Chardonnay

Wine Review | Robert Mondavi | 2010 Chardonnay | Napa Valley

Robert Mondavi 2010 Chardonnay, Napa Valley

2010 Chardonnay, Napa Valley

Like the vintage in neighboring Carneros, the 2010 Napa Valley vintage was below average in temperature. The cool season allowed the fruit more time to ripen on the vine and according to Mondavi literature this intensified the flavors nicely.

The first thing to note with this wine is a nicely vibrant nose. The nose is crisp with a slightly searing citric acidity. There is a hint of ripe fruit lurking ever so slightly in the background.

The second thing to note is that the palate is quite different than the powerful nose would suggest. The palate is wonderfully smooth and restrained, and balanced. The oak is not over done, which I find to be the case with so many Napa Chardonnays. The oak was more anecdotal, the main characteristic being a smooth creamy texture and a tropical fruit bouquet.

The fruit for this vintage actually came from Napa (41%), Carneros (39%) and 12% Sonoma. The juice or 77% of it was fermented in 15% new French oak. Thats where we get just a hint of the oak, or less than many producers integrate.

Suggested retail price on this wine is $20 with some retailers charging around $15. This wine is a decent value at $20. Like most of the Mondavi product line, you are buying name recognition and consistency, and this wine has both.

Weekly Wine Journal Rating: 90 points

*wine was provided as sample*

Central Coast Chardonnay roundup #1 | Mer Soleil | Layer Cake | Chalone

Wines reviewed in this article: Mer Soleil Silver 2008|Layer Cake 2009 Virgin Chardonnay|Chalone 2009 Monterey

Photo courtesy of Ben Ladouceur

While many parts of North America are still in the grip of winter I have been preparing for spring and summer by tasting Chardonnay. That way, when everyone else finally thaws out ( I live in Phoenix ) they will already have some Chardonnay “inception” on the brain. Let’s get started!

The vast Central Coast region of California stretches 250 miles from Santa Barbara County all the way up to San Francisco . The massive region encompasses 6 Counties and 26 different sub A.V.A’s (American Viticultural Area). There are more than 90,000 acres of vines planted in the Central Coast and about half those acres are Chardonnay. One of those sub AVA’s is The Santa Lucia Highlands which is located about 30 miles east of Monterey, California overlooking the Salinas valley, the same Salinas valley made famous in many of John Steinbeck’s novels.

2008 Mer Soleil Silver

Mer Soleil Vineyard is located on the southern end of the AVA and is named after the influences of the Ocean (Mer) and the Sun (Soleil). The Mer Soleil vineyard is actually part of the Wagner family of wines. The Wagner family has a very long history of wine making in California, and just in case you still don’t know who they are…have you heard of Caymus? Now we’re talking!

Mer Soleil makes two styles of Chardonnay, oaked, and unoaked (Silver). Mer Soleil Silver is fermented in cement and stainless steel tanks and does not undergo Malolactic fermentation. The vineyard subscribes to the agricultural practice of crop rotation and according to the vineyard nearby lemon orchards is impart their flavor profile of the wines.

Mer Soleil’s website has little to offer in terms of technicals on their wine, so I have no information on total production, brix ect. But it does let us know a little about the style. A mix of Chablis like minerality and tropical fruit. I found the wine to be rich, with solid acidity, and slightly riper than I expected, which was pleasant. Think lemon and grapefruit. The wine is dry and has a nice big mouthfeel. The alcohol weighs in at a hefty 14.8% but don’t let that scare you, its really well balanced with the fruit and I didn’t detect any off putting “heat” from it. Mer Soleil Silver retails for around $20 a bottle.

Are you tempted by the cake??

You might have seen Layer Cake’s eye catching label, a nice big slice of layer cake, and you might have been tempted to buy the wine purely on that association and I forgive you for that because I bought their wines for the same reason! Laker Cake’s 2009 Central Coast “Virgin” Chardonnay’s fruit is sourced from two vineyards within the Central Coast AVA; Monterey and Santa Barbara.

