Chardonnay

This wine has always been one of the outstanding performers in the Cuvaison portfolio and year after year is a wine that never ceases to impress. It is also one of those Chardonnays that makes you rethink Chardonnay because it is so beautifully balanced, so definitely handled, that it surpasses what most of us know about Chardonnay. Yes you’ll find light lemon-lime, green apple, kiwi, guava notes, but also viscosity and minerality. It also possesses a slight resin and stone fruit quality and maturity of fruit. That these vines are just 20 years old suggests there are great vintages ahead.

For 35 years Soliloquy has been the flagship white wine from Flora Springs in Napa. The wine bursts with grapefruit, lemon, lime kefir, lychee, and back notes of resin, white peach, Asian pear and mango. The acidity holds the wine and fruit in check while allowing it to be a companion with a diversity of food. It’s comprised of 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Chardonnay and 15% Malvasia and a brief seven months of aging in French oak rounds it out. This is a consistently solid wine and year after year is worth seeking out. 605 cases. ORIGIN: Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.2%

What a treat to try this at age 10.  Deeper gold but with a bit of yellow hues, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons, minerals, slight hazelnut and some oak/spice.  Full bodied.  Nice velvety texture.  On the palate, lemons and minerals.  This is slightly past its prime but drinking well.  Plenty of depth and interest.  This drinks well on its own but probably better with food at this point.  It would pair well with lobster.  Drink over the next few years.  

A portion of the Chardonnay is picked early for the sparkling wines while the rest are allowed to hang and develop.  This wine is fermented in barrels and then goes thru full malolactic fermentation.  It is allowed to mature in 2500 liter wood barrels.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  There is some oak showing on the nose as well as a hint of sulfur, both of which quickly blow off.  The resultant wine shows green apples, salinity, spice and slight lemon.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this seems richer than the nose.  Lemon cream, and spice with the salinity coming t

Another impressive sparkling wine from this estate.  100% Chardonnay.  Disgorged in January, 2022.  12.5% abv.  Zero Dosage.  Pale, yellow in color with a nice stream of smaller bubbles.  The nose is big and excellent.  Minerality, chalk, lemons and slight salinity with lots of energy.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, the chalk, minerals and salinity come thru but the lemon citrus is a bit more pronounced.  Long finish.  This is delicious.  It drinks nice on its own but will be even better with food.  This would work well with sushi but also a frittata.  Drink over the next seven to ten year

This is a very nice Chardonnay made from estate grown and purchased fruit.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some green apple often found in Chablis, but mostly grapefruit with some lemon.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is moderately crisp with a bit of chalky minerality.  Good finish.  It drinks well on its own and worked well with a caprese salad.  Drink over the next few years.  

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lemons, peach and slight green apple.  Medium to full bodied.  Little or no oak showing on this wine.  On the palate, this is crisp and easy to drink.   Notes of peach and slight lemon zest on the palate. Nice finish.  Refreshing.  It works better with food but is still a nice sipper.  Pair it with grilled sea food such as trout.  drink over the next five years.  

This is 100% Chardonnay from Hungary.  Gold with green hues, clear and bright.  The nose has a nice lemon cream with a bit of chalk.  Creamy texture.  Medium body.  On the palate, slight oak showing with lemons and slight vanilla.  Solid acidity.  Good finish.  This is a very nice Chardonnay especially for the price.  It went very nicely with a lavender and goat cheese salad at Callas Café in Budapest.  Drink over the next few years.  

This is a sparkling Brut from Argentina.  Pale golden in color with a steady stream of small bubbles.  The nose is more about minerals but there is a bit of lemons.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, again, a nice minerality but lots of lemons and slight pear notes.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and would work with a wide variety of foods.  Pair with a bowl of buttered popcorn and it makes a great movie night.  Drink over the next couple of years.  Great value!

Really one of the best Chardonnay's in the world and a great value (although not inexpensive).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons and slight peach with just a bit of minerality.  Very tight.  On the palate, this is delicious.  More peach with some lemon tartness and underlying minerality.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This has a deep complexity to it.  Still has ten to fifteen years left of great drinking.  It drinks great on its own and would be a nice with seafood such as Tuna.