2004 Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay

Still south of the equator but in the western hemisphere. Casa Lapostolle is a remarkable Chilean winemaker and their Chards would go toe to toe with the best in the world in their price range. This single vineyard chard is no exception. Light gold in color, it is an elegant wine and would compliment the finest of meals. The nose is all ripe pear and apple, with a subtle but deep oak and just the faintest whiff of spearmint. On the tongue it is lush and velvety with fig and toast joining the apple and pear. It is a big chardonnay and full of fruit but the oak is just the right counterbalance to prevent the wine from going off to far in any direction. The finish is deep, rich, fresh and wonderfully long. And if you can't find it, I've never had a bade Cuvee from Lapostolle, so in the end, vintage matters less here than with most vintners.

AVAILABILITY: Widely available in better stores and easily on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now but this one will hold for at least another year if not a bit longer.

SCORE: 91

PRICE: $18-22

WEBSITE: http://www.rockbare.com.au/main.php?id=1956

2005 Allan Scott Marlborough Chardonnay

I've noted a strange tendency lately to forget which chards are from NZ and which from Oz and that says a lot about the quality the Kiwi's have been putting into their wines. Allan Scott's chard would stand up to any comparably priced Aussie chard. This one is a mix of tropical and stonefruit on the nose with nicely toasty oak. On the palate the pineapple and pear come to the fore, but there is just enough acid to make the whole thing hold tightly together and enough oak to make it a winner. There is just enough creaminess to remind you that this is a chard that has legs. The finish is long and balanced, and it begs for rich food although it won't turn its back and run from the spiciest food either.


AVAILABILITY: Not often available in stores and but can easily be found on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now but this one will hold for at least 3 years.

SCORE: 90

PRICE: $17-18

WEBSITE: http://www.allanscott.com/wines/tastingnotes.asp?WiID=105&WiVar=2

2006 RockBare McLaren Vale Chardonnay

This is a new vintage of an old favorite. RockBare has never disappointed and the 2006 will not do so either. It may not be their best, but they operate in a fine margin and their good is better than most, particularly at this price point. A light to medium straw in color, it has a tropical nose, with pineapple, mango and a bit of lemon. On the palate it's fruit seems less tropical and more in the line of peach and pear with a bit of nuttiness and cream. Don't get me wrong, there is enough acid here to keep it from being overly sweet or cloying. It has a long finish, with almost a Sauvignon Blanc feel with citrus dominating. It's a tad lighter than some, but for an unoaked chardonnay, it is bigger than you might expect. For as far back as you can find it, you won't go wrong with (a properly stored) RockBard Chardonnay, which, if nothing else, makes shopping easy.


AVAILABILITY: Widely available in better stores and easily on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now but this one will hold for at least 1 to 2 years if not a bit longer.

SCORE: 89

PRICE: $13-15

WEBSITE: http://www.rockbare.com.au/main.php?id=19561

2005 Seresin Marlborough Chardonnay

Here is another pleasant surprise. In addition to being relatively easily available, this is a very, very good chardonnay. It is also yet another reason why we now think both Australia and New Zealand when thinking down under. Given the reputation of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs (and notwithstanding the Aussie Viogniers) the Kiwis have become a strong force in the wine world. This is one reason why. Light yellow gold from the bottle, the aromas are creamy butterscotch with grapefruit and citrus. On the palate it is silky, with honeyed peach, grapefruit and a nutty, almost spicy, oak. The finish is long, luscious and nutty. I have several bottles in the cellar and will be adding several more.

AVAILABILITY: Generally available in better stores and easily on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now but this one will hold for at least 3 years if not a bit longer.

SCORE: 91

PRICE: $19-21

WEBSITE: http://www.seresin.co.nz/wines.asp

2005 Heggies Vineyard Eden Valley Chardonnay

Another trip to Oz, and this for something rather special. Heggies has a long and wonderful track record in Chards, so much so, that if I'm looking for a chard, I can safely look for their label and not question the vintage. It has very buttery aromas of melon and citrus (grapefruit, notably) with some oak and minerals in the background. Light gold in color, the palate blossoms with melon and grapefruit but it's also creamy, leesy and rich, with just enough acidity to keep the whole in balance. A long, mineral braced finish makes this a great choice alone or with food.

AVAILABILITY: Limited but you can find it in better stores and easily on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now but this one will hold for at least 3 years if not a bit longer.

SCORE: 90

PRICE: $16

WEBSITE: http://www.heggiesvineyard.com/product.asp?p=60

2006 Vina Dona Paula Estate Chardonnay

Another restaurant, Italian this time, and the wine list is short on Chards. The waiter recommends this one. What the hey, it is southern hemisphere and the winery does make one of the standard low price chards (Los Cardos) so we roll the dice. Actually rather pleasant, though I'd grab Kendall-Jackson first any time. This one is light gold. The aroma is stonefruit with some melon and a hint, however faint, of tropical fruit. Peach, some melon and a bit of citrus on the palate, it is nicely oaky (the use 67% French and 33% U.S. oak), with a nice body and slightly rich mouth feel. The finish is clean, if a bit lean. This is good restaurant fare, and certainly not to be rejected, but not one I'd recommend for home consumption as there are much better chards, Argentine, Chilean and Australian, for the same money. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant experience.

