Decanterberry Tales - A Willamette Valley Wine Blog - chardonnay tag

Emerson Vineyards, Chardonnay, 2007

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:52:27 GMT

We've come to really enjoy wines from Emerson Vineyards. They make really nice affordable wines. No, this isn't Beaux Freres or Ken Wright; but then, that's not what they're trying for. Instead, they offer wines that are perfect for a nice and unpretentious dinner with friends and family, or maybe a picnic in the summer. And this time we have their latest Chardonnay.

If you're looking for stereotypical California Chardonnay, this is not that bottle. This is not oaked up and buttery, though it does have a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the contrary. Whoa! This one is a bit of tart one. If you like sour candies, then this is the wine for you. It's a tart apple. Imagine lime mixed with granny smith apples: that's this wine. The taste is a mix of lime and a little grass. The taste and texture mutate a bit as you swallow. It starts out sort of smooth and creamy, yet it finishes really crisp -- as Elizabeth said: "like a bartlet". "Like a bartlet?" I asked. "Yeah, and then I'm just happy" she replied. Okay, not sure what she meant with the apple reference exactly, but she really liked this wine.

It's a really refreshing wine made for a hot day. Yes, definitely serve this one cold.

Cost:

Rating: 8.0

Louis Latour, Grand Ardeche, Chardonnay, 2006

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:13:07 GMT

Here's another wine I had recently that was enjoyable considering the cost. Like most people, I drink more red than white; and generally, I'll pick another varietal over Chardonnay (not that I dislike it). This one was notable for being well balanced and tasty for the price.

The nose was lemon-lime, and something mineral (just a hint). There was a bit of oak, yet not overly buttery. Sort of in between a Burgundy and California Chardonnay in style. Not too light, not to heavy -- just in the middle.

The taste was lemon, celery, and kiwi. It was acidic, so drink it cold; yet it wasn't that gut-bomb acid either. Just good structure. At the very end, that citrus took on a taste almost like Rainier cherry.

It was just slightly sour at the start, then a little fruit sweetness in the middle, followed by that good body it had. This makes a great summer wine.

Cost:

Rating: 7.5

Frank Family Vineyards, Chardonnay, 2006

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:05:28 GMT

So this was a California Chardonnay to compare with one from Oregon (see earlier review). Again, this was the same vintage (2006) and the same price point (about $32). And I was surprised to find that this one was not that super-oak, super-butter Cali Chard. In fact, it was very nice as well.

The nose was -- I kid you not -- gruyere cheese! This, mixed with lime. The taste was very crisp and fruity. Much more fruity and sweet than the Oregon Chard. No, this isn't to say it was sweet. Just relatively. It did have an oaky aroma, but it wasn't that buttery/oak bomb at all. It was crisp like a cucumber or a bartlet apple. Like the Oregon Chard, this also had tastes of pears and hints of melon. And there was also some tangerine in there, but in this one, it was a much sweeter tangerine than the Oregon version. Someone else thought it tasted like sweet lime (not sugary, but not at all sour).

Alexandra noted that this one had "more fruit aroma than fruit flavor". Herb noted the flowery aromas. Everyone thought this was clean and fresh and crisp. Well done.

Cost:

Rating: 9.0

Carabella, 'Dijon 76 Clone', Chardonnay, 2006

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:55:11 GMT

I have to admit upfront that we don't drink all that much white wine. Of course we drink a lot more wine that the average, so we likely drink more white wine that most as well. And frankly, Denise rarely likes drinking white wine. Sometimes, but not often. So what do we do? We have a dinner with nothing but white wines. This is the first of three reviews where we deliberately compared two Chardonnays, and then followed with a Riesling.

Up to bat first was this Oregon Chardonnay. The second wine is also a Chardonnay and also the same vintage -- 2006 -- and the same price point -- about $32. The difference being that the second was from California. We deliberately started with the Oregon Chardonnay because we figured it would be more Burgundian in style. So, how was it?

The nose was flowery and pear and lychee. Despite my early caveat, Denise just loved this wine. She described it as "gorgeous", and "rich, like an elegant woman", and it "smells and tastes like a great perfume".

The taste was a mix of pear and paper whites (narcissus). It starts like a honey few melon (just a hint of sweetness), then it transitions quickly. In the middle there's tangerine and guava (as it seems sweet, though not literally of course). The finish returns to the pear and flower flavors, and here it's not sweet in the least. And when I say that it seems sweet, I mean it's just a flash of fruit. Then that fruit continues, but in a very dry way (and then, mixed with those flowers).

Denise kept going, saying how complex is was, and mentioning that drinking it was like "smelling the neck of a woman". Goodness. And indeed it was interesting. There was just fruit everywhere, but not in a sweet way. Interesting and popular. Everyone really loved this wine ... and surprisingly, especially Denise!

Cost:

Rating: 9.5