Time To Look At Serious Chardonnay After A Huge Win

Time To Look At Serious Chardonnay After A Huge Win – Episode #574

November 10, 2008

The Jets romp the Rams and so Gary is excited and this is the perfect time for him to try some serious Chardonnay wines from California and see what he thinks!

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Comments on this episode(139) Leave a comment ›

“Good show. Too bad on the overoaking…. still not my thing either. …” by Dessert Wine Nerd
“My favorite chards this year have been sone acidic ones from Burgundy …” by yowens
View all 139 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Truchard ChardonnaySonoma Chardonnay
2005 Chasseur Russian River ChardonnaySonoma Chardonnay
2006 Sbragia Chardonnay Gamble RanchNapa Chardonnay

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

The Thunder Cruise

139 Responses

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November 11, 2008

Kevin Mack
Great show. Go Patriots. On Chardonay I like most people have gotten burned by alot of bad over oaked chardonay so I am drinking a lot of unoaked stuff. My favorite one is Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonay from Australia. For one that is oaked I like Franks Family Chardonay, it tastes like Creme Brulee in a glass.
November 11, 2008

ex-lurkdawg
My favorite chardonnay this year has been the Aubert ‘06 Lauren Vineyard from the Sonoma Coast. I’d be really interested to see what you think, Gary, of any of Mark Aubert’s chardonnays that he’s made for his own label. This one was probably the ripest chardonnay I’ve ever had. Despite some pretty heavy oak treatment (I think he uses all new French oak), there was so much fruit in this wine that it didn’t come across to me as overly oaky. It had lots of melon and tropical fruit. There was another layer beyond the fruit flavors, but I think the wine was too young to show us as much of those other elements as it could after another year or two in the bottle. I’m glad I have a couple more that I’ll be able to try in the future.

I can’t name a single least favorite; there are always a lot.

I understand your movie-preview analogy, but to me the nose is more like the first half of a movie; if you miss it, it’s very difficult to understand what you’re seeing. I just think it’s so important and more directly related to the experience than a preview for another movie. I’m not trying to be nitpicky, though.
Thanks for another great show.
November 11, 2008

Scott EJ
I can’t really name any one or two particular Chards I’ve been drinking lately, but I can say that I’ve been playing alot with this varietal from Chile, South Africa, and Washington.

Congrats on the Jets big win and kudos to your wife for being so cool.
November 11, 2008

Tofferotti
I have been drinking the Olivier Leflaive Les Setilles and his Chablis. Great wines for $15 a bottle. First tried is at T-Bar in NYC. Good place. Upper east side. Give it a try if you haven’t been there. I have also liked the Ramey Chardonnays. A bit pricey but really nice. The Russian River and Hyde vineyard are my favorites.

I as well don’t care for the oak monster. I’ve never liked it though. My palate always rejected it. It’s a lot of the reason I don’t like scotch. I taste that nasty wood element and I want a shot of Cuervo immediately to change the taste.
November 11, 2008

craig
Honestly, not to be too snobby, but 98% of my chard drinking this year has been village or higher white burgundy. That’s where it’s really at.
November 11, 2008

Ray Barnes
Note to Scott – if Gary comes across as a shill, he remains an ethical instead of unethical one. To use an analogy, it is hard to sell a steak without a bit of sizzle. Whether one condones the hype/hoopla element of his video blogs or not, Gary still has an outstanding palette and speaks his truth as best as he is able. There is of course the option of skipping the videos and checking his tasting notes.

The one thing I find most objectionable is his virulent pro-Jets, anti-Patriots/Rams/49ers/whomever else the Jets may be opposing. This is simply rude, bad sportsmanship. Unfortunately he is far from being the only rude, inconsiderate football fan.
November 11, 2008

purplejuicebruce
QOTD…Fourvines Naked chard. Paso Robles
November 11, 2008

italianwinelover
So glad Jet won….it’s nice to see you happy!!

QOTD: A steel tanked Chard is my go to when I drink them…Chehalem Inox Oregon. Prefer Champagne though!!! Really don’t like the oak, butter at all so any one of those would be my worse…I don’t seek them out cause thats what I think they will taste like…I’m kind a down on Chards this year.
November 11, 2008

glenn
dude – you know that Sbragia needs a long time sideways to shine! i am going to have to visit Truchard. what is up with their $175 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon? that must be something with their regular Cab Sav under $40.

enjoy Thursday, a very serious game!

