Chardonnay Bargains
Chardonnay is a bit of a bargain these days. So much is planted in California (more than 90,000 acres, roughly twice as much as either Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Zinfandel) that many wineries find themselves locked into a price war. This is particularly true of leading producers in the $10 to $15 range, who have hundreds of thousand of cases to sell each year. There’s plenty of “juice” available, and they can deliver clean, straightforward wines at an attractive price.
Unfortunately, at the same time, the most recent vintages of “fine” Chardonnay have not been of very high quality. This means that even though some of the biggest names have been able to maintain their lofty prices, they may score no higher than their less pricey competition.
Of course, that’s not to say there is no difference. Even though a Chardonnay from Gallo of Sonoma may rank the same as one from Chateau Montelena in the listings that follow (I give them each one star), the Montelena is a much more complex wine than the Gallo, drier and less forthcoming but also sturdier and with more range of flavor. Still, the Gallo is sweet and juicy, perhaps a little simple but very easy to like.
The wines selected here are an eclectic lot. They range from the biggest producers to the smallest and even include a very good kosher wine for Passover.
As a collection of wines, they prove that Chardonnay is anything but a monolithic grape capable of producing only one style of wine. This group would seem to offer something for everyone.
* * * 1997 Au Bon Climat “WHY, Nuits-Blanche,” Santa Maria Valley, $42. This wine and the next one show why I continue to have mixed reactions to the wines of Au Bon Climat. Here, in one of the more unusually named offerings of this or any other year, winemaker Jim Clendenen offers a wine of uncommon beauty. Its wealth begins with scents of ripe apples, flowers, baked bread and roasted coconut and follows with broad, ripe, balanced flavors of great length and range. This mouth-filling effort needs to be paired with the richest lobster, salmon or poultry dishes; it may overwhelm something more delicate. It will only get better over the next several years.
1997 Au Bon Climat “Reserve, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard,” Santa Ynez Valley, $35. This light- to medium-intensity bottling mixes narrow fruit with suggestions of herbs, but it comes across as surprisingly stiff and somewhat pinched and nowhere finds the depth and richness of its stablemate.
$* 1998 Beringer Vineyards “Appellation Collection,” Napa Valley, $14. Here we have the standard Beringer Chardonnay now dressed up with a fancy new name to differentiate it from a less expensive version with a similar label. The wine skirts the boundaries between the simple, fruity effort from Gallo and the more layered, refined effort from Chateau Montelena or Chappellet. Its toasty oak and open fruit make it a good wine to remember at the price.
* 1998 Chappellet Vineyard, Napa Valley, $18. Its extra measure of ripeness gives this wine an inviting sense of concentration, and creamy oak and toasted nut characteristics add further charm. It comes with a bit of an alcoholic bite, but that is not an unusual price to pay for wines of this ripeness. It needs to be paired with flavorful rather than delicate foods.
* 1997 Chateau Montelena Winery, Napa Valley, $29. Recent Montelena Chardonnays have been on the tight, still developing side when they come to market, and this promising effort is no different. It opens in the glass to reveal keenly focused fruit of almost medium-intensity, and its creme bru^lee and toasty richness provide plenty of support. Brisk acidity narrows the finish, but with a year or two in bottle, this wine should gain a layered, well-balanced maturity that will lift it above the other earlier-drinking entries at its current rating.
$ 1998 Echelon Vineyards, Central Coast, $12. This modestly priced wine is sure to win friends for its pleasant, easy-to-like fruit, smelling and tasting of green apples. It is a bit on the simple side but is just the sort of wine to serve when a dry, balanced wine is needed.
$ * 1998 Gallo of Sonoma, Russian River Valley, $11. Here is the single best bargain in Chardonnay that I have tasted in the last several months. Its fresh apple and pear fruitiness and its slight sweetness are well balanced by the wine’s brisk acidity. Though not wholly classic in approach, it is just plain likable.
* 1997 Herzog “Special Reserve,” Russian River Valley, $21. A very good Chardonnay in its own right, this oaky medium- to full-bodied wine sets ripe appley fruit alongside buttery and toasty notes. It is somewhat sturdy in construction and can accompany rich baked chicken preparations. It, and Herzog’s “Special Reserve” Cabernets, are kosher for Passover and are worth keeping in mind for that reason as well as for their high ratings.
* 1997 Marcellina Vineyards, Napa Valley, $20. This is Gallo’s special label for a selection of wines from the Napa Valley, and it is a very different wine from the less-expensive Gallo reviewed above. A year older and allowed to mature longer in the winery, this attractive bottling leads with aromas of honey, flowers and ripe apples and underpins both nose and mouth with a layer of creamy oak for richness. It is dry in style but not in taste and is closer to to a classic Chardonnay than its (admittedly tasty) cellar-mate.
* * 1997 Mueller Wine Cellars “Gauer Ranch,” Alexander Valley, $24. Bob Mueller’s wines are never made in very big quantities. I apologize if your search for this wine comes up empty, but I feel duty-bound to mention this wine because it is yet another brilliant effort from one of the undiscovered craftsmen toiling in California vineyards. Ripe fruit aromas and rich, creamy, slightly toasty oak come in a beautifully proportioned package, and the wine’s pert, vital finish offers the promise of further richness with a year or two in bottle.
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Symbols
* * * A world-class wine, superb by any measure, the top 1% to 2% of all wines tasted.
* * An exceptional wine, well worth the effort to find, 10% to 12% of wines tasted.
* An admirable wine, tasty, focused, attractive, about 25% of wines tasted.
No Rating: The best are quite pleasant and can be good buys when moderately priced.
$ Good value for the money.
x Below average quality, to be avoided.