While most of the wines in this latest series have been “new world” style chardonnay, I had this single bottle of French chardonnay on hand and really had no better place to write about it. So while some of you might find this out of place in this series, I don’t really care. It’s my website and that means my rules. And if I want to jump from a California chardonnay to a French one, well I’m gonna do it. Here’s to throwing caution to the wind.
This is different from the other chardonnay we’ve been reviewing in a couple ways. The most obvious is that it’s French. It’s from the Mâconnais district in Burgundy to be more precise. And while you may think of Burgundy as being synonymous with Pinot Noir (which in some ways it is) there are other wines produced in this region and chardonnay is quite common. In fact, chardonnay is what Mâconnais is really known for. The specific appellation for this wine is Mâcon-Lugny.
Another thing that’s different about this chardonnay versus most of the others we’ve reviewed is that it’s a “naked chardonnay,” meaning that it hasn’t gone through any malolactic fermentation (a process that converts malic acid into lactic acid) and hasn’t seen any oak. The result is a wine that is more bright, fruity and acidic than non-naked ones — I don’t think you’re supposed to call them “clothed chardonnay” but why not?
There is good intensity on the nose of this chardonnay, with a nice bouquet. The aromas are fig, melon, apple and flint. On the palate is has a soft apple, melon and peach flavors which transition into a lime / citrus flavor in the mid-palate. The acidity is good, it’s sufficient but not overpowering. The lime flavors make for a bright and crisp finish. It could use a little more concentration of flavors, but overall it’s a great wine for the price and definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in trying something different.
Wine: Cave De Lugny “Les Charmes” Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 86
Price: $12.00
Find Cave De Lugny “Les Charmes” 2007 Chardonnay with Snooth
Here’s what others thought of the this chardonnay:
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.