Posts Written OnFebruary 10, 2006

Heavy, over-manipulated chardonnay is one of the wine community’s least appealing members, at least in the eyes, and palate, of this wine lover. Wine geeks often label these wines “flabby” but I compare drinking them to sucking on a butter-slathered two by four. And, despite what some sales-minded winemakers will tell you, pairing these wines with food is a crapshoot at best. Of course, chardonnay is a key chameleon variety, with a seemingly endless array of styles. On one end you have crisp, fruity, acidic chardonnay — those that don’t spend any time in oak barrels during or after the…

Crisp, clean and refreshing, this is a wine for those of you who think you hate chardonnay. Fermented 100% in steel tanks, you won’t find any overbearing, heavy-handed oak influence. No…what you get is ripe apple and pear, fresh citrus and hints of minerals on the finish. This is what chardonnay actually tastes like — and it’s delicious. (This "Vintage of the Week" appeared in the Long Island Press)