramey's '05 (sourced from the same Ritchie Vineyard that Mark Aubert uses) I thought it was of comparable quality to what

This weekend, I am heading to Lincoln City, Oregon, for a Jewish Women’s spa retreat regrettably titled “ReJEWvenation.”   I swear to Judy Blume, this is the name of the event…and the reason I have never gone before – just a terrible, terrible name. But I’ve heard from multiple sources that it’s a blast – a [...]

Type : Kosher Wine Alc/Vol : 13.5% Size : 750 ml Region : Israel Vintage : 2004 Price : $ 29.95 Purchase :FinestWine.com Description : The richness of the 2004 Yarden Katzrin Chardonnay begins with its nose, which exhibits an aromatic blend of characters: ripe pears and apples, tropical fruits, hints of flowers, all layered with opulent oak. The intensity follows through [...]

Rating : WS-92 Price : $ 25.01 Vintage : 2006 Size : 750 ml Purchase :FinestWine.com Description : A rich, creamy, yet elegant wine, with a seamless mix of ripe pear, apple and creamy, toasty oak flavors that provide a nice balance between fruit and oak. Has a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2012. 3,500 cases made. Source : [...]

Goodness knows why I’ve been on a bit of a Chardonnay kick, but this wine actually is a bit more about person and place than that of grape & gadgetry. Pouilly Fuisse has been somewhat of a go-to, uncomplicated appellation for decent, refreshing Chardonnay, yet I’d never found much to be excited about from the region that warranted serious exploration. Well, I admit it, the Rosenthal novel

Sorry I haven’t written in a few days. I’ve been in hiding from the Portland Bike Mafia; and when a say “in hiding,” I mean at the spa, at the pool, at my new favorite play group, “cocktails and coloring,” and at Nordstoms trying to find cute summer flats. Jesus! I’m utterly exhausted! You’ll all be [...]

Wine Rating : 4.5 Winery: Paul Hobbs Varietal: Chardonnay Region:USA > California > Sonoma > Russian River Valley Type: White Wine Vintage : 2002 Price : $59.99 Purchase : FinestWine.com User Tags: pome, balance, pear, oak, resinous, spice, white grape, fig, chardonnay, mediterranean fruits Winemaker’s Notes : Straw yellow color with a slight green tint; ripe, heady aromas of pea

Region: Santa Barbara Winery: Penny Lane Type: White Wine Variety: Chardonnay Vintage: 2005 Price: N/A Buy Now: FinestWine.com Tasting Tags: Newmanwine, lemon, Buttery, Sideways, Great, Deal, Jersey Tasting Notes: With its rich, toasty, lemony, buttery flavors, this wine is not shy: it wants to hold your hand. From the heart of “Sideways” country, it delivers the richness and concentra

Dessert wine. Stickies. A beautiful, shining gold wine with hints of caramel, honey and exotic fruits on the nose. The palate is luscious and honeyed with notes of apricot and spice and lively acidity. Amazing, lingering finish. Fabulous ageing potential. Will continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Perfect with strong cheese ie blue cheese. KEY INFORMATION [...]

Region: Spring Mountain District, California Winery: Vineyard 7 & 8 Type: White Wine Variety: Chardonnay Vintage: 2003 Price: $50 Purchase: FinestWine.com Tasting Tags: Dry, Single Vineyard, Estate, ArtisanWL Tasting Notes: Color: slightly cloudy with lees, yellow green Nose: Phenomenal. Beautiful creamy notes from the extended lees and lack of filtering, but tons of bright tropical and white

This wine is made be Cesar Morales, a quiet bear of a man, who has just taken on the job of Winemaker at Emiliana and is excelling already. What we love about Cesar is that he never tries too hard. He never uses too much oak, never squeezes too hard and let’s the grapes express [...]