QotD: most interesting Chard from this past summer was a 10 y/o Rancho Zabaco with a shrunken, petrified cork i found in the back of my cellar while looking for something else. slightly oxidized it died quickly but had some really fascinating tastes before its demise. had a 1996 Grgich Hills that was really lovely. get some age on those Cali Chards man!
November 11, 2008

Logan
QOTD: I loved the 2006 Montes Alpha Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley in Chile- great acidity and plenty of heat (love it), crisp and refreshing with some mineral elements- very little butter & oak. And very cheap as well- surprising and delicious.
I remember Yellow Tail’s Chardonnay to be quite horrible- wanna-be textbook Chard, with gobs of cheap-o butter and off-balanced oak, too thick, sweet and unstructured; really just cheap-tasting garbage.
November 11, 2008

canadapete
QOTD – Come up to Canada and try Niagra’s – Clos Jordanne Chardonnay. It’s the best Chard I’ve had this year. Beautiful stuff. Too many bad one’s too name.
November 11, 2008

Panchismo
Im drinking the southest Chilean Chardonnay (almost antartic chardonnay)named Sol de Sol from Aquitania vineyards. Its a little bit small production, it is located on a warm microclimate in the middle of Cold coast rainy climate near Pto Montt, in the lake region of Chile.

Sol de Sol delivers elegance, sofisticated complex fruit, persistance in mouth, very light body with baby fat, amazing wine, you should try to get a bottle, it´s in my opinion the best Chilean Chardonnay. 22 Us Dollars.
November 11, 2008

theemptyglass
I think I like chardonnay. I haven’t had too many, but my palate tends to steer away from wines that are too acidic or taste like cat pee (>cough< SB from NZ).

QOTD: According to my corkd account
I hated Napa River 2005 Chard
http://corkd.com/wine/view/43921-Napa_River_2005_Chardonnay
and I loved Santa Barbara Landing 2005 Chard
http://corkd.com/wine/view/63402-Santa_Barbara_Landing_Chardonnay
November 11, 2008

torquey
QOTD: White Burgundy
November 11, 2008

Tom G
Not a huge Chard fan, to be honest. I’ve never understood the hype. I’ve had Chablis that I didn’t mind and the “best” Chard I’ve had this year was probably one of Ramey’s (I think the Russian River was my favorite). I prefer easy drinking Sauv Blanc with its clear fruit profiles and delicious nose to heavy Chard.
November 11, 2008

Franish
QOTD:

good: Wolf blass red label Chardonnay Semillon Australia 2006

not bad but not that good,just okay: Banrock Station Chardonnay Australia 2007
November 11, 2008

BobbyTiger
QOTD?
Best Chard. currently drinking. Ummmmmm…don’t drink Chard.
Worst Chard. See above.
Don’t really care for whites in general, as they are, well……… so white. I do however drink the Argentine Torrontes, but that’s probably the result of my trying to recapture my trip to that beautiful country a couple of years ago.
November 11, 2008

Benjamin
Dont drink white wine…. why? cause red is more attractive i guess……
November 11, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD: BEST: Chateau Demessey Mersault, 2004
WORST: Moshin… holy CARAMEL… gross.
November 11, 2008

Bored Doe
Great episode. I agree about enjoying more mineral driven chardonnays than the creamy stuff however there is still a time and a place for me for oak forward chards. Speaking of which… QOTD- Best- 2004 Domaine Pierre Matrot Meursault… Worst 2005 Peter Lehmann South Australia Chardonnay
November 11, 2008

Neil
Gary,
Here are my Chard rankings:
Turner Road 2005-90
Toasted Head 2006-90
Irony 2005-88
Atesa 2005-88
J. Lohr Arroyo Seco 2006-88
Estancia 2006-84
TwoTone Farm 2006-84
Covey Run 2004-82
Chateau St. Jean 2006-80

My reviews are on Cork’d. User Cabfiend.
November 11, 2008

john
I’ll answer the QOTD first. Best chard of the year – Rombauer 06. After viewing this show, I’m sure it’s not Gary’s pallete, but it is mine.
On to my next thought…. I would rather have 1 bottle of Rombauer a week than 3 bottles of “value wines”. Heck I’d rather have a good beer than any “value wine” being pimped

Note to Gary… Scott has a point.

That being said I love the wine forum that you provide. Thank You for ALL you time and effort. Please keep this show as your number one focus
November 11, 2008

apj_bobswineguy
QOTD: 2006 Palmaz. Napa Valley. Small production. The best!
November 11, 2008

jsrassat
French Chardonnay, good. Californian, Bad.
November 11, 2008

Leonidych
The best this year: Pouilly Fuisse Grand Beauregard 2005 by Maison Joseph Burrier
The worst: there’s plenty.