Posts Written OnJuly 06, 2007

Wolffer Has a Way with Chardonnay

Chardonnay. It’s a grape that makes many wine lovers shudder. I blame the over-oaked, buttery, flabby chardonnays coming out of California. The overly tropical ones coming from Down Under aren’t doing us any favors either. I’m talking about barrel fermented chardonnay here, by the way. Gary over at Wine Library TV complains about these wines and the "Oak Monster." And he’s right. There was even a time when I turned my nose up at barrel-fermented chardonnay because so few winemakers seemed to know how to use oak judiciously–as a spice rather than main component. Local wineries fell into this trap…

On the East End This Weekend (July 7 & 8)

There are a couple festivals tomorrow that are worth checking out: Lenz Winery’s 18th Annual Chardonnay World ClassicSaturday, July 7 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.Taste over 90 chardonnays from all of the major wine regions of the world including Long Island, California, France, South Africa, Australia, and many more. Enjoy a selection of artisanal cheeses and hors d’oeuvres chosen specifically with chardonnay in mind. Tickets: Lenz Subscribers:  $35; General Public:  $50 Website: www.lenzwine.com Phone: 800.974.9899 Email: office@lenzwine.com Martha Clara Vineyards Anything But Chardonnay & Merlot FestivalSaturday, July 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.Sample over 50 different wines from 17 East…