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Posted to alt.food.wine
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A Few Chards with Dinner
In article . com>,
says...
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>On Apr 3, 2:36 pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>> Last night with Chicken Picata (Giada's), roasted garlic couscous and
>> grilled veggies I opened a couple of Chards.
>>
>> 1997 Latour Corton Charlemagne-Deep gold in color. The nose showd a
>> fair amount of raosted hazelnut and a touch of oak. Quite rich on the
>> palate with pear and golden delicious apple coming through a fairly
>> opulent mouth feel. Plenty going on and the wine has probably
>> peaked. No oxidized notes.
>> A- on the Dale Scale.
>>
>> 2000 Domaine Laroche Chablis Les Blanchots-Pale shimmering gold in the
>> glass. Creamy lemon curd and exotic spices mixed with a thick
>> minerality across the palate. While a bit tight on the nose, it
>> really opened up on the palate. A on the Dale Scale
>>
>> 2002 Shafer Red Shoulders Ranch Chardonnay-While this is ususally one
>> of my favorite California Chards, compared to the two French Burgs it
>> was just too much of everything. Fairly heavy aromas of oak and
>> butter with some orange/lemon marmalade. Ripe fruits pears, peaches
>> and citrus fruits dominate leaving a mouthcoating heaviness that was
>> almost cloying. B on the Dale Scale.
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>
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>Are there California Chardonnays that are NOT "too much of everything"?
Yes, several. One of the best examples is TomS's Ch. Burbank. He posts here quite often
and does a wonderful CA Chard. Another, though it has not been quite up to (its) par
lately, is the Sullivan Napa Chard. Their reds are big, bold, in-your-face, but their
Chards are delicate and well-balanced. Yes, they were better, when the fruit was grown
out the front door, but it's still quite good. Some others, that I have enjoyed, are Au
Bon Climate, Sanford and the Far Niente. They are out there, and usually pair with food
better - similar to many, many FR Chards. OTOH, the big guys from CA are nice on their
own.
Hunt
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