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Ed Rasimus
 
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Default looking for buttery (malolactic) chardonnays

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 17:39:36 GMT, Bill >
wrote:

>Fiona wrote:
>> It seems like most of the chards available in my grocery store this
>> year are "crisp and fruity," but I'd buy apple juice if that was what
>> I wanted! Because I have no sense of smell, I prefer a big-bodied
>> buttery chardonnay. Oaky and vanilla-y are good too.
>> Possibly there are some out there that would provide the mouth-feel
>> that I want, but I'm turned off by labels advertising apple,
>> grapefruit, and other citrus.

>
>
>Fiona you might try the Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Chardonnay
>that sells for around $10 or less. The Heitz sells for about $15
>and is really a good buy. One that I like right now is Rodney
>Strong Chalk Hill Vineyard that is also around $15. Try these wines
>just barely chilled instead of very cold.
>
>If you want to go for the gold in this line, try the Chalk Hill.
>I think they substitute about 50% butter in their wine.
>
>


I'm with Fiona regarding "apple, grapefruit, and citrus" in
Chardonnay. If I want those flavors I'll tend toward Viognier, Chenin
Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. At least that's where I usually
encounter those flavors.

For Chards I like butter, vanilla, and (alas) oak. I agree with
previous comments that finding "big" Chards with those flavors usually
means a bit more $$, but surprisingly my old stand-by Rex Goliath
comes through with a 47-pound Rooster Chardonnay that is very much
into the butter, vanilla style. At $5/bottle it's hard to go wrong.

I've also found that Australian Chardonnays seem to lean toward that
sweeter, big buttery style--with the exception of Penfold's Rawson's
Retreat, which doesn't taste like much of anything.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8