Wine Each Week ~ Shafer 2018 Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay

For a quarter of a century one of the quintessential Chardonnays of the Napa Valley has been Shafer’s Red Shoulder Ranch, located on 68 prime acres near San Pablo Bay and named for the red shouldered hawks that claim the spot as home. The area here is cool, sometimes downright cold, and often breezy, at times utterly windy. Perfect for Chardonnay. Like other vintages before this one, the 2018 shows a beautiful viscosity, with notes of lemon verbena, lime kefir, vanilla, papaya, butterscotch, hints of sandalwood and a mild acidity. The creaminess comes from lees aging, since there is no malo-lactic fermentation. It was then aged in both French Oak and stainless steel. In the early 1990s when Shafer was first making Chardonnay, they used American oak, and they also grew the Chard in the Stag’s Leap District, way too hot for Chardonnay. They have perfected their Carneros Chardonnay and what’s in the bottle is truly an ideal wine, one that celebrates the clarity of California Chardonnay.

ORIGIN: Carneros, California.

ALCOHOL: 14.9%

PRICE: $52 (750ML)

SCORE: 91 POINTS

SHAFER

Wine Each Week – 2017 Newton Chardonnay

You may not know Newton. It’s been quietly going about making wine since its inception in 1977. Quietly. That’s rather the whole point. This is a quiet wine, one that offers classic Chardonnay qualities of lemon-lime, lemon verbena, white peach and Asian pear, but does not flaunt it. There are mid-to-back notes of caramel, honeysuckle, toasted almonds, and baked brioche. The elements are all subtle, a bit of lees stirring noticeable, but all in all, this does not draw attention to itself in a gregarious way. The grapes are mainly from the Carneros region though some portions were harvested out of Rutherford, Mount Veeder and a few other smaller vineyard sites. The wine was 100% barrel fermented, then aged for just 12 months in some new French Oak barrels and bottled unfiltered. The end result is a Chardonnay that acts respectful and is a pleasure to drink.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley

ALCOHOL: 14%

PRICE: $55 (750ML)

SCORE: 92 POINTS

NEWTONVINEYARD

Wine Each Week – 2017 MacRostie Chardonnay, Dutton Ranch

A tinkerer at heart, Steve MacRostie was drafted in the U.S. Army as a cryptographer. That means attention to detail and Steve’s wines, which I have reviewed for over a decade, all have the imprint of his attention to detail allover them. His 2017 RRV Chard offers upfront notes of muted lemon verbena and lime kefir, with mid-palate notes of guava, light honeysuckle, white peach, and pear, and back notes of browned butter along with a mild acidity. The wine went through a partial malolactic fermentation, then was aged for a scant 10 months in both new and used French oak, but that accounted for only 38% of an impact on the wine, therefore it’s not overbearing. The result is a playful, balanced (between oak and fruit) wine that is elegant, usable with a variety of foods, or just to enjoy as a classic Russian River Chardonnay.

601 cases

ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California

ALCOHOL: 14.6%

PRICE: $48 (750ML)

SCORE: 93 POINTS

MacRostie

Wine Each Week – 2017 Frank Family Carneros Chardonnay

The word “summery“ is used often to describe a wine but it seems like a cheap descriptor. What does “summer in a glass” even really mean? Yet it seems to be the perfect word to describe this Frank Family Chardonnay. Bright, lively, warm, vibrant all come to mind. The 2017 is full of white peach, citrus lemon, Kieffer lime, lemon verbena, toasted bread, red apple, and a beautiful acidity that supports the structure of the wine. This iteration sheds some of the more caramelized notes in the past and brings forth an expressive Chardonnay that can easily pair well with an abundance of foods given its acidic nature. Aged for nine months in roughly 1/3^rd percentages of new, once used and twice used French oak barrels, it offers viscosity and grace.

ORIGIN: Carneros, Napa, Sonoma

ALCOHOL: 14.4%

PRICE: $38/ 750ML

SCORE: 90 POINTS

FRANK FAMILY

Wine Each Week – 2017 Metz Road Chardonnay, Riverview Vineyard

Metz Road is the road that fronts the Riverview Vineyard in Monterey County. This 215-acre parcel is home to Chard and Pinot, what Scheid calls a “Burgundian landscape,” a cooler plot just above the Salinas River and buffeted by winds coming from the Pacific Ocean. Using Chardonnay clones 96, 4, 76 and 78 there are tangy notes of persimmon, lemon verbena, tangerine, a mild spiciness on the finish, and a bright freshness from its inherent acidity. It walks that fine line between oaked and un-oaked, possessing a solid structure and mouth feel. Part of that is its time in barrel – after fermentation the wine was moved into French oak barrels for 18 months, while just 42% of those barrels were new, and therefore some of the more caramel and buttery notes are present but not overwhelming. This is an enjoyable Chardonnay with a multi-layered approach.

2,917 cases

ORIGIN: Monterey County, California

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

PRICE: $29.99 (750ML)

SCORE: 91 POINTS

METZ ROAD

Wine Each Week – 2017 Tayson Pierce Chardonnay

Though Chardonnay is ubiquitous (and popular) there as many iterations as there are wine drinkers. The 2017 Tayson stands out in a crowded field. Winemaker Jeff Ames (formerly of Opus One) picks at night then whole cluster presses and keeps the fruit and lees in Francois Frères barrels.

This single vineyard wine avoids the typical overt citrus fruit (pineapple, lemon-lime) and shuns the heavy oak and butter treatment, instead making the case for an unusual Chardonnay that threads the needle - everything is uniquely muted, soft, almost shy. There are notes of honeysuckle, crystalized ginger, white peach, Meyer lemon, sweet Madagascar vanilla, and Alpine grass with a delightfully long finish and a supporting acidity.

“The 2017 Chardonnay is a fantastic vintage for us as it marks a new era for our Chardonnay line. The wine is unparalleled to what Chardonnays are typically known for and this vintage is truly something to experience as it caters to both the novice wine drinker as well as the sophisticated aficionado,” says owner Taylor Rothchild. And I agree.

400 Cases

ORIGIN: Napa/Carneros, Calif.

ALCOHOL: 15.3%

PRICE: $65/ 750ML

SCORE: 90 POINTS

TAYSON PIERCE

Wine Each Week – Ramey 2016 Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay

I

It’s good to be a master of your domain. For David Ramey that domain is Chardonnay. Long considered one of the masters of Chardonnay in California Ramey has seven iterations of Chardonnays to offer. His 2016 Ford Ross Seaview Chardonnay is the ninth vintage he has produced using this fruit, but the first to labeled as such, and offers amazing aromatic complexity. Not only do you get delicate caramel and butterscotch, but you get this bright acidity that opens up to notes of lemon verbena, lime kefir and mandarin orange. There are back notes of guava, white peach, sugared almond and amber with a hint of spring wildflowers. This is all Chardonnay, a smattering however of different clones. The wine was pressed whole cluster, which adds a bit more structure and appropriate tannin from the stems, and aged one year with just 12% new French oak. Immensely food compatible, this Chardonnay hits all the right notes. 3,017 cases.

ORIGIN: Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, California

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

PRICE: $42/ 750ML

SCORE: 90 POINTS

RAMEY

Wine Each Week – Roar 2017 Chardonnay SLH

ROAR launched their first wines in 2001 with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from higher altitude plantings along the eastern slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains overlooking the Salinas Valley. Their 2017 Chard not only provides a smooth, velvety viscosity, but there is lovely subtle and light notes of guava, white peach, honeydew melon, lime Kiefer, butterscotch, lemon verbena, caramel, browned butter, sweet dogwood, and Werther’s Originals. A comprehensive acidity fleshes out the experience. Using three clones including 96 – which typically translates to a more texture driven wine - they utilize multiple sources of French oak including Cadus, Latour, and Francois Feres to add deftly nuanced oak. This is one of those Chardonnays that works perfectly by itself or with food. Either way it drinks well. 303 cases.

ORIGIN: Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey, California

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

PRICE: $35/ 750ML

SCORE: 92 POINTS

ROAR

Wine Each Week: 2018 INOX Chardonnay, Oregon

Throughout Oregon Pinot Noir is the top grape – no surprise - followed by Pinot Gris, and in the netherworld of third place is Chardonnay. But Oregon Chard is gaining momentum and the 2018 INOX is one of the reasons why. Light and clean the seeming simplicity is deceptive. Defined by peach, Asian pear, nectarine, wild flowers, light honeysuckle and mango, none of these flavors are overwhelming, they act as supporting players in the background. Thus the overall experience of drinking this Chardonnay is its versatility. For example I tried this wine with a barbecue chicken pizza (sampling the wine before the pizza of course) and was surprised at the results that the lovely light style and acidity of this of Chardonnay could work so well with BBQ.

Fermented in stainless steel to keep the freshness with just five months of “aging” in tank there are just under 5,000 cases so you should be able to secure some.

In July 2018, Chehalem became the sixth Oregon winery to achieve B Corp status - which assesses companies to ensure they meet the highest standard of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. Additionally they are registered as Salmon Safe – all good things to treat our land as equitable as possible. This is a lovely Chardonnay made better by an attractive price for a wine of this quality.

ORIGIN: Willamette Valley, Oregon

ALCOHOL: 12.9%

PRICE: $20/ 750ML

SCORE: 91 POINTS

CHEHALEM

Wine Each Week: District 7

In the 2009 movie, District 9, aliens invade the earth and…well, I’m sure you can figure the rest out. There’s no mention if said aliens liked wine, however if they did, they might have been attracted to District 7, two districts away. 

From Scheid Vineyards in Monterey County comes a line-up of wines named after an actual California growing region – AKA Monterey - rather than sub-aliens, District 7. The region’s wine growing dates back to commercial plantings of Chenin Blanc in 1919, but with historic roots of vineyards (pun intended) dating to the time of the Spanish Missions in the late 1700s. District 7 also fosters an attractive price point with these wines not exceeding $20, therefore Scheid has seamlessly blended quality and value. The portfolio includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Rose’, Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot and Chard listed below. All their estate vineyards and winery are officially certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance a statewide certification program that provides third-party verification of a winery’s commitment to sustainable winegrowing practices. As they state, “Driving our efforts at District 7 is a core belief that the best wines come from vineyards and ecosystems that are in balance.” I like that.

2017 Pinot Noir

The Pinot presents lots of red raspberry, black cherry, boysenberry and cranberry with a mild acidity running through it. The minimal oak (a mere 10 months of aging with just 30% new French wood) supports the bright fruit, pulling it down a bit and balancing it out, adding depth to the wine. In doing this it creates a deeper Pinot, not an esoteric version as some Pinots can be, but a more earthy deep red fruit type.

ORIGIN: Monterey, California

PRICE: $20/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

2017 Chardonnay

Conversely, the D7 Chardonnay aims for a more typical Chardonnay with lemon, lime kefir, guava, white peach, red Delicious apple, honeysuckle and vanilla. This reminds you why Chardonnay is still the number one wine in the world; creamy, food-friendly, able to play well with others, its why we love California Chardonnay.

ORIGIN: Monterey, California

PRICE: $17.99/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

The original 1919 Chenin Blanc Vines located in Chalone

Wine Each Week: 2016 Columbia Winery Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the most popular wine, white or red in the U.S. Always has been. Yes, there are luxurious examples well over $50, but the bulk of wine sales are not in that price range. So this 2016 Chardonnay not only gets the price right, it also get Chardonnay right. I’ve had multiple vintages of this wine and it has never disappointed me. Made of Chardonnay with 2% Viognier and 1% Muscat for a delicate, floral nose, this stainless steel fermented wine offers notes of Anjou pear, red delicious apple, tropical fruits, honeysuckle, brown-spiced vanilla, summertime flowers and a mild but bright acidity. A terrific wine at an exceptional price.

ORIGIN: Columbia Valley AVA, Washington State

PRICE: $14/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.8%

www.columbiawinery.com

Summertime Rose’- The Livin’ and Drinkin’ is Easy

To borrow the above phrase from George Gershwin and tweak it a little, summer is ideal for rose’ however let me be clear, it’s for any night of any year (sorry about the rhyme, Mr. Gershwin seems to be floating in my ether right now).

So for your consideration, here are four rose’ wines to explore this summer.

The 2017 Tres Chic ($16.99) from Le Grand Courtage is light and summery, fresh cut strawberries, lemon-lime, red currants, guava and a balanced acidity. Made of Grenache Noir and Cinsault. The fruit is from Sud de France (South of France) in the Pays d’Oc region.

The Edna Valley Rose’ ($16/Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre) takes the idea of the Tres Chic and puts a new world spin on it. It offers similar strawberry and lemon-lime notes, but with more minerality and deeper fruit flavors.

The 2017 Fleur de Mer Cotes de Provence Rose’ ($20) then accentuates the Edna Valley with a brighter acidity and strong minerality. The strawberry and lemon lime are quieted by the more floral notes of lavender and honeysuckle.

The culmination of all this finds its expression in the J Brut Rose’ ($45/Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), which combines all the best of the three wines listed above, but adds bubbles. What’s not to love? So check out any of these bottles and enjoy summertime livin’.

Jordannay: Classic Chardonnay from Jordan

Chardonnay, that often maligned wine that people seem to love or hate (my wife claims she hates it) is, in reality, one of the most diverse grapes on the planet. From a butter bomb, to a stainless steel expression, to sparkling and Champagne, to even fortified iterations, Chardonnay is still at the top of the wine heap. Hovering at that top is Jordan Winery. Jordan, if you don’t know, only makes two wines. Chardonnay and Cabernet. That’s it. We call that a limited portfolio. The Jordan 2015 Chardonnay should be served at room temperature as cooling this will mute some of its nuanced flavors. “What I find appealing in the 2015 are its distinct flinty flavors and textures reminiscent of the limestone soils of Chablis. I can’t recall a vintage of Jordan Chardonnay as Old World as this,” winemaker Rob Davis told me of this wine. A dozen different vineyard blocks, all from the Russian River Valley are blended together, aged half a year in partial new French Oak barrels, with two months of sur-lie aging. And that’s where the viscosity comes from. There’s a bite to this, a super-mild sour apple, lemon-lime Otter Pop kind of quality, but with mature crème brulee, Madagascar vanilla, quince and honeysuckle and a bright, happy acidity. It straddles the two faces of Chard, namely a sleek version and the butter bomb, finding equilibrium, something most Chardonnays find elusive. So, regardless of your opinion of Chardonnay in general, the Jordan Chardonnay, in particular, should be a wine to try.

ORIGIN: Sonoma, California

PRICE: $32/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.7%

SCORE:  92 POINTS

Flipping You The Bird: Improper Wines For Thanksgiving

There is this weirdly compulsive thing these days to pair wine with your food, as if searching for and experiencing the “perfect pairing” is tantamount to Indian Jones discovering the Covenant of the Ark. Yes, I admit I’ve written about that too (uh, the pairings, not the Ark), and certainly wine and food are crucially important – not to mention I’ve reviewed restaurants professionally for a decade. The point being…drink whatever the hell you want with whatever the hell you want to eat. No more elusive pairings and “ideal” wine for turkey day. Having said that…I would like to see these wines on your table.

2014 IL Tascante

Soft and quiet, this is not a loud wine; it’s understated and you’ve probably never had this grape before – Nerello Mascalase. Grown on volcanic soils on the north-east slope of the volcano Mt. Etna in Sicily, there is an earthiness, a mineral note, a chalkiness with this wine. There is muted raspberry, cranberry, and rhubarb with back notes of Bing cherry. Though aged in Slovenian oak barrels for 18 months, you hardly notice any oak at all, more a testament of the lithe but structured fruit. And it is this subtleness that makes this wine so compelling. Well, that and the fact the family has been doing the wine thing for two centuries. ($50)

2015 Sonoma-Loeb Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch

Out of the Russian River Valley the good folks at Sonoma-Loeb turn out a lot of great wine and this Pinot, from a well-established vineyard is part of a great lineage. All Pinot all the time this make-up of clones 667, 777 and 115 was fermented using native yeast and aged for just 11 months in French oak. 11 months is correct because you don’t want this beautiful fruit to get lost in some kind of cedar box. Black cherry, red currant, candied cranberry, star anise, cola and soft baking spices round out this rich, but pure iteration of Pinot. Great acidity and mild tannins make this work with damn near whatever you put on the table, or, better yet, get some cheese and have at it. ($40)

2016 Ritual Chardonnay

Chardonnay, again, really? Yes, really. This bright crisp Chardonnay from Chile is expressive, young, and fresh with a tanginess and food-worthy acidity. You’ll easily pick up on the lemon curd, kiwi, gooseberry, lime kefir, and green apple notes, and more subtly the hazelnut, mango and quince. The fruit hails from the Casablanca Valley, just 18 miles from the coast, and is whole cluster fermented in concrete eggs (which helps immensely with viscosity) and then gets a wee bit of oak time, so you’re left with a robust white wine that plays well with others. ($21.99)

