A bigger issue was that the only other white wine I had in the house was a screw top individual pouch(from 7-11) that was given to me as a joke by a couple of friends. I had joked with them that I’d only stop by their house for a drink on my way to pick my sister in law up from the airport, if they actually had good wine (they drink great wine, usually) so the next time I saw them they showed up with this “bottle”. Honestly I’m not even really sure what to call the package.

Ok, so I asked my wife to review the two wines. Not surprisingly, since she has a habit of selecting the most expensive bottle in the bunch she was able to tell which bottle was French.

So my reviews of the wines-let’s start by saying I’m not the biggest white wine fan. Well, I do like Italian whites more, probably because they are typically more earthy and complex, but I wouldn’t buy either wine we tried again. Neither one was memorable, for the prices I wouldn’t expect that, but wine should be enjoyable and I didn’t enjoy either bottle.

I’m turning 30 on Friday. I’m actually quite excited I have a feeling that my 30′s will be a better decade then my 20′s were and frankly I’m ready to get started.

On Friday my wife and I will be kicking out of work after a half day and taking a short trip up north. We’ll be stopping by Palumbo Winery in Temecula. Again, I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression, I’d much rather be stopping by Dumol in Napa…..but I live in San Diego and it’s nice to stop and get a glass of wine after dealing with Southern California traffic. Additionally Palumbo is the type of winery that I like. The owner is also the winemaker, they make small batches of wine, all red and only what they can grow themselves. The tasting room is only open 3 days a week and it is off the beaten path. It should give my wife and I a chance to chat without any significant distractions. Frankly I’m interested in seeing what is reportedly the best Temecula has to offer.

After that we’re heading to Lake Elsinore for dinner(no idea where) probably a cup of coffee and a cookie and then a minor league baseball game.

In some ways I guess you could say that wine in Southern California is like the minor leagues in comparison to Napa/Sonoma and even the central coast.

I’ll also be taking that long mentioned trip to Napa to work on getting a couple of agreements finalized with my business partner. I’m looking forward to the trip very much. I’ve talked a lot about loving the whole experience of wine tasting, Napa is especially fun because the experience is so much grander. Great architecture and outstanding best in the world wine, who can complain?

Lastly I’ll be having a wine tasting party with a few friends, I hope to video the responses to this gathering where we’re planning on blind tasting 3 California Chardonnay’s as well as 3 red wines which are yet to be selected.

If everything goes well I’ll have a short video posted shortly.

As always please visit us over at Uncorked Ventures.

California Chardonnay

The undisputed queen of the California White Wines, Chardonnay is a popular choice for many reasons.

Tasting Notes:

People generally describe Chardonnay as a crisp clean white wine. You’ll find small fig, citrus, tropical fruit or apple flavors in most bottles. More recently Chardonnay has started to be aged in oak barrels which gives the resulting wine a much deeper oak flavor which can be the strongest of all the flavors in the wine. One common thread with Chardonnay from all over the world, the balance of sugar and acid is outstanding and makes it an entirely drinkable wine for wine lovers and novices alike.

What Grape is It?

Genetic studies show that the grape is actually a cross between the Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc grapes. California Chardonnay is typically grown in cool valleys because the fruit ripens so quickly that producers need to slow the process down in order to keep the alcohol content to a reasonable level.

History of the wine in California:

Although first planted in the 1800′s the grape was nearly forgotten during prohibition when farmers and wine makers were forced to take Chardonnay fields out and replace them with grapes with thicker skins so transport and concealment would be easier. A few patches in more rugged terrain survived, especially in the Santa Cruz mountains and the grape started a full scale comeback in the 1970′s. It is now the stable of the California white wine industry and the most popular white wine in the world.

Important Notes:

Chardonnay is generally thought of as one of the easiest wines to create. In fact many observers of the wine industry feel that any average winemaker can create an outstanding Chardonnay given the growing conditions within California’s cool valleys.

Pricing Structure:

Chardonnay under $8 or so per bottle will have some significant issues.

$8-$20 Typically good balance and complexity, but lacking in oak flavoring.

$20-$40 Great Chardonnays in this price range

$40+ Unless your palate and nose for wine is exceptional, you most likely will not be able to tell the difference between a $20 bottle scored at 92 points and a $80 bottle scored at 94 points by the major wine critics in the world.

To Sum It Up:

We don’t plan to offer Chardonnay through either of our initial two Uncorked Ventures wine clubs. Frankly you can find many good bottles of Chardonnay at lower price points that are readily available.

Vintage Guide

2007 92 D/H
2006 88 D
2005 94 D/H
2004 91 D
2003 90 D
2002 95 D
2001 96 D
2000 88 D
1999 89 D
1998 85 D
1997 93 D
1996 90 D
1995 91 D
1994 94 D
1993 90 D
1992 92 D
1991 94 D
1990 90 D

RATING:
95-100 Spectacular. Most producers made very good wines at all levels
90-94 Excellent. The best wines should be great. Consistency throughout the vintage.
85-89 Very Good. The best producers made top wines. Inconsistent thru the lower levels.
80-86 Good. Many producers made good wines with some inconsistency at the bottom.
75-79 Middling. Choose your producers carefully. Only the best may have made a top wine.
70-74 Below Average. Tough vintage to make good wines.
Under 70 A Poor vintage. Spend your money very carefully.

STATUS:
D=Drink
D/H=Drink or Hold
H=Hold

I hope this has helped you make an informed decision when buying a bottle of Chardonnay. Just remember, vintage is important with wine.