Layer Cake’s Chardonnay is quite different than Mer Soleil’s Silver even though both are unoaked. The first thing you will notice is the difference in alcohol content, with the Virgin Chardonnay coming in at a refreshingly light 13.5%. The wine is lighter on the palate, with less minerality though it still retains enough to make it interesting. The fruit is more lime and pineapple than grapefruit. This wine retails for $13.99 and was provided to me as a sample for review

Chalone Vineyard 2009 Monterey Chardonnay. Chalone Vineyard Estate is the oldest winery in Monterey County, and is the only winery in the Chalone AVA. Chalone received international critical acclaim in the Judgment of Paris, 1976 earning 3rd spot out of 10. As different as Layer Cake was to Mer Soleil, Chalone is to both of those wines. Chalone makes wine very much in the French, Burgundian style. The grapes are sourced from the northern portion of the Salinas Valley, in the Arroyo Seco AVA. The soil consists largely of limestone which gives us a clue to the Burgundian connection. By “Burgundian” I mean terroir or specific place driven wine as apposed to producer driven wine such as Bordeaux. Chalone’s Monterey Chardonnay is also relatively light when compared to the typical Chardonnays of Napa Valley, the alcohol comes in at 13.5% This wine, in contrast to the other two, saw 6 months in a combination of French, American and European oak. Light on the oak, but enough to soften the crispness of the mountain fruit a little, as well as add another layer of complexity not found in the other two wines. This wine retails for around $10 which is actually an amazing deal.

These three wines should keep you busy with variety for at least a weekend. Next week I will have 3 more Chardonnays for your consideration

Cheers!

Affordable California Cult Wines, part 1 | Robert Young

A while back I attended a wine tasting billed as “5 Affordable California Cult Wines”. Affordable and Cult? This I had to see. Below is the first of a five part article series reviewing these Cult California labels that I was impressed by.

The first of the wines sampled was the 2006 Robert Young Reserve Chardonnay. According to the label, Robert Young Estate Winery, “Is a tribute to our heritage as fourth generation farmers deeply rooted in the Alexander Valley since 1858″.

I needed to dig a little deeper. According to Susan Young Sheehy, Robert’s daughter, the history of her family in the Alexander Valley started with her great grandfather, Peter Young, who moved to California from upstate New York in the 1800’s and bought a farm. Robert Young was born two generations later in 1919. After The Great Depression which almost saw the family to lose the farm, the Young family eventually hit its stride. In 1963 Robert Young planted the very first Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the now well known wine region of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. The first crops were more successful than anticipated and Robert began tearing out the prune orchards. By 1967 he had planted Chardonnay. In 1976 Chateau St. Jean put the Robert Young name on their label, making the specific vineyard designation a first in American wine. Today, the vineyard produces 14 premium varieties, producing nearly 2,000 tons of grapes. Only 75 tons of these grapes are reserved for the Robert Young Estate Chardonnay, sourced from the very best vines. Their 130 acres of Chardonnay consist of two clones (#17 and #26) which were sourced from Burgundy vines and developed by Robert Young in collaboration with UC Davis. Many people consider the #17 clone (or the “Robert Young Clone”) to be the very best American Chardonnay. In 2008 Robert and his son Jim were recognised for their significant contributions to Sonoma County Viticulture and were awarded the Viticulture Award of Excellence by the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission. Robert Young passed away on June 19th, 2009 at age 90. What an incredible life! Something to think about while sipping this fantastic Chardonnay:

2006 Robert Young Reserve Chardonnay. 100% Estate grown in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. This wine saw 14 months in 40% new French oak, 100% barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation. Alcohol weighs in at 14.3% and production was 3,285 cases. At my favorite wine shop it is selling for $23.99. This wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast. Most of the previous vintages have scored 92-93 points, the exception being the 02 vintage which scored 89 points from Wine Spectator. However, the 01 vintage received 96 points, Editors Choice and best White Wine of the Year from Wine Enthusiast.
Fans of rich, full bodied, dry and oaky Chardonnay will love this, with its multi-layered mid palate displaying a nutty and fig like component with a creamy finish.

If you are looking for something a little more “cultish” you could try to track down a bottle of the Robert Young Cabernet “Big Block”, with only 145 cases produced. If that is still not cultish enough you could try their 2007 Barrel Select Chardonnay which was aged in 2 Seguin Moreau French oak barrels, only enough to make 48 cases.

