BAND-AIDS AND CHARDONNAY UNDER $25.00
They say blondes have more fun, right? Well, there were five of us blondes lined up and ready to sip a little vino on a friday night. It was an impressive line-up, the Chardonnay that is! (wink, wink)
The tasting may have ended up with a dance party, because apparently a little Chardonnay will do that to a group of moms on a friday night. Also a few Band-Aids. I could only offer princess, ninja turtle and Oh Joy though, which can always add a little flair to any outfit. My kids are obsessed with Band-Aids, did I say, OBSESSED?! We should have bought stock in the company. A paper cut? Band-Aid. Your sister scratched you? I’m so sorry would you like a Band-Aid? Your brother tapped you with his toe? Have a Band-Aid. I admit it, when they were toddlers I might have offered them up as concession prizes, which has led to our current obsession. My kids have white marks all over their bodies from the sun tan (or “sun less”) areas of sun exposure while wearing Band-Aids. Which brings me back to wine, even fancy Band-Aids cannot help wines that don’t taste good. What I loved about this group of friends who joined me for a tasting is that not everyone liked the same wine, our tastes varied in many ways. Which is what a wine should do. You have a unique palate, figure out what you like!
I pulled a few Chardonnay wines under $25.00, which consisted of:
Edna Valley 2013, Central Coast, California $10.00
Argento Reserva Chardonnay 2014, Mendoza, Argentina $13.99 http://www.argentowine.com
Robert Mondavi 2013, Napa Valley $15.00 http://www.robertmondaviwinery.com
Lafond Chardonnay 2013, Santa Rita Hills $16.00
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2014, South Africa $22.00
Foxglove 2013, Central Coast, California $15.00
Mount Eden “Wolff Vineyard” Chardonnay 2012, Edna Valley, California $20.00 http://www.mounteden.com
Chateau St Jean Robert Young Vineyard 2012 $21.00 http://www.chateaustjean.com
Tie for first: Hamilton Russell (South Africa) and Mount Eden (California)
Tie for second: Argento (Argentina), Robert Mondavi (Napa Valley) and Chateau St Jean (California)
I consulted with the latest edition of Wine Spectator to help with a few of the selections, and apparently we do not agree with Wine Spectator. In fact the Lafond, which earned a 90-point rating was not liked among this group. NOT ONE of us liked this wine. It was unbalanced, and with an alcohol level of 14.6, it gave us all a burning sensation in the backs of our throats. My favorite comment was “it electrocuted my mouth”, which I suppose could be a good or a bad thing!
Let’s start with the winners: when buying a wine under $25.00, you’re not typically going to find the great depth or complexity you may encounter in a higher-priced wine, but you can still find a good wine. The Russell Hamilton had a great nose, and it was a perfect balance of crisp acidity and creamy texture (due to malo-lactic fermentation, or ‘MLF’). Although one commenter stating “I love this but not sure since I am feeling fuzzy after all this wine,” might not sell it to you, this wine is good and slightly lighter in body with more earth than most Chardonnays, which made it appealing. The Mount Eden, which had scored 88 points in Wine Spectator, had the complexity and classic Chardonnay taste – it was a winner all around.
Robert Mondavi’s wine fit right in here. To me, it is everything a Chardonnay should be: citrus notes, a nice nose and perfect acidity. For $15.00, this is a great buy. I would bring this to any dinner party and feel confident about bringing it. The Chateau St Jean had mold on the cork. Now, without going on and on, this can usually mean nothing. I know, right? When I first started studying wine, I flashed back to my cocktail waitress days (a century ago) because everyone smelled and inspected the cork. But, let me help you out here – a cork means nothing to you. They were just ‘pretend’ wine snobs! My friends drank the wine anyway. I am still convinced that there was a slight taint to this wine, and I would like to get another bottle to see what it usually tastes like. When a wine is actually ‘corked,’ as in [bacteria on] the cork is tainting the wine, it smells like a wet basement and moldy socks – an unmistakable smell and taste. This wine did not have that, but from my perspective, it had a slight ‘off-taint,’ which happens – meaning usually no fruit (aka citrus, peach, etc.) taste or smell. On a side note, the Mount Eden also had mold on the cork. I know, right? But this wine was absolutely fine – and delicious. I will say this, if a cork is really dried out, as in no wine touching the cork, this can be a sign that the cork has let oxygen in, but that is rare. What is not rare is a buying a wine that is off. It is very, very common, unfortunately. More on that in another blog.
The Argento from Argentina was a definite winner, especially at $13.99. It tasted of citrus with crisp minerality, and rounded out at 8 (i.e., 8 of 10) for everyone. This is a lighter-bodied wine, so easy drinking and definitely worth picking up.
The three we didn’t love: Edna Valley, which was given 88 points on the WS list, was not a big hit. It smacked you with a brassy acidity straight away and had a very short finish, although one person liked it and gave it a 7. Like I said, we didn’t agree on everything! Next up is the Lafond, which I addressed before. It was spicy and unbalanced and not loved by anyone. Rounding out the night was the Foxglove from Central Coast, which someone named “summer in a glass,” or ” I would like to drink at pool, but still feeling fuzzy,” but the consensus was don’t buy this wine – there are others out there that are better.
I usually would have thrown in a Burgundy, because that is MY FAVORITE Chardonnay wine, but I will be doing that in a tasting called “white wines around the world,” so look out for that! I always try to pick my wines up from stores where most people can find them, so hopefully you will be able to try a few of our favorites!
