September Wine Focus: Chardonnay!

[Jenise]

Two more:

Last night we went to South Africa with the 2014 Paul Cluver Chardonnay. We bought these about a year ago, and I'm not sure if the wine changed or we did or both or neither, but where a year ago this one seemed modestly colored and Burgundian, this bottle struck as as less so. In fact, it seems yellower, and in fact it tastes more extracted. And that's not bottle variation, another bottle about a month ago was identical.

And he night before, we struck gold here in Washington state with the 2014 Savage Grace chardonnay. Much lighter in color than the Cluver, and creamier on the palate. Delightful flavors without the heavy hand of typical Washington chardonnays or the torrid 2014 vintage. Love this wine. Btw--Savage Grace is a newish Washington winery and definitely one to look out for.

Looking back at these two plus the Catena from yet the day before the Cluver, the Argentine Catena was easily the most Burgundian of the three.

2009 DOMAINE MICHEL NIELLON CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET "LES VERGERS" 1ER CRU. Labeled 13.5% abv. Mid-gold color with clarity. I find vanillin and lemon curd on the nose and palate . The ripeness of the vintage is present but the wine still is balanced and exhibits some pucker-inducing acidity. The minerality is almost flinty. From my limited samples of 2009 and 2010 white Burgundies, my preference is for the 2010 vintage. However, I did enjoy this wine and find it well put together. This would be a good pairing with a white fish with lemon juice and mild herbs or a cream sauce. It could probably hold up for three or more years.

TN: Alkoomi Unoaked Chardonnay, Franklin River Aust.

Always on the lookout for Alkoomi, namely their Riesling and Sem/Sauv Blanc.
Screwcap. $23 Cdn, pale color. Smells of pink guava, peach and pineapple but not a tropical fruit style at all. Bracing acidity, did not serve too chilled. Light-medium body, youthful at this stage and minerally. "Mild grapefruit flavors" from across the patio. Dry palate, short-medium finish.
Good stonefruit tones especially on day 2 but a very different style from my recent Macon from Cornin.

[Jenise]

2009 DOMAINE MICHEL NIELLON CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET "LES VERGERS" 1ER CRU. Labeled 13.5% abv. Mid-gold color with clarity. I find vanillin and lemon curd on the nose and palate . The ripeness of the vintage is present but the wine still is balanced and exhibits some pucker-inducing acidity. The minerality is almost flinty. From my limited samples of 2009 and 2010 white Burgundies, my preference is for the 2010 vintage. However, I did enjoy this wine and find it well put together. This would be a good pairing with a white fish with lemon juice and mild herbs or a cream sauce. It could probably hold up for three or more years.

Michel Niellon is a great producer, but you're right the ripeness of '09 is unavoidable where '10 was cooler and more structured.

[Jenise]

TN: Alkoomi Unoaked Chardonnay, Franklin River Aust.

Always on the lookout for Alkoomi, namely their Riesling and Sem/Sauv Blanc.
Screwcap. $23 Cdn, pale color. Smells of pink guava, peach and pineapple but not a tropical fruit style at all. Bracing acidity, did not serve too chilled. Light-medium body, youthful at this stage and minerally. "Mild grapefruit flavors" from across the patio. Dry palate, short-medium finish.
Good stonefruit tones especially on day 2 but a very different style from my recent Macon from Cornin.

I've never had anything from Alkoomi. A real brand to watch, eh?

I will try this post again!! My computer is not my friend! In any event, no Wine Focus Chardonnay would be complete without a Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay so here it is: 2012 Newton Napa Unfiltered Chardonnay. This is the wine that set the Cal. Chardonnay standard before Peter Michael and Pahlmeyer came along. My last and only bottle unfortunately, wish they were a mere 25$/ bottle! Medium straw in color with very viscous legs. The nose and palate were full of pineapple and ginger with great acidity. This wine is still very young as I have had many bottles of 10+ years that were fabulous and improved greatly. I do not understand why people dis this wine except in that it lacks some minerality?

I should add that the abv was 15.5% but not at all hot.

15.5%..wow.

La Vida Lioco: two Lioco Chardonnays
2008 Lioco Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, CA. 13.7 abv. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, no oak. A 1982 planting of Chardonnay Clone 4 at an elevation of 1000 ft. in soft, sandy loam soil known locally as "goldridge."
I found some white peach and butter with a barely adequate acidity. This may be slightly maderized. I thought it drank better last year.

