BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

88
Arcadian 2007 Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands).
Apricot jam and late-harvest botrytis flavors are often
characteristic of this vineyard. This is bone dry, with
brisk acidity and stony minerality. It will gradually lose
fruit over the years. —S.H.
abv: NA Price: $45
88
Arrowood 2009 Alary Chardonnay (Russian
River Valley). Here’s a smooth, creamy
Chardonnay for drinking now. It has good weight, with
a deep center of citrus, peach and buttered toast flavors.
Russian River Valley acidity makes it racy and clean.
—S.H.
abv: 15.2% Price: $35
88
Bernardus 2010 Chardonnay (Monterey
County). The popular, modern style has dictated
the crafting of this wine. It’s sweet and delicious in
buttered toast, caramel corn and ripe orange and golden
mango fruit, brightened with crisp acidity. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $22
88
Center of Effort 2009 Chardonnay (Edna
Valley). A big improvement over the ’08
bottling, the winery’s ’09 is dry and tart in Central Coast
acidity, with pure, clean flavors of tangerine, vanilla
and buttered toast. It’s a lovely Chardonnay; drink now.
—S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $30
88
Girard 2010 Chardonnay (Russian River
Valley). A solid wine, rich in oak-inspired
orange, apricot and Asian pear flavors, with a spicy,
creamy finish. The acidity is notable, making this Chardonnay
brisk and clean. —S.H.
abv: 13.9% Price: $24
88
Kendall-Jackson 2010 Vintner’s Reserve
Chardonnay (California). This is clean and
dry, with crisp acidity. It’s leaner than many richer Chardonnays,
but shows plenty of wealth and creaminess,
and citrus and pear flavors. A nice partner to roasted
chicken or broiled halibut. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $15
88
Morro Bay 2010 Split Oak Estates Sur Lie
Chardonnay (California). For full review
see page 12. Best Buy.
abv: 13.9% Price: $11
88
Parducci 2010 Small Lot Blend Chardonnay
(Mendocino County). A light-golden
Chardonnay that does its county proud. It’s lively and
bright, with medium weight and flavors of sweet lemon
custard, apple, and a lime-zest-dominated finish. This is
a very good wine at a very fair price that should pair with
an assortment of dinner fare. Best Buy. —V.B.
abv: 13.5% Price: $11
88
Pride Mountain 2010 Chardonnay (Napa
Valley). Bone dry and strong, this Chardonnay
displays concentrated citrus, apricot and peach flavors
that are heavily influenced by the toast of oak barrels.
It’s flashy, although a touch heavy and meant for consuming
now. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $38
16 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | JULY 2012
88
Signaterra 2010 West Rows Sangiacomo
Vineyard Chardonnay (Carneros). This
wine continues to be big, with bold fruit and notable
oak and lees influence. It’s as full bodied as a red wine,
with flavors of apricot, orange, buttered toast and yeasty
cream flavors. Drink up. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $32
88
Stark 2009 Windsor Oaks Vineyard Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). An exotic
Chardonnay, this is reminiscent of a Rhône white wine,
with its honeysuckle, mineral, apricot, tangerine and
sautéed banana flavors. It’s certainly savory. Don’t drink
it too cold. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $30
87
Aquinas 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley).
This is barrel fermented, with noticeable flavors
of heavily buttered toast, butterscotch and caramel flavors.
Bright with crisp acidity, it also features notes of
ripe pineapple, pear, peach and mango. —S.H.
abv: 13.7% Price: $15
87
B.R. Cohn 2010 Silver Label Chardonnay
(North Coast). The Sonoma Valley-based winery
has sourced from all over for this wine and from a
wide selection of clones. This wine is attractively priced
for its crisp and lively golden delicious apple flavors and
smoky oak presence. Richly textured, the finish is all
about lemon. —V.B.
abv: 13.9% Price: $15
87
Buehler 2010 Chardonnay (Russian
River Valley). Sweet oak and jammy fruit
dominate this Chardonnay. Made in the popular style,
its buttered toast, orange marmalade and honey flavors—all
brightened with acidity—will find widespread
appeal. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $16
87
Cosentino 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley).
Here’s a dry, crisp Chardonnay. The tropical
fruit flavors are grounded by herbs and minerals,
elaborated by smoky oak. Drink now. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $24
87
Fenestra 2010 Chardonnay (Livermore
Valley). Lightly floral and quite Burgundian
aromatically, this wine exudes a mixture of caramel and
earth amid a full-bodied texture and racy acidity. —V.B.
abv: 14.2% Price: $18
87
Folie à Deux 2010 Chardonnay (Russian
River Valley). A fine Chardonnay, brisk
in acidity and dry, with complex citrus, peach and pear
flavors, enhanced with smoky oak. Drink now before it
loses its freshness. —S.H.
abv: 13.9% Price: $18
87
Herzog 2009 Special Reserve Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). There’s lots to
like in this Chardonnay, from the pineapple, orange
and peach fruit, to the creamy texture, crisp acidity and
smoky oak. But it tastes a bit jammy sweet. —S.H.
abv: 14% Price: $36
87
Hill Wine Company 2010 Sustainably
Grown Chardonnay (Napa Valley). For full
review see page 11.
abv: 14.1% Price: $18
87
Jenner 2010 Chardonnay (Sonoma
Coast). Ripe and oaky, with notes of vanilla
and buttered toast dominating pineapple and tropical
fruit flavors. Brisk acidity provides a needed balance to
all this richness. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $18
87
Kuleto Estate 2010 Chardonnay (Napa
Valley). Strives for power in every way, with
massively ripe, extracted pineapple, orange and peach
flavors, as well as lots of oak. The barrel aging brings
butterscotch and caramel notes. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $45
87
Lafond 2010 SRH Chardonnay (Sta.
Rita Hills). Shows opulent, vibrant flavors of
pineapple and orange jam, with accents of butter, cream
and vanilla. Very flashy and decadent, if a little obvious.
This should pair nicely with rich shellfish dishes. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $22
87
Lava Cap 2010 Battonage Chardonnay
(El Dorado). This El Dorado wine opens
with aromas of sweet floral jasmine and is very pretty
through and through. Its acidity sings perfectly through
the middle of the wine, lifting the flavors of apple and
dried apricot as well as the notes of lemon and lime on
the finish. This should pair with a range of midweek
dinners. —V.B.
abv: 14.6% Price: $18
87
Liquid Farm 2010 White Hill Chardonnay
(Sta. Rita Hills). Marked by brisk, cutting
acidity, this Chardonnay is bone dry, with a steely,
stony cut of mineral that’s relieved by lemon and lime
flavors. It’s a severe wine by itself, but it should be food
friendly. —S.H.
abv: 13.7% Price: $38
87
Lucia 2010 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia
Highlands). This shows that apricotty,
botrytised aroma and flavor often found in Santa Lucia
Chardonnays from the cooler parts of the appellation,
but it’s not at all sweet. Instead, it’s a bone-dry wine,
with vibrant acidity. —S.H.
abv: NA Price: $40
87
Maldonado 2009 Los Olivos Vineyard
Chardonnay (Napa Valley). Rich in flavors
of buttered toast, buttered popcorn, vanilla, pineapple,
orange and apricot jam, this is an elaborate Chardonnay.
It’s a very lush offering, honey sweet on the
finish. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $42
87
McIntyre Vineyards 2010 Estate Block
K-1 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands).
A big, strong Chardonnay that’s impressive for
it’s sheer power. This offers in-your-face flavors of pineapple
and apricot jam and oak. It’s rich and opulent, but
lacks some delicacy and grace. Drink now. —S.H.
abv: 14.4% Price: $38