Double T by Trefethen 2008

Napa Valley Chardonnay lime-hued straw barrel-fermented Very oaky nose with light body and simple finish. Perhaps I am missing something. Perhaps the wine is?

Backhouse Chardonnay 2007

Light colored with a straw hue. Unoaked. Tart with decent acidity. Nutty with white peach and light body; a fine chardonnay for only $9

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2007

Northernmost part of Sonoma, hillside vineyards. Traditional Burgundian style with fine silky texture and forward fruit that smells of cantelope, honeydew and ash. Very good.

William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis 2007

100% Chardonnay 100% stainless steel. Pale golden color. Nose is pineapple, pear and lemon peel. Acidic and crisp with a clean mineral style. Good, but I prefer the Defaix Petit Chablis for the price.

Kumeu River Matés River Chardonnay 2004

Golden-hued with very full-bodied scent that is ripe with apricots, almond and mineral. Long finish that has smooth acidity, but lively. Very good.

Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2006

Full-bodied nose that really gives off a floral -citrus character that I find to be really terroir-driven in New Zealand. Still very fresh with violets and green apple, it still maintains a richness that Chardonnay demands. Aged in 24% new oak which gives the wine an aromatic, rich and strong finish. Very good.

Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2006

Single vineyard "Coddington". Gold color with a greenish tinge. Really fruited with peachy ripeness on the nose. A slight buttery / hazelnut / oakiness that meld together to make a complete, complex wine. Aged in heavily toasted smoking barrels. Michael, the winemaker, says they do this because the fruit is so 'full' that the oak becomes balanced. The effect is a much more forward Chardonnay that can really stand up to bold food flavors.

Kumeu River Chardonnay Estate 2005

Made by Brajkovich Family Proprietors. Presented to me by Michael Brajkovich, these wines are of the highest quality, and compete with similar wines from Burgundy. In other words: they are remarkable quality for the price. The 2005 is a more golden color than the 2006 and the scent is still fresh but has a depth to the nose. Flavors of pears, mineral and a light buttery essence that remains cool-tempered with a hint of almonds and cream. Also very good.

Kuemu River Estate Chardonnay 2006

Blend of six vineyards, the best-seller fromKumeu with 100% malolactic fermentation. Also has a grassy scent but is still very frech the color is pale like Chablis. A fruity nose but with definite golden (honey?, raisin?) flavors but has a nice acidity that is very alluring. This is not creamy or buttery, but has a definite unctuousness that leaves a rich finish. Very good.

Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2007

2/3 fermented in stainless and 1/3 in old oak barrels in the style of Chablis and Macon. The scent is a little grassy (Think cut wheat the has been in the sun, drying) with a gala apple, buttery maybe tarte-tatin nose. Very cool-climate grown, you can tell by the fresh taste and good acidity. 100% malolactic fermentation, but spends 2-3 months on lees.

Domaine des Pothiers Fou de Chéne 2007

100% Chardonnay Vine de Pays d’Urfé full bodied yet really nice like a pouilly-fuisse. This wine is from the Côte Roannaise in the Loire Valley. Lemon curd and bright honeysuckle flavors open up to a little gravel and the slightest hint of lychee. This wine is new to the US and is non-certified organic. It is versatile and would be served well for all types of seafoods and fowl.

Image is from the blog: http://domainedespothiers.blogspot.com/
of the vineyards at Domaine des Pothiers. Check it out!

Forestville Chardonnay 2007

Smells like tutti frutti sfruit stripe gum. Minimal aged american oak 3 months. Light and medium dry. Perhaps just the thing value-minded folks are looking for in chardonnay. Marshmallow on the finish, not long.

Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2008

Livermore Valley, as well. Cool chardonnay scent with a definite oak grounding (on staves?). Crisp with medium body that is very appealing.

Luigi Bosca Chardonnay 2008

Argentina: 1/3, 1/3, 1/3: malo/oaked/stainless. An approach that is unlike California. God balance with a tart finish unlike chardonnays I've had recently.

Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay 2007

Russian River Valley- Sonoma, Winemaker Jim Collins. Clean scent with gala apple, a hint of apricot and peach. New French oak aged, and well-balanced.

Mirassou Chardonnay 2007

California, 150-year family-owned vineyard. Sweet and flabby, with oak-added flavor, malolactic fermentation on oak staves.

Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay 2007

Russian River Valley. Restrained nice oak balance. Creamy texture and lengthy finish, make a very drinkable wine. I wish I could carry this...but have so many other chards in this range.

Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay 2008

Aged in stainless, planted on clay and limestone soils. 100% chardonnay grapes. Nose is gravel, fresh and clean with a hint of pepper(?) Not long finish, but very fresh and lemony.

Samantha Starr Chardonnay 2007

Oaky nose with green apple, ripe pear. Very full-bodied expression of chardonnay. $15.99

Mumm Napa Brut Prestige

Bright and yeasty with bold chardonnay fruit. I always love wine with bubbles. This is the real deal!