![]() In the mouth it is full bodied with flavors of ripe fruit and lemon preserves with a splash of bright acidity on the finish. It has aromas of lemon blossom, white peach and a whiff of acacia honey in the elegant bouquet. This voluptuous Carneros Chardonnay is barrel fermented and spends 18 months on the lees. It is drinking beautifully right now, but feel free to cellar for two to four years. In the mouth there is an initial citrus splash followed by full bodied flavors of butter, lemon meringue, and warm pastry crust. This is a classic Napa Chardonnay with notes of citrus, green apple, white peach, buttered brioche and white flowers all found in the complex bouquet. The finish is long with a delightful splash of acidity on the post palate. Upon entry into the mouth there is vibrant acidity and a strong backbone of minerality with flavors of Granny Smith apple and lemon curd. It has aromas of honeysuckle, jasmine and lime pith with hints of freshly ground nutmeg in the enticing bouquet. This wine is proudly Napa made but most definitely Burgundian in style. The prestigious Hyde Vineyard is co-owned by Aubert de Villaine who also co-owns Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. Frank Family 2020 Lewis Vineyard Chardonnay Napa Valley.Newton 2017 Chardonnay Unfiltered Napa Valley.Mayacamas 2018 Mount Veeder Chardonnay Napa Valley.Mira Hyde 2017 Vineyard Chardonnay Napa Valley.Cuvaison 2020 Small Lot Hedon Chardonnay Napa Valley.HDV 2018 Hyde Vineyard Carneros Napa Valley.Some have more oak derived characteristics, some have less, but with the variety to choose from you won’t be disappointed. ![]() Most are made with a judicious use of oak that accents Napa Valley grapes letting the heady fruit aromas and flavors shine through rather than overpowered by oak. We have picked nine food friendly wines to enjoy with your family and friends many of them are a few years old and we think that they are drinking perfectly right now. If you’ve stayed away from Chardonnay for a while it’s time to come back home to Napa Valley. In the summer we prefer to drink less oaked styles while in the winter our heavier food choices lean towards more oaked versions. ![]() Well-oaked versions pair nicely with grilled fish and meat in cream sauces, vegetables with Hollandaise or Béarnaise sauces or a simple steamed lobster dipped in clarified butter. Non-oaked (or lightly oaked) versions are great to drink on their own as an aperitif or pair with crudité platters, charcuterie and briny seafood. It all depends upon what we’re pairing it with. We are big fans of California Chardonnay and enjoy a non-oaked version as much as a well-oaked version. Some choose to age in oak for a few months and some choose to not age in oak at all, so wine lovers today have a variety of California Chardonnays to choose from. Some winemakers ferment Chardonnay in stainless steel, while others ferment in barrels. Today some Napa Valley winemakers still use oak to accent their wines, but we like to think the current use is more like a wood frame to highlight the beautiful characteristics of valley grown fruit rather than an oppressive one. ![]() We should all be grateful that California winemakers listened to their consumers, began scaling back their use of oak and instead let the beautiful flavors of Napa Valley grown grapes shine through. People began associating California Chardonnay with heavy amounts of oak and in fact, one French winemaker we had dinner with in the late 1990s referred to California Chardonnay having flavors “like a piece of wood slathered in butter.” These unfortunate tricks were not just a California phenomenon and extended to mass produced Chardonnays made in other countries including Australia and South America. This most likely occurred because winemakers responded to demand, increased production and began making lower quality wines using techniques such as wood chips and “sawdust teabags” to make heavily oak-flavored wine. The varietal became immensely popular in the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s until wine drinkers began their love-hate relationship with Chardonnay and joked about the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement. Well-made Chardonnays from Napa Valley first hit the wine world’s collective conscious in 1976 when Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the “Judgement of Paris.” Aficionados everywhere were shocked when a California wine beat France’s time-honored Chardonnays. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Robb Report may receive an affiliate commission.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |