This is a Sonoma County Chardonnay staple that was $19.99 at my Costco, and from what I've seen that price is $2-$4 less than almost anywhere else. This wine is not my favorite style of Chardonnay, just a tad too oaky and buttery for my tastes, but it delivers exactly what many Chardonnay fans love and it does it pretty well in a package that costs less than $20.
The nose is excellent, loaded with citrus fruit, permeates, smells great, hints of oak. Flavors of lemon, fig, sour apple and dried apricot lead into a finish where the oak and buttery cream come in. As I've already mentioned, it might be just a tad too much for my tastes, but I wouldn't discourage any California Chardonnay fans from giving this one a shot. It's like receiving a very nice gift, just wrapped up in wrapping paper that I'm not 100% in love with.
Others may completely disagree with me on this one, and that's perfect because everyone's palate is different. I did not enjoy this wine with food, and I may have had a different experience had I paired with some nice white fish or a good summer salad.
Let me know what you think. California Chardonnays are such stylistically interesting wines, I'm curious what others think about this bottle.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points
Costco item number: 16642