2016 Steele Viognier

Viognier, the odd named grape most people mispronounce, is one of those, cool-if-it’s-done-right wines. And Jed Steele does it right. All the way from Lake County, this offers lychee, honeysuckle, Meyer lemon, lime curd and sugared almond. A beautiful viscosity and silkiness makes the floral components of this wine that much more provocative. It’s fermented in stainless steel so it retains a bright buoyancy but is not too heavy and flowery. A mere four month of oak time allows this wine to achieve a balance of fruit, acidity and wood. ($19)

Duck(Horn) - The Other White Meat

Napa’s Duckhorn Winery, started in 1976, is known for its exceptional Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. But tucked into their portfolio is little old Chardonnay, that other wine, often overlooked. To be sure, Napa produces a lot of Chardonnay, as does every other major wine region across the globe. Yet, the Duckhorn 2014 Napa Valley Chardonnay is all classic Napa, which means it is smooth, silky and on the nose there is candied pineapple, baked red delicious apple, quince, lemon-lime, sweet almond and cedar, a line of resin on the mid-palate and a breath of mango on the finish. There’s enough viscosity, acidity and oak to make this a very well rounded wine. It’s a surprisingly structured wine, fully fleshed out and very enjoyable to drink. I’ve long been a fan of Duckhorn in part because of their incredible consistency. Now add Chardonnay to a consistent offering and you’re on the right path. DUCKHORN.COM

ORIGIN: Napa, California

PRICE: $35/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 14.9%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  92 POINTS

I Like Mike - Nazis, Communists & Chardonnay

For a younger generation of wine drinkers raised on pop-stars, actors and athletes turned winery owners, the name Mike Grgich might not mean much.  Bummer, dude. Mike was one of the pioneers of the California wine industry and everyone, from an older generation to the younger generation has probably already enjoyed his wine, at some point.

A new book, A Glass Full of Miracles documents the life of Mike Grgich’s life from a relatively poor family in Croatia to dealing with the Nazi invasion of the region in World War II, to the subsequent Communist rule after Europe was divided up. Mike Grgich is not his given name, it’s Miljenko Grgich – but we in America know him as Mike, half of the Grgich Hills Estate in Napa. And this immigrant came to America and made his mark, in a huge way, having made the Chardonnay that beat out and beat up other French Chardonnay in the famed Judgment of Paris in 1976, which effectively put California wines on the world wine map. (Google it).

What's refreshing about this book is that it is clearly written in Miljenko’s own voice. Yes it has been co-authored, but regardless you get the feel that these are Mike's words - that is to say this is not a polished work – and in some way that’s exactly how it should be – Mike telling Mike’s story, flaws and all. There are many tales of life and hardship, family and joy and when Mike was finally able to leave Croatia to come to the US (via Canada) he had $32 US dollars hidden in the sole of his shoe. Has that ever happened to you? I’m guessing not. He was undeterred. "I had gotten an old suitcase, a cheap one made of cardboard,” he writes. “I packed it with my most important things along a few clothes and 15 textbooks about wine and viticulture. These, I knew, would be my way to Paradise." And no, Paradise didn’t come easy, but it did come. In our current time-obsessed age when we demand immediate satisfaction and instant validation, this story tells you that the world actually doesn’t work that way – it is a slow, sometime painful progression, a cat and mouse game with the future. I found it interesting and engaging that he went through, like many others of the time, so many different experiences before during and after the war, something we here in America don't understand as much and those experiences of necessity helped shape his outlook, his progressive style of winemaking and his humility. As you read this very detailed book you begin to realize the incredible joy of an immigrant having a dream and making that dream come true in this country. A Glass Full of Miracles chronicles years of dedication and hard work, penny pinching, going without, worry, fear, death and promises, faith and leaving an indelible mark. The end result is a story of Miljenko’s over 93 years on Planet Earth, a story that everyone can be inspired by. Cheers, Miljenko!

