From A Lasting Impression
When I told my youngest daughter, the budding wine enthusiast, that I was doing a column on Chardonnay, she said, "I hate Chardonnay." I thought about her comment frequently as I tasted my way through a few dozen wines trying to find some bargains among those made from what is arguably the world's greatest white wine grape.Why would a person with a keen and sophisticated, if relatively inexperienced, palate actually think she "hates" Chardonnay? She certainly can't hate the great white Burgundies. She can't hate the best wines of Chablis or the spectacular stars of Champagne or the best Chardonnay efforts of winemakers in at least a dozen other regions. She just doesn't know them. She can't afford them. And friends and relatives, like her father, haven't shared enough of the great ones to make a lasting impression. So, like most of the world, she's been left to search the markets for that elusive species: good, affordable Chardonnay. Oy!
As I tasted those few dozen inexpensive wines from different regions in France, Italy, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, Israel, Australia and the United States, I came to understand her bias better. There is a lot of nasty Chardonnay around. Bitter, smoky, over-oaked, astringent, innocuous, grassy, soapy, sweet and insignificant -- those were some of the adjectives I found in my notes. This tasting was done in several different sittings over a couple of weeks. Most of the wines eventually selected as GWBs were tasted in two consecutive sittings, meaning that I had a few really bad days, which seemed either a statistical anomaly or a terminal case of palate droop. So I broke out a couple of my great Chardonnays just to make sure my palate wasn't broken. Nope. Most of the wines were still awful, except for my cellar treasures, which were, well, treasures (with price tags to match, of course).
Why do we get this kind of variation in Chardonnay, from breathtakingly beautiful nectar to dreadful swill? I suspect there are two primary reasons. First, there is too much production, by too many people in too many places. Everyone feels they must make Chardonnay and that they can. So you have lots of grapes being grown in places not suitable for them by people who don't know enough to grow the grapes or make the wine well. Second, it is the nature of Chardonnay to be malleable. It is a wine that can be artistically shaped by great winemakers and manhandled by those who aren't. Note that half the wines we chose were unoaked. This could be palate bias -- I just happen to like fresh, lighter wines after tasting dozens of heavy ones. But, it could also be that oak aging requires quality time and attention that most winemakers can't afford to spend on wines in this price range.
The good news is that we did find 10 wonderful, inexpensive Great Wine Bargains to recommend. Four are from the United States, three from Australia and one each from Chile, New Zealand and France. Any of these can be enjoyed with poultry, seafood, veal or pasta in delicate sauces. Or, at these prices, pop open a bottle at the end of a long day and sip the stress away.
California and France
2004 Gallo Family Vineyards, Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay (California) Gallo is not only one of the world's largest winemakers but has the skill and resources to produce quality wines across a very broad range of varietals and price points. The company shows its abilities once again with this very nice Chardonnay for less than $12. There is a distinct nose of citrus and apples with tart, fresh green melon, butter and vanilla flavors. It's partially aged in oak, enough to give some flavor and backbone, but not so much as to overwhelm it.2004 R Collection, Monterey Chardonnay (California) This is made by Raymond Vineyards from its 300-acre vineyard in Monterey. R Collection is its new brand for solid, inexpensive wines. This one is deep gold in color and has an aggressive nose of apple, honeysuckle and white truffle. This is a voluptuous wine with flavors of honeyed figs and caramel. It has a lively acidity that keeps it from being too heavy. It sells for around $12.
2004 Pepperwood Grove, Chardonnay (California) This is a terrific value produced by Don Sebastiani & Sons, scions of the famous Sebastiani family of Sonoma Valley. The oak is clearly distinguishable in this wine, but it doesn't overwhelm. Light, smoky, butterscotch scents rise from the glass, and there are rich, round caramel apple and passionfruit flavors on the palate. I paid $7 for this wine and it was much better than many wines I recently paid two to three times more for.
2005 Four Vines, Naked Chardonnay (Santa Barbara, California) This is a simple, fresh and delicious wine for a little money. There's a great concept! You will find newly mashed green apple smells on the nose and rich, perky fruit flavors like pineapples and peaches on the palate. Nicely tart. Oh, and "naked Chardonnay?" It simply means unoaked in the vocabulary of winemaker Christian Tietje. Enjoy it for less than $12 a bottle.
2004 Mâcon-Lugny, Les Charmes, Chardonnay (France) This delightful wine is made from old vines from southern Burgundy. It is aged in stainless steel tanks and is unoaked. It's gentle, sprightly and nicely balanced. There is light spiced pear and citrus essence on the nose. The pear and white peach flavors are distinct, but delicate on the palate. This wine won't overwhelm you, but it should tickle your fancy, especially at under $10 a bottle.
Australia, New Zealand and Chile
2004 Wolf Blass, Yellow Label, Chardonnay (South Australia) Yellow Label is the value brand from the famous Wolf Blass Vineyards of Australia, and this wine is a very nice value indeed. It starts with a perky nose of citrus, peaches and a hint of white truffle. The mouthfeel is soft and silky with fruity flavors of peaches and cream with a sprinkle of toasted nuts. You'll find it most places for under $10.
2005 The Wishing Tree Unoaked Chardonnay (Western Australia) This is a distinctive wine that almost jumps out of the glass. It is very pale in color and has a lively green apple/pineapple nose. It is very fruity with pear, melon and lime flavors and a clean, fresh mouthfeel. The flavors are aggressive, but there is good balance and no bite. In fact, it's hard not to like this different but delicious wine, especially under $10 a bottle.
2004 McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Chardonnay (New South Wales, Australia) Another great value from Australia. This one has melon, peach and a touch of earth on the nose. On the palate there are vibrant flavors of apples, grapefruit and vanilla. There is enough oak here to give the wine some heft. It has good balance with a crisp finish and a little bite at the back of the throat to remind you you're alive and kicking. You can get it for under $10 a bottle.
2005 Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay (Marlborough, New Zealand) Kim Crawford and his wife are among the most celebrated winemakers in New Zealand, and this little gem will do nothing but help their reputation. This is a deliciously fresh wine with spritely citrus and hints of butter on the nose. There is a strong sense of grapefruit and lime on the palate, reminiscent of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs. The finish is lively but nicely balanced. You can find it for $14 to $15.
2004 Montes Reserve, Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (Curico Valley, Chile)
It's a pale gold in color with green highlights. The nose is lovely with soft but distinct hints of vanilla, hazelnuts and butter. The wine is fresh and light on the palate with flavors of apple, buttered nuts and a spritz of lemon. Great balance. It was aged 75 percent in oak and 25 percent in stainless steel. Under $10.
A Final Note
If you are looking for delightful, inexpensive reds, run to your favorite store and buy a sampling of the 2005 Beaujolais from Georges Duboeuf. There are a number of bottlings from different villages and vineyards in the region and it's hard to find a bad one. Find the ones you like best and stock up while they last. Almost all are less than $15.