1/4 Medium-size vidalia onion; 1 sm Sprig fresh thyme 1/2 md Carrot; peeled and coarsely 1 Medium-size shallot; finely 2 md White mushrooms; thinly 2 c Heavy cream 3/4 c California chardonnay Salt and freshly ground 2 oz Lobster shells Fresh lemon juice 2 Stems fresh parsley Instructions for Chardonnay Cream Sauce for Seafood 1. Put the onion, carrot, and mushrooms in a small, heavy, nonaluminum s

Region: Napa Valley, California Winery: Amberton Type: White Wine Vintage: 2005 Variety: Chardonnay Price: $9.99 Purchase: FinestWine.com Tasting Tags: Lemon, Toast Tasting Notes: This Chardonnay strikes an elegant balance with its delicious flavors of lemon and toast. i tried the Amberton Central Coast and the Napa and the Napa is the real star. I can’t believe 10 bucks for great Napa juice

Region: Napa Valley Winery: Dominari Type: White Wine Variety: Chardonnay Vintage: 2006 Price: N/A Purchase: Finestwine.com Tasting Tags: Lemon, Green Apple, Almond, Butter Scotch, Apricot, Melon Tasting Notes: In the style of a classic Chablis, this wine delivers bright lemon fruit and fresh green apple along with hints of almond, butterscotch, apricot, melon and nutmeg. This is what Chard shoul

There was a time when organic wines weren’t for the faint hearted. But now we’re finding that organic wines are far tastier than their non-organic counterparts. This organic wine has been made by Alvaro Espinosa, one of the very best exponents of the organic craft. Key Data Style: Fragrant but Dry Whites Grape: Chardonnay & Chardonnay blends Country: Chile Alcohol: 14.5%

Rating: 4.5 Region: Los Carneros, Sonoma Valley, California Winery: Silver Spur Vintage: 2004 Type: White Wine Variety: Chardonnay Price: N/A Purchase: FinestWine.com Tags: Golden Apple, Nectarine, Mineral Tasting Notes: This elegant, toasty Chardonnay offers plenty of golden apple and nectarine fruit with an appealing minerality. The winery owners are college friends of famous grape grower Mike S

Alongside Merlot in America, this grape has gone from beloved to berated….chalk up another victim of its own success. While I don’t think Chardonnay can blame an influential movie for falling out of favor with its diehard fans, I do think the old adage ‘too much of a good thing’ can begin to describe its downfall in popularity. If one likened the use of French Oak and malolactic fermentati

I am a huge wine lover. I haven’t had a chance to imbibe in the last year due to my pregnancy and now due to breastfeeding. So it’s been a pretty dry household. However, last week, I broke down and decided to get a bottle of white wine to go with fish we got at [...]

Producer: Bodega Catena Zapata Wine: Alamos Chardonnay Vintage: 2004 Country: Argentina Appellation: Mendoza Wine Type: White Varietal: Chardonnay Grade: B+ Designation: Cheap and Good Price: $8 Buy This Wine: FinestWine.com Nicolás Catena is the Master of the Argentina Wine Universe. Trust me, he knows what he's doing. Catena is behind much of the growth in Argentina's wine reput

A classic scene, and one that I’m getting quite used to: I’m in the liquor aisle with less than 10 dollars in my pocket looking for a wine. Complicating things, I was expecting 3 other people for our Sunday dinner. I’m usually the one to bring the wine since most of my friends know I [...]

Varietal: Chardonnay Vintage: 2005 Colour: White Style: DryProducer: Howard Park Wineries Origin: Australia Alcohol Content: 13% Price: €17.90 Purchase: FinestWine.com Description: This unoaked Chardonnay from Michael Kerrigan will change your mind about Australian Chardonnay - a real gem that’s about to start its own fan club. Ageing Potential: 1-3 Years Tasting Note: Pale straw coloured

Producer: La Cave de Lugny Wine: Macon-Lugny, “Les Charmes”, Chardonnay Vintage: 2005 Country: France Appellation: Burgundy-Macon Wine Type: White Varietal: Chardonnay Grade: B+ Designation: Cheap and Good Price: $10.00 Review: I turned my back on Chardonnay many years ago. This aversion to the modern-day ubiquitous white wine developed after way too many glasses of the California over-the-top

Winery: Tishbi Estate Winery Year: 2003 Type: White Country: Israel Grape Variety: Chardonnay Note: Eight months in oak barrels. Alcohol: 13% Mevushal: No Date [...]

Barefoot Chardonnay (no vintage) Modesto, California $5.50 for 750 ml (White Wine) If you are new to wine and want to try a few different varietals without committing too much of your paycheck, I recommend patronizing the bottlings of Barefoot Cellars.  Not only are they consistently inexpensive and good, but trying varietals from the same vintner can help [...]

Winery: Henriot Vintage: NV Wine Name/Vineyard: “Brut - Blanc Souverain Pur Chardonnay” (12/07) Wine Category: Champagne & Sparkling Wine Grape blend: 100% Chardonnay Region: Champagne State or country: France Price: $48 Purchase: FinestWine.com Cases produced: 2,500 KWG Score: 93 (based on 5 reviews) Ken’s Wine Rating: Not Reviewed Wine Review: Not Reviewed Winemaker Notes:

Chardonnay is of French origin and is the principle white wine of Burgundy. In the Champagne area it is 100% of wines labelled blanc de blanc. Chardonnay is viticulturally and oenologically versatile and is grown with success in most viticultural areas under a variety of climatic conditions and can be made sparkling or still, with [...]

Melville Vineyards and Winery puts out a good quality Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir year after year. The Melville 2006 Estate Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay is no exception. It has a light golden straw color with a hint of green in the glass.The nose displays light citrus, pear, and tropical fruit. The aromas are elegant and subtle in character. (I suspect my wine is a smidge to cold as well...)The palate is round and soft with creamy citrus, light green apple, tropical fruit, and a light note of caramel at the mid palate. Slightly round mouth feel from 10% malolactic fermentation, but remains soft, crisp and fresh. The acidity is sufficient, but I would have wished for just a tad more to accentuate the crisp and fresh side of the wine.Despite a relatively high alcohol level of 15.3% there

Argyle Chardonnay 2002 Grape Varietal Chardonnay Vineyard Designation Willamette Valley, Oregon Country United States Year 2002 Rating 91 Wine Spectator Characteristics Light bodied with a long lingering finish Flavor Characteristics Grapefruit, green apple, citrus Food Pairings Price $14.00 Purchase FinestWine.com Tasting Notes The Argyle Chardonnay is grown on hillside slopes in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and fermented with select yeast strains and malo-lactic finish. The wine was fruit forward, but thin and tinney. Fruit was grapefruit lime [...]

I am involved in a social community local to the San Francisco Bay Area called Bay Area Linkup. I’ve been hosting hiking events with this group for nearly five years and wine-tasting events for the past three, and I’ll continue to do so simply because I’m having the time of my life. While my hiking events [...]

Producer: Greg Norman Estates Wine: Sparkling Vintage: NV Appellation: Southeast Australia Country: Australia Wine Type: Sparkling Varietal: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Grade: A- Designation: Good and Cheap Price: $13 Point One: Trying to find a impressively high quality/price ratio sparkling wine is like finding a needle in a haystack, well, maybe not that difficult but you get the point. I figure the right man for [...]

Chris Berman’s recent outbursts captured and posted to YouTube have gotten a lot of attention lately, but here’s one where he’s chatting a woman up about Chardonnay. He seems to know what he’s talkin’ ’bout. Just don’t get on his bad side by giving him some lousy wine or something (Warning: Not Suitable For Work).

In appearance, Chardonnay grapes are green in color with thin skins. The grape is a result of the Pinot and Croatian Blanc grape, which are extinct to this day. Chardonnay on the other hand is still popular, fermented and aged using oak barrels that help to bring out the vanilla flavor the wine is well known for. It can also be aged and fermented using bottles, although it won't age quite as much

Un vino todo terreno para hacer comida rápida… qué quiero decir con esto: un vino para cocinar sin sentir remordimiento y a la vez un vino digno para acompañar la comida “rápida”, por ejemplo almejas al vino (se lavan, se echan a la olla con una taza de vino y 2 ajos). Viña Casa Porta LOS VIÑEDOS [...]

Chardonnay wine is named for the Chardonnay grapes that are used to create it. These grapes originated in the Burgundy and Champagne regions of France but have adapted well to conditions all over the world. The ease of growing Chardonnay grapes have helped them to spread to many parts of the world. Chardonnay grapes are now grown throughout Europe as well as the US, Australia and South Africa. Chardonnay grapes are a green grape with a very thin skin. It was created by crossing two types of grapes, the Pinot and Croatian Blanc. While the Pinot and Croatian Blanc grapes are now extinct, Chardonnay grapes continue to grow hardily in many locations. The resulting juice is fermented and aged in oak barrels to bring out the Chardonnay’s distinctive vanilla flavor. Chardonnay doesn’t age as much as red wines but still produces a delicious wine that remains popular throughout the world. Chardonnay is known as a non-aroma type of wine which is why oak works so well in the fermen