A Glass Full of Miracles

Hardback, 418 pages, $40

Dozens of photographs

Available: Violettapress.com, Amazon.com, Grgich.com

My Cupcake Brings All The Boys To The Yard

I once asked Fred Franzia (he who started Two Buck Chuck) on my wine radio show what was the most a bottle of wine should cost. Unequivocally and forcefully he said $10, no more! Well, Frank(ly) that's just not true. But in homage to Fred and others who are looking for value wine at a great price may I present the 2014 Cupcake Chardonnay. What is surprising is the amount of quality this wine offers considering its price – just $10. Is this a mind blowing Chardonnay that you'll remember five days hence? No, of course not, but it is a perfectly good companion for a night. New winemaker Jessica Tomei (she came on board in 2013) should be supremely proud. The grapes are from Monterey County and were barrel fermented so there is a richness you might not expect, completely atypical of most Chards in this price category. There is caramel, mango, quince, apricot, a nice acidity, and a malolactic fermentation providing oak and buttery notes. And this drinks so well that you will be stunned that you've only spent a sawbuck. I am a fan of wine. All wine. I've had wines that run hundreds of dollars that are worth every penny, and this wine at $10 is actually under priced for what it is. Kudos to Cupcake and now you know that a Hamilton will get you a nice bottle of wine! www.CUPCAKEVINEYARDS.com

ORIGIN: Monterey County, California

PRICE: $9.99/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  88 POINTS

Red, White and Chews – HalloWine Candy

Wine and chocolate is decidedly not my favorite combination, let’s be honest. Potent sweet rarely goes with wine, (and I’m not talking sweet wines) but some combinations of wine and candy do work pretty well (for my spirits and candy pairing for The Hollywood Reporter, go HERE). So…a few ideas this All Hollow’s Eve.

From Carneros come the 2013 Educated Guess Chardonnay (a mere $17) which takes as its dancing partner the Butterfinger, originally created in 1923 and intended to be a peanut butter concoction, though that is all but lost these days. Nonetheless the chocolate on the Butterfinger is of little concern as the majority of flavor comes from the flaky Butterfinger center with its sweet caramelized toffee
 

M&Ms are obviously artificially sweet, though nonetheless addictive and the 2014 Old Vines Sorbo a Sorbo Garnacha (Grenache, a mere $12) from Spain already with a bright acidity, menthol, cedar and blackberry allows the overt sweetness of the M&Ms to become mitigated and it softens the wine, dropping out the acidity so it feels more seamless while the chocolate loses it’s fundamental sweetness.

The best idea is to experiment with whatever candy and wine you’ve got on hand, or, as I suggest, try a few new things, either way, life is predicated on being creative!

Legends of Sleepy Hollow

When Washington Irving wrote his short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820, he couldn’t have known there would be a Sleepy Hollow vineyard all the way across the country in California, which didn’t even exist as a state. And the two Sleepy Hollows could not be more different. California’s Sleepy Hollow in Monterey County is a lush beautiful land populated with grapes at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains overlooking the fertile Salinas Valley. Cranes’ Sleepy Hollow is dark, dank, moody and people fear for their safety. Fortunately there’s no fear in the Talbott Vineyards 2013 Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay. This wine is full of apple, apricot, sweet resin, quince, cedar and vanilla. It’s been fermented in the barrel but is not some oaky/buttery bomb that has lost its head. And it straddles that line between mature fruit and caramelized flavors, and yes, it’s under screw cap – and regardless of what you want to think or believe, screw caps protect you, the consumer. This is what Talbott does best, take a scary idea like barrel fermented chardonnay and turn it into a great little story. TALBOTT

ORIGIN: Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, California

PRICE:  $42 - 750/ml

ALCOHOL: 14.7%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  91 POINTS

A Scotsman and His Russian Chard

Steve MacRostie, whose family hails from Scotland, has been at the wine business for a long time debuting his first Chardonnay in 1974. It is merely one of many Chardonnay’s that clutter store shelves, right? Well yes, and no – it may sit aside other Chards, but this baby is the one you should be reaching for just now. The MacRostie 2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is one of those wines that can please a broad variety of palates, specifically those people who don’t like Chardonnay. This wine has it all: acidity, creaminess, notes of melon, peach, green apple, judicious oak and vanilla, a weight in the palate and is actually definable unlike the majority of tedious Chardonnays (at either the $10 range, or conversely at the $60 price point which are over-oaked and heavy handed). What MacRostie manages to do with classic Russian River grapes is make a Chardonnay that truly represents what Chardonnay is supposed to taste like. If you think Chardonnay is a either a butter and oak bomb, or you think Chardonnay equates with beige, you need to try this. And once you do, a kilt and haggis may not be far behind! MACROSTIE

Read about my visit with Steve at his Wildcat Mountain property HERE

ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma

PRICE: $32 / 750/ml

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  91 POINTS