Though it sounds like an oxy-moron, the small production and long history behind this label make Robert Young a contender as an afforable, California Cult wine. Do you have any personally crowned, affordable California “Cult” wines?

Edited by Jon Troutman

Chardonnay Smackdown #1 | J Vineyards | Cupcake Vineyards | Catena

In this review: J Vineyards 2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay, Catena 2008 Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina.

I received the J Vineyards and Cupcake vineyards wines as samples and I decided to purchase the Catena and batch taste all three, to get a relative sense of how they compare. I tasted all three wines over a six day period tasting a half bottle each night, starting with J Vineyards and finishing with Catena.

J Vineyards 2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Production: 6,000 cases

J Vineyards 2008 Russian River valley Chardonnay

Alcohol: 14.3%

Aging: 100% barrel fermented in 60 gallon Burgundian Oak, 40% new. 6 months of malolactic fermentation. 1 year of rest between bottling and release.

Lemon and honey on the nose, the palate is smooth and creamy almost like Creme Brule. There is a hint of toasted oak, or almond on the back-end. I was quite surprised with how well-balanced this wine was. Not that I was expecting it to be out of balance, but it was just really nice to have a great balance of fruit, oak, acidity, all the aspects that need to come together to make a wine enjoyable. The retail price of $28 might be a little steep when compared to equally great wines from other regions of the world, but compared within the Russian River Valley and Burgundy it is quite reasonable. I would purchase this wine for a special occasion.

Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay

Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay

Production: 100,000 cases

Alcohol: 14%

Aging: 9 months in American Oak

I think of myself as generally a nice guy and so I find it difficult to be critical, having met wine makers and knowing how much of their heart and soul they put into their work. However, this wine fell far short of what I could call enjoyable. I could barely pick up anything on the nose, maybe citrus and oak? The palate was weak, one dimensional and thin. There can be no missing the oak, if you like lots of oak and butter this might be more your style. I don’t know what’s going on here but I far prefered the Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc.

Catena 2008 Chardonnay, Mendoza Argentina

Catena 2008 Chardonnay

Production: N/A

Alcohol: 14.2%

Aging: 9 months sur la lies in 100% French Oak, 35% new

On the nose this wine is very aromatic. Almost explosively floral with spicy green apple citrus aroma that you can actually feel attacking your nostrils (in a good way) and even on the second day. On the palate this wine is deliciously juicy, rich and complex. Weighty in texture like cream, with a nice long smooth finish. Definitely the clear winner out of the three and at $13.99 it is an insane value. Interesting to note that the fruit for this wine comes from 3 vineyards ranging in elevation from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. I would like to try more high elevation Chardonnay and see if it is all this impressive!

Conclusion: Catena was the clear winner because of its richness and complexity and great value. Not far behind was J Vineyards. If you like your Chards a little less over the top, lighter on the oak and butter then you might even place this wine above the Catena. Cupcake Vineyards has a bit of work to do for the 2010 vintage in order to compete.

An Evening with Robert Craig, part 2

This is part 2, to first read part 1 click here
After the initial interview Mr Craig went back to his hotel room to get ready for

The Champagne reception area

the dinner. During this time I was introduced to Trudy Thomas, director of beverage for the Camelback Inn. Trudy introduced me to the other guests and we chatted and mingled while sipping champagne in the reception area before being seated in the private dining area. Trudy gave me a quick tour inside the wine cellar. While not large in terms of quantity, this cellar is impressive for its big Napa and Bordeaux representation. There is at least $100,000 worth of wine in a long narrow walk in cellar that resembles a library in a mahogany hallway. Trudy is one of those people is truly passionate about what she does. What she does is manage all the beverages for the resort, and among other things she helps create the winemaker dinner experience. She has a perfect job, but it’s definitely not just luck. Trudy has 18 years in the wine business and is the only person to have taken both Society of Wine Educators CSW and CWE exams on the same day and passed. I met the man who administered the test and he said that Trudy actually knows even more about spirits! She is meticulous with the details of every aspect of each wine maker dinner. She can spot a spot on a glass a mile away. In fact while we were talking she casually turned a glass upside down and set it back on the dinner table, it was my glass, I wondered what she was doing and seamlessly from out of nowhere a waiter silently appeared and replaced the glass with another. Trudy said that these dinners are not about making money for the resort, in fact at $85 a plate it barely covers the costs.

BLT at the Camelback Inn wants to be known for being the valley’s go to place for fine dining, an experience without equal. The wine maker dinners are all about showcasing their talent, their creativity and their attention to detail.

At 6:30 all the guests were escorted into the

The private dining room

private dining area adjoining the wine cellar. Awaiting us, were glasses of Robert Craig’s only white wine. The 2008 Robert Craig “Durell Vineyard” Chardonnay from Sonoma Valley. We took our seats and awaited for Mr Craig’s arrival. He arrived to warm applause and he humbly smiled and lowered his head and sort of shuffled over to his seat. He spoke for a few minutes before sitting down. He spoke a little bit of his history, the history of the vineyards and his wine making philosophy, which is once you reach a certain point it’s not about making more wine it’s about making better wine.

The first course arrived and the guests began enjoying the Chardonnay. The first course consisted of Country Style Duck Pate, brandied Cherries, a little bit of pistachio and some spicy rocket, also known as arugula. I found the Chardonnay to be a good representation of the terroir of Sonoma in terms of Chardonnay. Not oaky, not buttery, just well-balanced almost understated.

As guests were finishing up, the waiters and waitresses began bringing in glasses of red wine for everyone.

Pre pouring the wine saves time

One of the details that Trudy employs to help keep the evening moving forward is to have the wines poured outside of the room and brought in. It is much quicker than moving about the room pouring the wines while the guests wait. The second course was roasted pork belly with Ricotta Gnudi, root vegetable fricassee, and crispy pork skins. This was paired with Robert Craig’s 2007 “Affinity”. Affinity is Robert Craig Winery’s flagship wine. each year about 5,000 to 6,000 cases of this Bordeaux blend are made. This wine is made with the restaurant setting in mind. Which means it is to be consumed sooner rather than later, and without the need of too much decanting. Mr Craig said that he wanted to make a wine that restaurants didn’t have to hold on to for 10 or 20 years before they are ready to drink. And just in case you think drink now means lesser quality, the 2007 Affinity received 96 points from Robert Parker.

Robert Craig Winery 2007 Affinity

I found this wine to be incredibly smooth and supple. Perfectly balanced. One thing that really stands out is the beautiful aromatics. The wine is a blend of 79% Cabernet, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. 5,700 cases of the wine were but I was informed by wine broker Mattias Stolpe that this wine was virtually already sold out. It retails for only about $50 so you can see why it’s almost gone.

The third course consisted of hunter style Grouper stew, Lobster mushrooms, Chorizo and Northern beans. This was paired with the 2006 Mount Veeder Cabernet. It’s not common to pair fish with red wines, let alone a massively powerful mountain wine like this. But it worked, fantastically, amazingly.

2006 Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

The Mt. Veeder Cabernet is actually 81% Cab and 19% Merlot and alcohol clocks in at 14.9% which is amazing to me because the was absolutely no heat present. This wine is still young, still just a baby. It has big bold chewy velvety tannins, it makes your mouth pucker up at this point but has a long, long finish. One of the things that Mr Craig told me about is that he feels that enjoying wine is not so much about enjoying wine at its prime as it is about enjoying wine throughout its life cycle. Enjoying and experiencing it young and enjoying it right on through to its prime and even past.

Next up was the highlight of the night. Course number four was a thick, pepper crusted New York Strip, hidden under the steak were huckleberry Braised beef cheeks. I never would have thought to buy beef cheeks at the grocery store and wouldn’t have known how to prepare them, until now. I asked the chef how they made them and he said they boiled them and then seared and marinated them in wine and huckleberry. The result was stunning, delicious. The two styles of beef were paired with the 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet.

2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet

This wine was quite different from the Mt Veeder. It is much Riper and the tannins are more in check but with a seemingly never-ending finish. This wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet, 12% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Only 1,240 cases were produced. The wine saw 20 months in French oak, 75% new and 25% 2nd year.

In between wines and courses Mr Craig would visit the guests at their tables, and while sitting at the table he would ask questions of me, as I was trying to ask questions of him! In his very quiet and humble way he shows an interest in people equal to the interest people have in him. We talked about his safari to Africa which is a topic close to me, as I was born in Africa and lived there until I was almost 9. I also asked him about what sorts of things, besides wine, is he interested in and he said Native American heritage and culture. In particular preserving the languages. He also enjoys sailing and given his Coast Guard background I can see why.

Trudy Thomas and Robert Craig

The fifth and final course consisted of Caramelized French butter pears with Cambozola ice cream inside of a walnut crisp pastry. This was paired with the 2007 Howell Mountain Zinfandel. This pairing really pushed the envelope. The pears were delicious. The Cambozola ice cream was like ice cream made from Brie and Blue cheese. Your mind is ready for some vanilla and suddenly you are struck by the aftertaste of blue cheese. The pears really are the sweet part of the desert, and are a perfect match with the ice cream. The Zinfandel was really amazing. If you like jammy zins this is not a wine for you. This is a seriously big peppery zin but with powerful mountain tannins and a good concentration of black raspberries. Only 800 cases were produced and it retails for about $50 a bottle.

While the final course was being served Chef Marc Hennessy came out and spoke briefly with the guests. He explained a little bit of the theory behind the pairings. He wanted this and the other wine maker dinners to really be a showcase for what can be done, not just for its own sake, but to make something that amazes people. He jokingly referenced the pastry chef’s insistence that the ice cream be made entirely of blue cheese by saying “There is no way there is going to be blue cheese ice cream” Instead he struck a compromise, and I would say luckily!

This night turned out to be one of the highlights of the year for me. It was great to meet one of the people who has been instrumental in getting Napa Valley on the map and especially Mt Veeder, Spring Mountain and Howell Mountain. I am looking forward to future vintages as the focus on producing higher and higher quality wine continues.

Trudy Thomas on Twitter @INNtoxic8ting

Robert Craig Winery Website

Camelback Inn Website

Bistro Laurent Trouondel (BLT) website

Wine Tasting at the Phoenix Public Market

Inside the Phoenix Public Market

I recently attended a free wine tasting at the Phoenix Public Market in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Every Wednesday starting at 5pm the Public market pours local Arizona wines for the public to sample. The wines being offered this particular night were Oak Creek Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay, Rancho Rossa 2006 CSM and Canelo Hills 2009 Sauvignon Blanc.

Oak Creek Winery, Rancho Rossa and Canelo Hills

First up was the Canelo Hills 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. The first thing I noticed was a very crisp acidity and tartness. This wine is not for people who can only drink the ripe fruit forward styles of Sauv Blanc. Personally I thought the crispness and tartness were quite welcome considering it was at least 106F outside! The tart fruit is along the lines of green or Granny Smith apples mixed with a bit of lemon. There is a hint of grassiness along the lines of what is commonly produced in New Zealand. The alcohol came in at 13.7% which was pleasant, no heat on the finish. This is a dry Sauvignon blanc. $22 a bottle retail. Canelo Hills was one of the vineyards almost completely destroyed by a violent wind and hail storm this summer. So there might some sort of collectability to this vintage as their 2010 vintage will most likely have to be sourced from alternate growers.

Interesting Purple Peppers

Next up was the Oak Creek Vineyards and Winery 2008 Chardonnay. This wine is made in the Burgundian style with no oak. It underwent malolactic fermentation. Unfortunately I found this wine to be a little on the flat side. The fruit was lacking in something that I could really grasp and say “Ah thats it!” To be honest I would say Chardonnay is the wine of which I am most critical, it takes a lot for me to be wowed by a Chardonnay. This Chardonnay did not wow me.

Signs made from old barrels

Last but not least was the Rancho Rossa 2006 CSM. This wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot. This wine was the most interesting of the three. Full-bodied with solid tannins throughout. There is a predominant smokiness that I think could use a little toning down, but there is a decent complexity to make up for that. The fruit is along the lines of blackberry and cherry, and plum. Standard fare for red wine.

After the tasting I enjoyed a fabulous sample platter paired with a brand new wine from Dick Erath…

Delicious sample platter

Click here to see a quick video tour of the Phoenix Public Market

Canelo Hills website

Oak Creek Vineyard and Winery website

Rancho Rossa website

2 inexpensive Chardonnays for #Chardonnay, a twitter event

Rick Bakas of St. Supery is at it again with another twitter wine tasting event. Hot off the heals of #calicab, and Josh Wade’s #WAmerlot comes #chardonnay. If you are looking for something inexpensive to sip and tweet about, consider the following two Chardonnays which I found on Markdown for under $10 at my local Costco. Plus if you are looking for something to serve with the wine, check out my French bread Brie and roasted garlic recipe HERE

Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards, 2007 Chalk Hill, Sonoma County

Price: About $20, as tested $9.97 at Costco

How was it made? 97% French oak barrels, 97% malolactic, and aged 9 months.

According the company literature, this wine should be enjoyed over the next 1-3 years. It’s near the end of April, 2010 right now, so I believe we are reaching the end of this window, let’s see what it has left shall we?

On the Nose: Pear Pineapple butter and toast, not necessarily in that order, and it’s not abundantly obvious. The nose is subtle.

On the Palate: The Palate is a lot nicer than the nose lets on. The fruit is riper than the nose would suggest. With 97% malolactic fermentation the fruit is predominantly green apple with a little hint of pineapple sweetness interwoven in the oak.

Starmont Merryvale, 2007 Napa Valley

What is it? 100% Chardonnay

Where from? Napa Valley

How much? About $20… as tested $9.97 at Costco

Alcohol: 13.5%

Production: 25,517 cases

How was it made? 50% barrel, 50% stainless steel fermentation, 60% malolactic, with 8 months in 15% new French oak

I took a trip down to my local Costco to search for markdowns. I have enjoyed Starmont Merryvale Cabernet’s so I was interested in trying out the Chardonnay, especially at the reduced price.

On the nose, crushed pineapple in heavy syrup. I can say this with certainty because I was making a pineapple marinade for pork tenderloin yesterday and the aroma is very fresh in my mind. Though it is not a very strong aroma, it is definitely present. There is also a citric aspect to it, a slight lemon.

On the palate, medium bodied, maybe just a little bit on the light side of medium. The fruit on the palate is Citrus, predominately lemon. It’s smooth, the acidity is quite subdued.

The finish is nice, and fairly long. Surprisingly long, tingly, tart and there’s a hint of creamy oak nestled in there as well.

My first impression was that I was not wowed by this wine, but I gave it a bit of time to open up and warm up and it really made a big difference. It’s a nice, fairly light, crisp simple straight forward Chardonnay. If you are tired of over oaked over buttery monster California Chardonnay, you will be pleasantly surprised with this effort.

Wine Review: Rodney Strong, 2007 Estate Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma County

Price: About $20, as tested $9.97 at Costco

How was it made? 97% French oak barrels, 97% malolactic, and aged 9 months.

On the Nose: Pear Pineapple butter and toast, not necessarily in that order, and it’s not abundantly obvious. The nose is subtle.

The finish is not that long, and not complex, but it was well balanced. Of the two Chardonnay’s I paired with my French baguette, Brie and roasted garlic appetizer, the Rodney Strong was a better match with that particular dish. The other wine was Merryvale Starmont, read my review here.

Wine Review: Starmont Merryvale, 2007 Chardonnay, Napa Valley

What is it? 100% Chardonnay

Where from? Napa Valley

How much? About $20… as tested $9.97 at Costco

Alcohol: 13.5%

Production: 25,517 cases

How was it made? 50% barrel, 50% stainless steel fermentation, 60% malolactic, with 8 months in 15% new French oak

I took a trip down to my local Costco to search for markdowns. I have enjoyed Starmont Merryvale Cabernet’s so I was interested in trying out the Chardonnay, especially at the reduced price.

On the palate, medium bodied, maybe just a little bit on the light side of medium. The fruit on the palate is Citrus, predominately lemon. It’s smooth, the acidity is quite subdued.

The finish is nice, and fairly long. Surprisingly long, tingly, tart and there’s a hint of creamy oak nestled in there as well.

Robert Mondavi 2010 Chardonnay, Napa Valley

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