Selecting a chardonnay is a fundamental challenge for any white wine drinker. We all know chardonnay, the undisputed champion of white wines. However, many of us would like to know a little bit more about the qualities and characteristics of chardonnay that would help us select this wonderful creation. This article will focus on 5 elements of chardonnay that will help in the selection and enjoyment process.The most fundamental characteristic of chardonnay is that it should be served COLD! Chardonnay served at room temperature, while palatable, is far too bold. The intense flavors at room temperature tend to overwhelm us and any food we might be consuming. As it decreases in temperature, the flavors are toned down, and the flavors are more easily differentiated. So, the colder the chardonnay, the better.It is important to determine the flavors you prefer in your chardonnay. Younger wines tend to be less complex than older varieties. It seems to take time for all the complexities of the

En octubre ya comienzan los primeros calores, y con el calor la mejor época para probar los vinos blancos que se sirven frescos. Se pueden encontrar una gran cantidad de ofertas de vinos blancos Reserva a un precio muy asequible. Hay que andar atentos, pues se pueden encontrar verdaderas gangas en vinos [...]

This is the second wine I review from the Crew Wine Co, John and Lane Giguiere. Read more about the Mossback Pinot Noir I reviewed not to long ago here.On to the Matchbook 2005 Dunnigan Hills Chardonnay. This wine consists of 86% Dunnigan Hills fruit, a warm weather climate, and 14% Russian River Valley fruit, that has the coastal influence and adds structure and intensity to the wine. Aged in french oak for seven months.I got white floral, apple, pear, a hint of pineapple and toasty oak on the nose. This wine has weight in the mouth with a round, creamy body of apple, citrus and vanilla oak. Doesn't sound to bad, but it is (to me)... The heavy weight and creaminess stayed with me much to long and leaved a cloying feeling in my mouth after swallowing, despite the relatively good acidity and tannins. This was not so much the case at first when it was really cold, but as it moved toward room temperature the viscosity level increased significantly. Not my cup of tea...Maybe I am just not

The grapes for the Demetria 2005 Sta. Rita Hills are from Gaia Vineyard (as the label suggest). What you might not know is that Gaia Vineyard is the former Ashley's Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills appellation. 600 cases was produced of this wine. The estate owner, John Zahoudanis, has hired Michael Roth as winemaker. Micheal Roth has previously made wine in Napa Valley, Sonoma County and at Koehler in Santa Ynez Valley. This wine shows pale straw color in the glass. Sticking your nose into the glass citrus, tropical fruit, and bread yeast stands out, with a hint of oaky vanilla. On the palate, pronounced citrus, ripe apple, wrapped up in a round mouth feel. Towards the end mineral steps in with high acidity which balances the slightly creamy, round palate perfectly. It all makes this wine medium to full-bodied with a refreshing lingering finish.I really liked this Chardonnay as it showed some round creaminess and oak, but to my taste it was immediately complemented and balanced by re

Disney is a merchandising machine. The company also does not shy away from alcohol -- just visit Epcot Center and you will find you can drink your way from Germany to Canada and never get on board a jet.However, Walt Disney Co. has decided not to mix the two when it somes to a popular kids film. Disney opted to back away from a promotion involving Costco just as the warehouse chain was set to sell Ratatouille Chardonnay, a white wine from Burgundy. Ratatouille is the main character of the Disney-Pixar movie of the same name. The plot line involves a rat in Paris that loves fine cuisine. The promotion was drawing criticism from people who feared it would encourage underage drinking and some California winemakers.

We had the Rusack Pinot Noir not to long ago and really enjoyed it , so when I saw the Chardonnay the other day in the store, I just had to grab it to give it a try.The grapes for the 2005 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay comes from Bien Nacido and Goodchild Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley, and Huber Vineyard and Rancho Santa Rosa in Santa Rita Hills. Both are cool climate appellations with maritime influence. It went through partial malolactic fermentation (70%) and was aged 9 months prior to bottling, in 32% new and 68% older French oak.This wine has a golden straw color in the glass. On the nose ripe apple, citrus and pronounced oak. Tasting it, the apple and citrus steps out again with some light tropical fruit and the buttery creaminess from the malolactic fermentation and oak. It has a round soft mouth feel, and moderate acidity. I wish it had some more to stand up to the buttery creaminess. Our neighbor on the other hand who prefers her Chardonnay in this style thought it was very

A tour of New Zealand's finest vineyards and their spectacular surroundings now offers the perfect escape for discerning gastro-tourists, writes Susy Atkins. It's nearly 15 years since I first trailed round New Zealand's vineyards and wineries, and I have somewhat mixed memories of that trip. I remember unappetising food, grim motels straight from the 1950s, and an awful lot of sheep roaming around the "star" wine region, Marlborough.

