2020 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Single Vineyard Riva Ranch, USA, California, Monterey, Arroyo Secco, Wine Review

This is a very nice Chardonnay from Wente, a long time producer in California (founded in 1883). This particular Chardonnay is grown from a single vineyard, Riva Ranch, in Arroyo Grande. Yellow gold in color, clear and shimmering bright. The nose is a bit chalky with grapefruit and slight baking spice. With air, a bit of pineapple comes out. It has a really nice voluptuous texture. On the palate, more lemon chiffon with nice underlying minerality and some spice. Moderate acidity. Good finish. This is tasty and drinks nicely on its own but will work well with all but the heaviest of foods. It matched nicely with spanakopita but would work well with pork chops as well. Drink over the next five to eight years.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2020

Current Price:

$22.00USD

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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Best Napa Chardonnay (For the Money)

IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts for their recommendation for the best Napa Chardonnay (for the money): California Chardonnay has entered a new golden era, and there are terrific, cooler climate examples available from all over the State. These great new Chards tend to be balanced, with minerality and strong acidity, as well as less obtrusive new oak than was the trademark of California Chardonnay even five years ago. Napa does not have a particularly cool climate, so the wines from this region tend to have more ripe, tropical fruit characteristics, and more richness, as well as more of a creamy mouth feel, thanks in large part to the new oak typically used for fermentation and aging. Nonetheless, for those who like the rich, tropical fruit style of Chardonnay, there are some great examples from Napa that are relative values. My top pick for the money is the Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Napa Valley Chardonnay, with the current release going for a relatively reasonable average of $35. Here I get more lemon and lemon cream than super-ripe tropical fruit, but with solid weight and creamy texture. Also quite good but considerably pricier, at about $50, is the Hestan Vineyards Chardonnay, made by sought after Napa winemaking consultant Mark Herold. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

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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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2017 J. Lohr Chardonnay Arroyo Seco Monterey, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage:

2017

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$10.00USD

An inexpensive Chardonnay that is a pretty good value for the money. Light golden in color. The nose offers up some melon and tropical fruit and just a touch of spice. On the palate, this has a bit of crispness. The melon carries thru. Creamy texture. Slightly bitter/woody on the finish. Worked well with assorted salads. Drink now.

2016 Lasorda Family Chardonnay, USA, California, Monterey, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

A-

This is a project from former baseball manager Tommy Lasorda. I was a bit skeptical about it but this is good. It retails for around $20 which makes this a great bargain in the world of California Chardonnay as well. Pop and pour, it drank well although did improve for the first 30 minutes or so before plateauing until the bottle was emptied. Light gold/green in color. The nose is nice with grapefruit and slight vanilla. Neutral oak barrels were used but there are some very pleasant oak remnants if light. With air some green apples pop out as well. On the palate, this has nice acid

2020 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Single Vineyard Riva Ranch, USA, California, Monterey, Arroyo Secco, Wine Review

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