BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

90
Sarah’s Vineyard 2010 Chardonnay (Santa
Cruz Mountains). This dry, acidic, minerally
Chardonnay brings Burgundy to mind. It has a lot
going for it, but is rather tight and angular despite a rich
vein of pineapple and lemon drop. Distinguished in its
way, it’s a fine wine, at a great price. Editors’ Choice.
—S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $25
90
Stonegate 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley).
For full review see page 8. Editors’
Choice.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25
90
Summerland 2010 Wolff Vineyard Chardonnay
(Edna Valley). Acidity is the best
thing about this Chardonnay. Without it, the tangerine,
apricot and lime flavors, accented by sweet oaky vanilla,
would make it a mere fruit bomb. Tartness wakes it all
up and makes the finish clean and pure. —S.H.
abv: 13% Price: $34
89
Bennett Lane 2008 Reserve Sangiacomo
Vineyard Chardonnay (Carneros). Made
in the popular style, this Chardonnay has flavors of buttered
toast, pineapple jam, vanilla and cinnamon spice.
At the age of three-plus years, it’s soft and mellow. Not
likely to improve, so drink up. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $45
89
Cakebread 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley).
Rich and oaky, with pineapple jam, tangerine
juice, buttered toast and vanilla spice flavors. It’s
a big, opulent wine, but a little in your face. Drink now.
—S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $37
89
Deep Sea 2009 Chardonnay (Central
Coast). Made in a bone dry, acidic style, what
this Chardonnay lacks in richness it makes up for in elegance.
Fans of sweet, buttery Chards won’t like it, but
true aficionados will appreciate the austere citrus and
mineral flavors. —S.H.
abv: 13.7% Price: $21
88
Bonterra 2010 Chardonnay (Mendocino
County). Bonterra excels with this leaner,
lighter, brighter form of Chardonnay. Made out of organically
grown grapes, it’s crisp as a green apple, with
just a trace of butterscotch on the otherwise lemony finish.
—V.B.
abv: 13.5% Price: $14
88
J. Wilkes 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley). Lush,
creamy and smooth, with buttered toast, lemon custard,
crême brulée and spice flavors. Maybe a little overworked,
but it satisfies Chardonnay cravings. —S.H.
abv: 13.8% Price: $24
88
Melville 2010 Verna’s Estate Chardonnay
(Santa Barbara County). New oak sticks
out on this Chardonnay, with buttered toast and vanilla
dominating the tropical fruit, orange and Meyer lemon
flavors. It’s finely constructed, with deft acidity and a
stony minerality. Drink now–2013. —S.H.
abv: 13.8% Price: $22
88
Sarah’s Vineyard 2010 Estate Chardonnay
(Santa Clara Valley). Oak dominates
this Chardonnay in its buttered toast, caramel and butterscotch
flavors. Buried under that are pleasantly ripe
pineapples and lemons. The winery suggests it will age
through 2020, but that seems doubtful. —S.H.
abv: 14.4% Price: $30
87
Darcie Kent Vineyards 2010 DeMayo
Vineyard Chardonnay (Livermore Valley).
For full review see page 9.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
87
Francis Ford Coppola 2010 Director’s
Cut Chardonnay (Russian River Valley).
Made in the popular style, with flavors of buttered popcorn,
toast, honey, pineapple and vanilla. Tastes rather
sweet, but brisk acidity helps maintain balance. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $21
87
Francis Ford Coppola 2010 Votre Santé
Chardonnay (California). Lots to like in this
smooth, polished Chardonnay. It shows plenty of ripe
pineapple, peach and pear flavors, with overtones of
vanilla and buttered toast. Good price for the quality.
—S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $14
87
Sarah’s Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay (Santa
Cruz Mountains). Seems like it might have
been better a year ago. Although you’ll find rich pineapple,
lemon drop and butterscotch flavors, they’re getting
a little tired, and the oak is starting to dominate.
—S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $25
87
Tortoise Creek 2010 Jam’s Blend Chardonnay
(Lodi). For full review see page 11.
Best Buy.
abv: 13.3% Price: $11
86
Black Stallion 2010 Chardonnay (Napa
Valley). Dry, minerally and acidic, this Chardonnay
offers pineapple, lemon and mineral flavors. It’s
a food-friendly wine that won’t compete with what you
eat. At this price, it’s a good restaurant wine, and easy to
find, with 7,500 cases produced. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $19
86
Rodney Strong 2009 Reserve Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). Overworked
and oaky, with vanilla, buttered toast and sweet caramel
flavors dominating everything else. Buried beneath are
pineapple and pear flavors. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
86
Ruby Hill Winery 2009 Reserve Chardonnay
(Livermore Valley). Ruby Hill’s Reserve
has the requisite pear, lemon and tropical fruit so many
Chardonnay lovers adore, and its barrel influence is very
strong, both in its richness and creamy body. —V.B.
abv: 14.5% Price: $20
86
Summerland 2010 Chardonnay (Santa
Barbara County). Oak stands out, bringing
buttered toast and butterscotch candy flavors that dominate
the underlying pineapple, lemon drop and green
apple fruit. Brisk acidity and a tangy minerality add layers
of appeal. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $18
85
Black Box 2010 Chardonnay (Monterey
County). At the equivalent of about $6 a bottle,
this is a good buy. It’s made in the popular Chardonnay
style, with pineapple, peach and spice flavors accented
by smoky oak. Best Buy. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $25/3 L
85
Concannon 2010 Reserve Chardonnay
(Livermore Valley). A ripe Chardonnay, big
and full, with fistfuls of oak influence and a spoonful of
sugar to help it go down. Find some rich crab cakes in a
creamy sauce and enjoy. —V.B.
abv: 14.7% Price: $20
85
De Loach 2010 OFS Chardonnay (Russian
River Valley). New oak accounts for only
30% of the barrel regimen, but it dominates this Chardonnay,
with buttered toast, vanilla and caramel flavors.
Fortunately there’s also strong pineapple, Asian pear
and apricot fruit, but the oak is too powerful. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
85
Garnet 2010 Chardonnay (Sonoma
Coast). Butterscotch and pineapple and peach
jam flavors mark this Chardonnay. Fortunately, it’s balanced
with crisp acidity and a certain minerality. It’s an
obvious crowd pleaser, and would score higher except
for the seemingly sweet finish. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $15
85
Sarah’s Vineyard 2010 Chardonnay
(Central Coast). Take a few bucks off the
price, and this would be a good value. As things stand,
this Chardonnay, which is a blend of Santa Clara Valley
and Santa Cruz Mountains fruit, is fairly standard. It’s
dry and crisp, with pleasant lemon-custard flavors that
turn a little unripe on the finish. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $20
84
Bardessono 2010 Chardonnay (Knights
Valley). Not much going on in this heavy Chardonnay
beyond the oak. There are modest pineapple
and peach flavors, but they wash away quickly. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $27
84
Castle Rock 2010 Chardonnay (Russian
River Valley). Too oaky and forward in tropical
fruit flavors. Takes the popular style and exaggerates
it. It will nonetheless appeal to lots of people. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $18
84
Stonegate 2010 Collection Chardonnay
(California). Toasty oak, pineapples, oranges
and vanilla combine in this Chardonnay to make it an
easy-drinking everyday sipper. It seems little sweet, like
jam. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $16
84
Whetstone 2009 El Pajaro Chardonnay
(Carneros). An eccentric Chardonnay, not at
all like the vast majority. With its apricot jam, lychee,
sautéed banana, honey and crême brulée flavors, it’s an
outlier. —S.H.
abv: 14.6% Price: $45
WineMag.com | 47