This Chardonnay from Byron was aged 10 months in 25% new and 75%older French oak. 93% of the grapes are from Nielson Vineyard and 7% from Sierra Madre, vines being between 29-39 years old. The growing season here is one of the longest in California.The color in the glass is a golden, medium yellow, straw. Sticking my nose in the glass citrus, ripe Golden Delicious apple, tropical fruit, and white floral meets me with oak notes. Tasting, it shows a pretty heavy texture with, again, the citrus, tropical fruit, and oak. Medium acidity and medium length finish. This is a slightly more heavy white then I expected and I suspect it might be due to it being past prime. I have had the Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay from Byron several times in the past of different vintages and it never seemed this heavy to me. It has always been more refreshing with great acidity and more light fruit. I suspect that was what the 2003 had to offer a year or more ago...I do not recommend buying the 2003 vintage, a

Presentación Bodega Jean León: “Nota de cata: Color amarillo pálido con suave tonalidad dorada. Nariz intensa y perfumada donde se reconocen sutilmente los aromas de frutos frescos (melocotón, plátano y manzana madura), sobre un fondo con notas de roble (vainilla, tostado…). Ataque fresco en boca, vivo y graso con notas de melón maduro. Buena acidez y [...]

Presentación Bodega Jean León: “Nota de cata: Color amarillo pálido con suave tonalidad dorada. Nariz intensa y perfumada donde se reconocen sutilmente los aromas de frutos frescos (melocotón, plátano y manzana madura), sobre un fondo con notas de roble (vainilla, tostado…). Ataque fresco en boca, vivo y graso con notas de melón maduro. Buena acidez y [...]

Presentación Cava Loxarel: Viñas: La fertilización de nuestras viñas se realiza únicamente cada 5 años par lograr que nuestros racimos sean naturales, y podamos obtener unos vinos de mayor calidad en grado y estructura, sacrificando la cantidad. Elaboración: Maceración pelicular durante 18 hora, obteniendo así la máxima calidad en aromas y tipicidad de la [...]

Presentación Cava Loxarel: Viñas: La fertilización de nuestras viñas se realiza únicamente cada 5 años par lograr que nuestros racimos sean naturales, y podamos obtener unos vinos de mayor calidad en grado y estructura, sacrificando la cantidad. Elaboración: Maceración pelicular durante 18 hora, obteniendo así la máxima calidad en aromas y tipicidad de la [...]

Aprovechando nuestra estadía en Barcelona, publicaremos en estos meses las características e impresiones sobre algunos vinos de España, especialmente los vinos catalanes, que en Barcelona se encuentran a mejor precio como era de esperar. Intentaremos utlizar como referente a la hora de evaluar estos vinos, los vinos arquetípicos chilenos, pues de esta manera será más fácil [...]

Aprovechando nuestra estadía en Barcelona, publicaremos en estos meses las características e impresiones sobre algunos vinos de España, especialmente los vinos catalanes, que en Barcelona se encuentran a mejor precio como era de esperar. Intentaremos utlizar como referente a la hora de evaluar estos vinos, los vinos arquetípicos chilenos, pues de esta manera será más fácil [...]

By Levi Reiss If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Maconnais area of the Burgundy region in eastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Chardonnay. Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions Burgundy ranks fourth in acreage if you include the Beaujolais region, which most people do in spite of their considerable differences. Partisans, and they are many, claim that Burgundy is really the number one or number two wine-producing region in France, if not in the world. The wine reviewed below comes from the Maconnais area of southern Burgundy, whose wine production is almost 90% white, almost exclusively Chardonnay. This area produces three times as much white wine as the rest of Burgundy, but is not particularly well known. If you are visiting the Maconnais area, and you really should, make sure to stop by the village of Cluny and its medieval abbey,

