Bousquet has long been producing quality wines coming out of Argentina at enviable price points. This Chardonnay straddles that line between a linear reductive style and a more malolactic fermented, brighter style. It works. And that it takes these two worlds and combines them rather seamlessly. Yes, you get the upfront lemon, lime kefir, guava, apricot and white peach notes, but there is also that silky, smooth lightly buttery style that makes this an easy drinking wine. Additionally, the acidity is spot on providing support and structure for the whole of the wine.
12.5% abv. A 2024 Governor's Cup winner. Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright. The nose is flinty with some oak/spice. With air a bit of citrus shows. Medium bodied. Slightly viscous/creamy texture. On the palate, lemons with some minerality. The midpalate had green apples. An interesting menthol note on the finish that turns chalky. Overall, a slightly oaked, crisp Chardonnay that is nice on its own and even better with food. It would work well with broiled or grilled scallops. Drink over the next five to eight years.
Some of the best Chardonnay for my tastes comes from Santa Cruz, California. The wines tend to be crisp but full and age quite well. A new one recently tried is the Shawn Walker McBride Maeve Vineyard. I am not sure why this carries that label as other varietal wines carry a Crosby Roamann designation as the producer with a very similar label. In any event this one is also very good. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose has red apples with a touch of lemon and a nice minerality. Medium to full bodied. Good balance. On the palate, this is crisp with flavors or apples an
This was interesting. In a room with 7 blind tasters with plenty of experience, no one even guessed Chardonnay much less Burgundy. Personally, I was stumped. It was good, but I had no idea what it might be. Green/gold in color, clear and bright. The nose has a nice minerality with a touch of quince. A very nice mouthfeel, slightly oily. On the palate, mostly minerals. Good finish. It drinks well on its own and would be better with some seafood or hearty vegetarian dishes. Drink over the next five years or so.
This is their basic Chardonnay. Screw capped. A very nice value. Pale yellow gold in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with grapefruits and slight chalky notes. Clean. Light to medium bodied. Good acidity. On the palate, this is refreshing. Notes of grapefruits. This is nice on its own and better with some food. A good wine to match with sea food or vegetarian fare. Drink over the next few years.
A couple of steps up from the basic Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Light golden in color with some silvery hues, clear and bright. The nose is great with lemon curd, slight pear, vanilla and spice. Medium to full bodied. Crisp acidity. On the palate, this is concentrated but has some elegance. Lemons, slight vanilla, a bit of toast and spice. Complex. Long finish. For my tastes, one of the top Chardonnays out there. It should easily drink well for ten to fifteen more years. Great on its own, but better with food. This would be excellent with grilled Salmon.
Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with limes, vanilla, and spice. It has a leaner texture with crisp acidity. On the palate, more lemon than lime along with a nice minerality and spice. Clean finish. This sees no new oak but certainly has a perception of some oak which is interesting. It should work well with seafood or vegetarian fare. Pad Thai would might be nice. Drink over the next five to eight years.
Kite Tail has always been a very expressive Chardonnay and this iteration is no exception. It deviates from traditional Chardonnay and delves into richer, more mature elements. What’s surprising then is that this iteration has less oak and less malolactic time than previous versions. Yet this still retails a wonderful acidity, character and aroma, not to mention a palate experience that brings in oak-like notes, without the cumbersome oak heaviness. All estate grown, all Chardonnay, this offers a nose of soft muted lemon, resin and butterscotch/gardenia.
