Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw Blend Chardonnay

Price: $3 Maker: Charles Shaw Winery, Napa County, California Varietal: Chardonnay Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork Alcohol: 12.5% Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw Blend Chardonnay (aka Two Buck Chuck) has a nice pear aroma, and flavor notes of pear and oak. It was medium bodied, and had good clarity. [...]

Golden Gate Chardonnay

Maker: Golden State Vineyards, American Canyon, Napa County, California Varietal: Chardonnay Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork Alcohol: 13.5% Our Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Golden Gate Chardonnay (non-vintage) is an innoffensive little wine that will gain a bit of flavor once the chill is off the bottle. Chilled, we found little aroma and thin [...]

Meridian Chardonnay 2004

Price: $8 Maker: Meridian Vineyards, Santa Barbara County Varietal: Chardonnay Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork Alcohol: 13.4% Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Meridian’s motto is that life can be complicated, and that wine doesn’t have to be. Their Meridian Chardonnay 2004 fits the motto well. It’s nose hints at pear and cantaloupe, and [...]

July Wine Pairing Dinner

Last night, I was able to attend a wine pairing dinner at my club. It was an interesting evening, and I’ll share the highlights:

Frei Brothers Sonoma County Chardonnay, 2003. This Chardonnay began with aromas of melon and apple. The flavor was smooth, featuring green apple and pear. The finish was crisp and a bit [...]

Yellow Tail Chardonnay 2004

Price: $8 Maker: Casella Wines Variety: Chardonnay Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork Our Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Most of our sampling here is in the red wine category, but after experience with a few crowd-pleasing Yellow Tail reds we decided to try Yellow Tail Chardonnay 2004. Like their reds, this Yellow Tail product [...]

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay 2002

Price: $9 Maker: Columbia Crest Winery Variety: Chardonnay Packaging: Bottle, natural cork Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Washington-based Columbia Crest Winery offers this wine as a slightly upscale offering. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay 2002 fills the glass with clear, golden light. Its primary note is apple, which suffuses both the aroma and flavor. [...]