By Levi Reiss If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Maconnais area of the Burgundy region in eastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Chardonnay. Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions Burgundy ranks fourth in acreage if you include the Beaujolais region, which most people do in spite of their considerable differences. Partisans, and they are many, claim that Burgundy is really the number one or number two wine-producing region in France, if not in the world. The wine reviewed below comes from the Maconnais area of southern Burgundy, whose wine production is almost 90% white, almost exclusively Chardonnay. This area produces three times as much white wine as the rest of Burgundy, but is not particularly well known. If you are visiting the Maconnais area, and you really should, make sure to stop by the village of Cluny and its medieval abbey,

Bighorn Cellars was founded by Bill Hill in the 1970's and his mission is to produce wines from exceptional vineyards in the best growing regions for each varietal. The Chardonnay is therefor grown in Carneros while other varietals are grown in other areas. Pinot Noir for example is grown in Willamette Valley and Sonoma Coast. The 2004 Los Carneros Camelback Vineyard was barrel fermented in 100%, 1 to 2 year old, French Oak. After that allowed to go through secondary malolactic fermentation. Then bottled without filtration and aged in the bottle until release.It has a golden, light straw color in the glass. Initially on the nose, buttery oak overshadows everything else, but letting it sit in the glass for 5 minutes very different aromas appear. This time soft floral and citrus steps in with the oak and leaves a more balanced impression. Tasting the wine, ripe apple and pear, with citrus and some tropical fruit shows up. The mouth feel is round and soft with creamy oak that doesn't st

The 2005 Artesa Carneros Chardonnay has a pale straw color in the glass with a slight green tint. On the nose I pick up pear, green apple, citrus, and some yellow peach at the end. On the palate the apple and citrus comes through really nice, with a smooth, round, creaminess. The wine is however not to buttery but instead quite lively and fresh. This character comes from 2/3 of the wine being fermented in oak and 1/3 in stainless steel tanks, plus the fact that only 1/2 of it went through the secondary malolactic fermentation. The malolactic fermentation is the step in wine making that gives the wine its buttery creaminess. Since only half went through it, you still keep some fresh fruit character. It lacks a little bit in complexity, but it is over all a really nice white.I enjoyed this chardonnay thanks to the fact that it was not overly oaky, or to buttery/creamy. If I had to pay the winery price ($30) I would opt for something else, but when finding it at Wine-Searcher.com from $9

Presentación Viña Casa Silva: Dorado brillante con matices verdes. Excelente fruta, aromas a duraznos blancos y plátano. En boca, cremoso, de acidez refrescante, con notas a piña y plátano que llevan a un grato y largo final. Origen: Valle de Colchagua Cosecha: Desde el 10 al 15 de Marzo, 2006. 100% Cosecha manual Vinificación: Selección manual de la uvas [...]

I have enjoyed this wine many times (of different vintages) and it hit me tonight that I have never shared it with you. So here it is...I can't share my thought on this wine with you without starting with some history, because the wine maker, Jim Clendenen, really deserves it. He started as the assistant wine maker at Zaca Mesa Winery in 1978. In 1982 he went on to found, with ex-partner Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat. Jim Clendenen has been a ground breaking wine maker and force in Santa Ynez Valley ever since. He has won several accolades and awards during the years and was named "Wine maker of the Year" in 2001 by Food and Wine Magazine. So, on to the wine. The Au Bon Climate 2005 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay consists of grapes from two vineyards, 65% Bien Nacido Vineyard and 35% Rancho Vinedo Vineyard. It is barrel fermented and aged in French oak. It has a pale, golden, straw color in the glass. Sticking you nose in the glass, pear, buttery toast, citrus and a hint of tropical f

Only $9.99 at my local grocery store and with some great reviews, I just had to try this wine.The Step Rd. 2005 Black Wing, South Australia, Chardonnay has a medium-light straw color with an ever so tiny hint of green in the glass. On the nose it shows ripe pear, citrus and pineapple. On the palate the pear shows up again with nice citrus and a hint of vanilla. The mouth feel is initially round with a slight buttery creaminess, that is washed away by the plentiful, fresh, mouth watering acidity. This is a medium bodied, to a certain extent ripe, but still "cooling", chardonnay with a really nice finish of lingering fruit and the acidity that holds it's grip until the very end.I really liked this wine and plan to get some more for summer entertaining.Find it at Wine-Searcher.com and WineZap.com from $9.99. This is a must try for the dollar spent!Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!