AVAILABILITY: Very limited, but out there on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now.

SCORE: 86

PRICE: $13

WEBSITE: http://www.donapaula.com.ar/home_ing/main_dp.html

2005 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay

So ten o'clock at night in Champaign, Illinois may not be the best place to look for wine, but here we were. Fortunately we came across Friar Tuck's and this old faithful. While our penchant for southern hemisphere chards is obvious from the entries on this blog, KJ is one of the great U.S. producers and just doesn't make a bad wine. This is the middle range chard and it is a fine wine (though only marginally better than the base Jackson Estates version offered in so many restaurants. It is light gold in color. It is a big wine in every sense. The aromas of orange marmalade and tropical fruit meet the nose, and the palate is awash in tropical fruit, vanilla cream and
even a hint of honeyed butterscotch. There is enough acid on the finish to take off some of the roundness and lushness on the palate and the acid gives it length. This is consistently a remarkable wine for its price point, and the 2005 stands up well to other California chards that sell for twice as much. And as our visit to Champaign proved, it is easy to find.

AVAILABILITY: Widely available. It is almost hard not to find.

LIFESPAN: Drink now, but this one will be good for 2 or 3 more years.

SCORE: 90

PRICE: $16

WEBSITE: http://www.kj.com/wines/grand-reserve/chardonnay.asp

2004 Deen DeBortoli Vat 7 Chardonnay

Another Aussie chard, from a large producer. The Vat series is their lower middle of the line, and this wine fits quite nicely. Pale yellow in color, it is a lean wine, but that makes it suitable for a wide variety of food. Citrus, apples and spice (with a hint of oak) on the nose. The palate is much the same with nectarines and toast added. This is a surprisingly dry wine for its price point, with quite a bit of minerality. There is an acidity, but it is well balanced and makes for a long finish. It is on the lighter side, but would be fine with pastas and pizza. A nice wine for the price.

AVAILABILITY: Widely available. It is a big producer although this is a rather older vintage and new vintages (reputed to be as good or better) are easier to locate.

LIFESPAN: Drink now.

SCORE: 87

PRICE: $10-12

WEBSITE: http://debortoli.com.au/our-wines.html

NV Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Yellow Label Brut Champagne

A bit of an aside, but this wine appeared on our table at what must be one of the two or three best meals I have ever eaten. My wife and I, for our anniversary, went to the Mirbeau Inn and Spa in Skaneateles, New York. It is home to Giverny, a superb French restaurant under the direction of Executive Chef Edward Moro. We're vegetarian, but the meal that the kitchen turned out was remarkable. And, in apology for a glitch in the reservation, the Veuve Cliquot showed up at the table, compliments of the house. I won't even try to outline the meal (since so little of it was on the menu) but I'd gladly drive the 2 hours just for a meal here. It is that good, maybe better. And what is truly scary is that the sous chef was running the kitchen that evening. The waiter was charming and made us feel that serving us was the high point in his week, if not his year. As to the wine, it is a good, classic French Brut Champagne. Ostensibly, keeping the wine non-vintage allows the winemaker to attain a certain consistency, and VC does that. It is quite pale in color, and the nose appears slowly, with lemon, apple, minerals and herbs. On the palate, it is lemon with hints of orange and apple, and a minerally, slightly stony finish. It is a good solid Champagne, but nor really worth the price.

AVAILABILITY: Widely available. It is a big house and they produce vast volumes of wine.

LIFESPAN: Drink now.

SCORE: 88

PRICE: $40-50

WEBSITE: http://www.veuve-clicquot.com/

NV Kenwood Vineyards Yalupa Cuvee Brut California

A wine from Kenwood for the restaurant trade, this was another gift from Mirbeau Spa for our anniversary (though it is standard in the minibar). Traditionally made (of course it's not French so you can call it Champagne) from Chenin Blanc, French Colombard, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it is citrus and pear on the nose, which opens slowly. On the palate it is citrus, pear with peach and a bit of mineral and spice appearing. It is medium dry, with a pleasant, if slightly acidic finish. For the price it is pleasant and while not a big name, is worth a purchase.

AVAILABILITY: Limited availability given its intent for the hospitality market, mostly found on line.

LIFESPAN: Drink now.

SCORE: 86

PRICE: $10-12

WEBSITE: http://www.kenwoodvineyards.com/wine.asp?s=yulupa&w=CUVEE%20BRUT