I don’t like chardonnay. OK, that’s not entirely true. I don’t like bad chardonnay, and unfortunately there’s way too much of that out there. When I find one that’s made well I love it.
By “made well” I mean that the palate isn’t buried in oak, it still has crisp acidity and it has lively fruit flavors without too much sweetness. Ultimately there are many more factors that go into a great chardonnay, but those few are a good starting point. I also want it to be balanced, complex, intriguing, harmonious, exciting, evocative and delicious.
This Napa Valley chardonnay from Franciscan Estate meets much of that criteria.
The nose of this chardonnay is well balanced and pleasant. Vanilla is the most prominent aroma and it’s backed up by pear, apple, hazelnut and citrus aromatics. The palate is also well balanced, with lemon, pear, apple and mineral flavors. The acidity is sufficient. The finish is a tad short, but pleasant, offering lime, apple and mineral notes.
As I said, I generally don’t dig chardonnay, but I this one impressed me and I’d gladly have a glass of this with dinner.
Wine: Franciscan Estate
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 88
Price: $18.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Franciscan Estate Chardonnay with Snooth