Tonight I had a shrimp and broccoli fettuccine for dinner and paired it with the Clos Pegase 2005 Mitsuko's Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay.This wine has a clear, medium straw color in the glass. Sticking your nose in the glass you pick up citrus and white peach with light floral notes, and a hint of almond. Sipping it ripe pear, citrus, and again, the white peach, coats the palate. It has soft a creaminess with some buttery oak, balanced out by medium firm acidity giving this white a clean fresh finish, with metallic minerals leaving it's mark at the very end.It paired very well with dinner and having 90 degrees+ up here today a chilled, not to oaky chardonnay was exactly what I needed. I got this at Safeway on sale for $22.99, but you can find it at Wine-Searcher.com for as low as $19.99.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!

Presentación de Viña Casablanca: Variedad: Chardonnay Denominación de Origen: Valle de Casablanca Cosecha: 2005 Sistema de Conducción: Espaldera Potencial de Guarda: Entre 1 y 3 años Notas de cata: Se presenta con un color amarillo brillante. Muestra una intensa combinación de aromas a frutas tropicales, especialmente piñas y plátanos. Al paladar es frutoso, fresco y bien balanceado, destacando nuevamente las [...]

Presentación Viña Concha y Toro: “Los viñedos de Sunrise reciben 300 días de sol al año, permitiéndole a sus vides alcanzar una madurez excepcional, logrando un vino profundo y de carácter único. Este Chardonnay es de color amarillo brillante. Sus aromas nos recuerdan a manzanas verdes y frutas tropicales. Sabor fresco, con cuerpo medio y [...]

This is another bottle we got in our latest shipment from Fess Parker wine club.The 2005 American Tradition Reserve Santa Barbara County Chardonnay has a clean, medium dark, straw color in the glass. On the nose this wine shows citrus, apple, white floral, caramel and oak. The apple shows up on the palate again, this time more green and tart. Citrus and good acidity balances the round, creamy palate. Much to often chardonnays leave you with a too creamy, cloying finish but thanks to the really nice acidity, this one exits with a pleasant round, but fresh feeling.This chardonnay is not yet available to the public. I payed $30 through the wine club and it will be around $35 as it reaches retail. A really nice Chardonnay but it seems to belong more in the $25 range... Give it a try. You be the judge... Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on The Blog TopI am now in top 11!

Thought I would try this Chardonnay from Mendoza when I found it one the 5 cent sale at BevMo (buy on bottle for full price and get the second for 5 cents).This wine has a medium light, clear, straw color in the glass. On the nose, creamy, ripe, green apple with lemony citrus and a hint of buttery oak. On the palate the apple is more of the tart character with citrus and round, creamy mouth feel and medium acidity.This wine was fermented in new French oak for 8 months and you can certainly detect it both in the nose and on the palate. It is however still a relatively refreshing chardonnay with not to heavy creaminess.I got his at BevMo for $ 14.99, with bottle number two for only 5 cents, so that means that I only paid $7 per bottle. This wine is by no means going to "break any scoring records" but it is a solid, nice chardonnay for a good price. This is a wine that will most likely please the crowd considering the realtively low price.Vote for my blog here and help me reach top 10 on

Presentación de viña Las Casas del Toqui: La secuencia de días soleados y calurosos y noches frías permiten obtener una madurez perfecta al memento de la vendimia manual, que empieza a fines de febrero para terminarse a mediado de abril. A través de la vinificación y crianza de este vino, buscamos expresar toda la elegancia y nobleza [...]

Are you just like me sometimes craving a good chardonnay without all the heavy oak? If so, this is your bottle...The Kim Crawford 2005 Marlborough Unoaked Chardonnay was like the name suggests not fermented in oak but in stainless steel tanks. It did however go through malolactic fermentation to give it a soft creaminess. Displaying light straw color in the glass, you might as well be looking at a Sauvignon Blanc. On the nose citrus, apple and some butterscotch. Round tropical fruit and creamy citrus with firm acidity and lingering finish in the mouth. It all gives this Chardonnay a Sauvignon Blanc feel. Over all a very refreshing Chardonnay that feels light and crisp instead of heavy and over oaked. The price is also hard to beat, $13,99 (at sale) at my local grocery store. If not available in yours, you can find it at Wine-Searcher.com or WineZap.com from $12.99. Give this wine a try if you like unoaked chardonnay. I think you will find it very worthy for the price...

