Drink Wine With Me

Archive for the ‘Chardonnay’ Category

I may have been on a temporary break from writing about wine but I was certainly drinking my share since my last post!  For my birthday my boyfriend purchased me a membership to the Zagat Wine Club.  My first case has arrived and I am already diving in and tasting the offerings.  Le Petit Pauvre Chardonnay 2007 is one of their white wine picks.  Produced in Monteray County, CA this dry and full bodied white is created from 100% chardonnay grapes sourced from several wineries in the state.  In the glass it was a very pale straw color.  It had a minerality to the aroma as well as hints of lemon and pear.  The flavors in this Chardonnay were very different from the Chardonnays I have been drinking lately.  I don’t think this wine has undergone malolactic fermentation since there wasn’t a strong buttery flavor that I have come to love.  It was however refreshing and crisp with very tropical fruit flavor and great acid.  This wine is aged in French oak and is on the stronger side with the alcohol at 13.9%.  I enjoyed Le Petit Pauvre Chardonnay with citrus halibut and an orange and red pepper couscous.  Paired with poultry, fish, or cheese it is a great choice and is very reasonably priced at under $20 per bottle.

I never thought I would say this but I have found a 100% chardonnay that I am currently enamored with and have actually been buying on a regular basis.  The discovery of Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 2008 was made at a recent Court Street wine tasting.  I cannot stress enough to people who want to learn about wine how important it is to attend tastings and try as many different wine varieties as possible.  They are not only educational but so much fun to sit through.  They have led me to many excellent wines including this current pick.  Not one to ever order or buy a bottle of Chardonnay since it has always been my least favorite white wine variety, I was amazed with Au Bon Climat from the first sip.  Produced in Santa Barbara, CA this wine is medium bodied and aged in French oak, adding to it’s flavor and depth.  The aroma was soft and buttery with notes of melon.  The flavors of tropical and citrus fruits marry well with a good acidity and a slightly mineral finish.  Au Bon Climat works well with food but is also great on it’s own.  It is well worth it’s price tag and can be purchased for less than $20.