2015 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Green/gold in color. There is plenty of oak on the nose along with an enticing lemon creme. On the palate, this is very rich. There is a lot of oak, but it seems to start integrating in the glass and no doubt, will continue to do so if well cellared for the next few years. Plenty of lemon and vanilla too. An almost seamless texture which is very nice. Depending on your tastes, this is drinking well now or needs five years. Retail is $60. It will work with richer but lighter foods.

Grade:

Score:

Vintage:

2015

2017 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Napa, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage:

2017

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$48.00USD

Shafer is one of the stalwarts of the Napa valley and this wine seems like it has been one of the top Chards forever as well. It has always had a fair amount of oak showing and this one seemed no exception. In the past, many had way more oak, but now, this tends to show more oak than most as time have changed. Whether this is good or bad is different for every taster/drinker. Copper/gold in color. The nose has vanilla, baking spices, orange peel and slight lemon. On the palate, this has a nice oily texture. Plenty of depth. Notes of ginger with a bit or lemon peel and spice. With a

2018 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$46.00USD

This is a classic California Chard in style and pedigree. Golden in color, clear and bright. The nose has butter, spice, lemons and slight white flowers. Full bodied. Rich, full bodied texture. On the palate, this is round and full of fruit and structure. Lemons, slight smoke and spice. A nice backbone of acidity counters the oak nicely. Long finish. This should continue to integrate over the next ten years with the oak taking a step back. Whether to wait or not really depends on how you like your Chardonnay. This drinks well on its own and will work well with sea food but also p

Top Ten California Chardonnays - 2016

I tend to taste and drink a lot of wine over the course of a year. I am in a few tasting groups, sometimes the wines are consumed at various local wine store tastings and a number drunk with friends and family.

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Napa Valley Chardonnay: Foods to Pair With, and Meals that Call for, Napa Chardonnay

Chardonnay—a chameleon of a grape. There are an especially large number of choices to be made in terms of winemaking when it comes to Chardonnay. It can be still or sparkling. It can be aged in oak or un-oaked, filtered or unfiltered, subject to malolactic fermentation or not. Even the type of oak used, or the decision to keep the wine in contact with dead yeast cells during the winemaking process affects the style of the final product. These factors (not to mention the concept of terroir) result in endless Chardonnay styles that can range from Burgundy’s crisp, austere, mineral-driven wines to Australia’s tropical fruit-packed, viscous style.

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2019 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve, USA, California, Napa, Carneros, Wine Rev iew

Vintage:

2019

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$60.00USD

This is a big, California Chardonnay in the best sense. It is a blend of four different vineyards of Chardonnay. Silvery gold in color, clear and bright. The nose is big and enticing with Lemons, vanilla and nutmeg. Full bodied with a creamy texture. Good acidity. Slightly oily. On the palate, this has lemons, slight lemon peel and an interesting note of mint on the finish. It is deep with tight complexity that unwinds in the glass. A very long finish. This may improve over the next year or two but either way should make great drinking for the next ten years. It drinks great on i

2015 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

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