Presentación Viña Casa Lapostolle: “Este Chardonnay fue parcialmente fermentado y envejecido durante 8 meses en barricas de roble francés. El color del vino es brillante y profundo. En nariz, es aromático y complejo con notas de fruta tropical, durazno y madera.” SurVino:

Presentación de Viña Terra Noble: ” De intenso y atractivo color amarillo-verdoso, en este Chardonnay se percibenj intensos aromas a frutas tropicales y piña, junto a la interesante complejidad que le otorga su fermentación en barricas nuevas. Es un vino Fresco, vivaz y bien equilibrado. Ideal como aperitivo o con distintos tipos de comidas livianas. se [...]

Presentación de la Viña Leyda: ” Leyda Classic Reserve Chardonnay proviene de nuestros propios viñedos en el Valle de Leyda, ubicados a 14Km del Océano Pacífico. La proximidad al mar hace de este nuevo valle un lugar ideal para la viticultura. Las condiciones templadas durante la primavera y el verano, son perfectas para el desarrollo [...]

FELIZ DÍA A TODAS!!! Este 8 de marzo se celebra el día internacional de la mujer, y creo que realmente 1 día es muy poco para ellas, se lo merecen realmente por su dedicación, cariño, amor y todas las palabras bonitas que se puedan decir... la verdad es que simplemente, como dice Arjona, no podemos vivir sin ellas... y en algunos casos tampoco con ellas jajaja, pero en este caso no tocaremos ese punto.Hoy quiero dedicarles los tragos mas finos solo para ellas:CHAMPAGNE POLONAISE1 Cucharadita de licor de moras1/2 Cucharadita de cognacChampagne Extra SecoEn una copa ancha y abierta, previamente enfriada y espolvoreada con azúcar, verter el licor de moras, el cognac y completar con champagne. Revolver suavemente.Si quieren algo un poquito mas fuerte algo Mexicano...MARGARITA2 Partes de tequila1 Parte de Triple Sec½ Parte de jugo de limónHieloPoner cubos de hielo en la licuadora, agregar los ingredientes mezclar hasta que el hielo esté a punto de nieve y servir en copas de cócte

The British freighter Napoli was beached along the English coast over the weekend and hundreds of containers were lost overboard. In addition to dog food, cosmetics and BMW motorcycles, part of the booty to wash up on the Devon coast were 158 new French oak barrels.French barrel maker Tonnellerie Boutes said the barrels were headed to South African wineries, but the barriques ended up on Bascombe beach, where treasure hunting locals were picking through the cargo.The issue for South African vintners is that the 2007 harvest is about to begin and wineries face a barrel shortage. Tonnellerie Boutes said it would expedite the manufacture of replacement barrels, but they may not arrive when they are needed.The barrels, worth $850 each, are covered under the shipping company's insurance policy.

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection, Gold Label, 2004 Cardonnay from Monterey, is a good everyday chardonnay. Eat it with a fish or chicken dish, or sip it on its own. It has a nice creamy texture with some crisp acididty. The color is golden wheat and on the nose you can smell pear and tropical friut. The palate reveals appel, light citus, oak and again, tropical fruit. This is an great crowd pleaser for a budget. The cost is $14 per bottle. This is an easy one to find at the major grocery store's shelves. If you have no luck there you can buy it at www.wine.com or find it for as little as $10.99 at www.wine-searcher.com.

One of my favorite Chardonnay makers in Santa Ynez Valley is Fess Parker (I am a long time wineclub member). We were down there a couple of weeks ago and brought some friends from the Sacramento area for wine tasting. They usually go to Napa Valley and this was their first time in "our" valley, and I believe they really liked it. We both picked up some Fess Parker 2004 Santa Rita Hills, Ashley's Vineyard, Chardonnay. It has nice crisp pear, apple and light citrus, and just the right amount of cream and oak. Rated 91 by Wine and Spirit it is not to bad of a deal for $28, join the wineclub and get if for only $22. www.fessparker.com

Ficha de cata Suntuoso vino blanco elaborado a partir de nuestras ricas uvas mediterráneas de Chardonnay, de gran carácter y personalidad. Personalidad proveniente de su fermentación y envejecimiento en barricas de roble francés, americano, húngaro, ruso, rumanés, eslovaco y alemán y posterior batonnage. La fermentación y el tiempo que nuestro Chardonnay ha pasado en barrica le profiere [...]