Chardonnay - Pour it and they will come. White wine for all people and affordable too!

Wine Appraiser

Chardonnay is probably the most loved and hated wine in the world. Have you heard of ABC – (Anything But Chardonnay)? Some people dislike it, but it is still the world's most planted

white wine grape. Why is it hated? We will try to find the answer in this episode.

If you think you don’t like Chardonnay, maybe you haven’t tried the right one.

Chardonnay is grown in nearly all wine regions, and it produces wines from bright and crisp to heavily oaked and buttery.

Vineyard owners like Chardonnay because it is a hearty grape that grows in various climates. Winemakers like Chardonnay because of its versatility.

Tonight, Dennis and Denise taste three affordable Chardonnays. Our three wines include.

1. The 2022 Domaine Seguinot-Bordet Chablis https://www.seguinot-bordet.com/en/ from Burgundy, France. I purchased this wine from our local Wall to Wall Wine Store for $27.99. Tasting notes: Acidic with balance. Green apple, citrus, pineapple, toasted oak, vanilla, butter, and salinity.

2. The 2020 Aviary Chardonnay https://www.folktalegroup.com/aviary-vineyards

from Napa Valley. We purchased it from Costco for $11.99. I found this wine for sale online mostly in the $14-$18 range. Tasting notes: oak, butter, vanilla, cream, banana, yogurt, pear, apple, and melon.

3. The 2022 Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Chardonnay, a wine we purchased at Costco for $7.99. The Reverse Wine Snob https://www.reversewinesnob.com/ said it had, aromas of apples, citrus, and a touch of toasty oak. WineEnthusiast https://www.wineenthusiast.com/ gave it a 90. Tropical notes of pineapple and papaya, white nectarine. Some stone fruits and hints of florals, baking spice. Finishes with lemon zest and vanilla crème brulee.

Next week we will be tasting Grenache. The three wines we will taste include:

1. 2017 Granito del Cadalso from Madrid, Spain. I purchased this wine at our

local Wall to Wall Wine Store for $14.63.

2. 2017 Idle Cellars Grenache from Sonoma County, a wine we purchased at the West Des Moines Wine Styles for $37.00.

3. 2018 Centenaria Garnacha from Campo De Borja, Spain. We again purchased it from our local Wall to Wall Wine Store for $15.91.