2009 Lioco Chardonnay Sonoma County, Ca. 14.1% abv. Screwcap. Fermented with a wild yeast in stainless steel tanks (no oak.)
Ripe apple on the palate tempered with some acidic backing. Warm on the finish but not too alcoholic. I had this with buttered popcorn while watching college football on tv and the pairing worked, although the wine is not particularly buttery with its no oak handling. An easy sipper, this seemed fresher than the 2008 from Charles Heintz Vineyard.

I will open a Ceritas Chardonnay next and won't get to a Chablis this month but may report on one in October.

[Jenise]

JC, I've had exactly one Lioco in my life, purchased after I noticed on Berserkers that it was getting lots of love. I can't tell you at this point which bottle I had (I think it predated my prodigious recording of all wines on Cellar Tracker) or vintage, but I do recall that it was a fairly bright yellow (more extracted than I care for). Your notes don't mention color--any resemblance?

[David M. Bueker]

2013 Matthiasson Chardonnay Linda Vista Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/25/2016)
Bright fruit and a distinct savory, mouthfilling texture. This is a fascinating wine that does not fall into any camp I can think of. Whenever I try to pin it down it jumps away.

2012 CERITAS PINNACLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY, SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS, CA.
12,2% abv. Pale gold color--less color than the other CA Chards I've been opening this month. Delicate white flowers on the nose (apple blossoms?) verbena, and hint of celery leaves. This was quite acidic on the palate. While I like this, I have had other Chards from Ceritas that I would rate higher than this one. I had this with shrimp scampi and wild rice. It had enough acid to cut through a creamy sauce on pasta or fish.

Jenise, the Liocos had more color than the Ceritas Chard but were several years older and higher in alcohol. From my experience, the Lioco Chards can be bright and attractive in their early years and maybe are not meant for aging. I have a couple 2010s that I will try to get to this fall.

On the last day of September we had a Chardonnay. This is an unusual event, because we rarely - almost never - have Chardonnay preferring Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin.

However, I had this at a tasting and I served it at home instead of the Savvie Jo was expecting...

Hush Heath Estate 'Skyes English' Chardonnay (Kent, England)

From a most impressive estate first planted in 2001 to make sparkling wine in the traditional manner with Pinots N & M and Chardonnay, their very first vintage won Gold at the International Wine Challenge. Now they've planted more to make still wines. They currentlyhave 40 acres, and this month they are part of the largest export consignment of English sparkling wines to the US.

Pale white in glass, crisp fresh note, hint of sweetness at first but afetr little time in glass crisp apple flavours develop, with refreshing acidity. Its had extended lees aging and tahat fullness and complexity develops without losing the crispness that makes it so attractive. Delicious.

http://www.hushheath.com/shop/still-win ... nnay-2015/

Since I'm already an avowed chardonnay lover, I decided that what I can gain, and share, from participating in this focus is kind of a worldwide lesson in chardonnay. Toward that goal I reached yesterday for a bottle of 2012 Kumeu River 'Hunting Hill' chardonnay gifted to us by Sue Courtney. Now I realize that this is a 'top drop', as they say there, and so in that sense not exactly representative, but it dawned on me as I opened it that I can barely recall the last time I tasted a NZ chardonnay. I have no real sense of what a typical NZ chardonnay tastes like. I have no way of fitting it into or outside of the spectrum of California vs. Oregon vs. B.C., say, or Macon vs. Chablis vs. Meursault.

So I opened it, fueled by the warm sun on the patio, the Seahawks win over Miami, and the glow of enjoying a gift from a precious friend. I was in the mood to be charmed, and charm it did. Highly aromatic nose of toasty oak and sweet fruit that wasn't the usual apple, pear or lemon. I couldn't dial in on that until I tasted it: quince!! I have bottles of artisinal cider made here in Washington from 100% quince, and that's what I got here on the palate along with movie popcorn, unfrosted danish pastry and a hint of marzipan. Though I realize those descriptors aren't appealing in a typical way, the wine itself is hugely so. Unique, balanced and delightful. As sunny as the afternoon on my patio. Whether or not I understand what NZ chardonnays taste like, I can assure you that this doesn't taste like any chardonnay I've ever had from anywhere else--and yet, it's not totally surprising that it's chardonnay. There's some common essence in there somewhere.

I would say Kumeu River is also unique in New Zealand - perhaps because it is from Auckland, a region totally overlooked in the big picture of NZ wine. I love the entire Kumeu River chardonnay range, although in many recent vintages Hunting Hill has been my favourite, and they cellar extremely well too. So glad you enjoyed and from your description I can imagine myself there with you and Bob on your patio sipping a Kumeu River chardy