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Wines of the Week
Originally Published May 5, 2009

Versatile Chardonnays for Spring
Part One of a Series.  See Part Two - See Part Three - See Part Four
By Chuck Hill

The final snows have melted from the lowlands and the mountain passes are once again reliably clear.  Spring has sprung and with it a desire for lighter meals with tasty, versatile wines. Hundreds of Chardonnays are available at your local wine shop or grocery store and most make great marriages with chicken, fish, salads and lighter dishes of pork.  Chardonnays offer aromas of pear, apple, vanilla, baking spice, anise and toasty oak.  Flavors echo the nose with light to medium body and mouthfeel that can be rich or bright with crisp acidity.  Some of this week's favorites were enjoyed with Chef Ted's shrimp and tarragon salad and chicken roasted at Ted's favorite Peruvian café.

Goose Ridge
2007 Chardonnay, Estate Bottled
Columbia Valley
$18.00

The Monson family's Goose Ridge estate vineyard lies just to the south of Red Mountain in the Columbia Valley.  Veteran Washington winemaker Charlie Hoppes crafts the fine estate wines.    A favorite at a recent tasting, this Chardonnay has a superb and complex nose of tropical fruits, citrus and vanilla.  Flavors of pineapple, citrus, apple and pear lead to a finish of vanilla and light toasty oak.  An excellent pairing with savory chicken or seafood dishes.

Milbrandt Vineyards
2006 Chardonnay Legacy
Evergreen Vineyard
$23.00

Butch and Jerry Milbrandt planted their first vineyards in the Columbia Valley in 1997.  Since then, their reputation for growing excellent grapes has kept fruit from all of their sites in high demand.  They now vinify part of their harvest under their own label.  Milbrandt Legacy Chardonnay from the Evergreen Vineyard (a planting in the expanding Ancient Lakes region) offers apple and vanilla aromas with tropical, floral and citrus notes.  Though the wine is barrel-fermented, the palate is crisp and clean with bright flavors and a food-friendly finish.

Woodward Canyon
2007 Chardonnay
Washington State
$39.00

Rick Small began crafting his excellent barrel-fermented Chardonnay in the 1980s, and it has garnered a wide and loyal following.  Fruit is sourced from the Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge and the Woodward Canyon Estate vineyard, northwest of Walla Walla.  Notes of pear, white peach and apple mingle with vanilla and toasted nut aromas and flavors.  Impeccable balance and reasonable alcohol content create a wine that can share the stage with almost any light meal.

McWilliams
2006 Chardonnay
Hanwood Estate, South Eastern Australia
$12.00

Very few New World wineries can claim a heritage of six generations of family ownership going back 132 years - experience makes for exceptional wines.  Clean aromas of white peach, melon, vanilla and fragrant apple lead to complex flavors of pear, baking spice, creamy vanilla and citrusy notes.  This wine offers great balance and structure, pairing nicely with most lighter foods.  Great value.


 

Tsillan Cellars
2006 Chardonnay, Barrel Select
Columbia Valley
$25.00

From the shores of Lake Chelan (the original native American word T'sillan means "deep waters") comes this tasty reserve-style Chardonnay.  Look for aromas of Asian pear, vanilla, melon and spice.  The balanced palate is rich with tropical notes over flavors of Fuji apple, citrus and pear.   Serve this wine with your favorite seafood salad or gourmet chicken dish.

A to Z Wineworks
2007 Chardonnay
Oregon
$12.00

Twist off the handy screwcap and enjoy some of Oregon's food-friendliest Chardonnay!   Aromas of Granny Smith apple, citrus and mineral invite a sip revealing a palate bright with Asian pear, vanilla and spicy mineral flavors.

Snoqualmie
2007 Naked Chardonnay
$10.00

Produced from 100% organically-grown grapes, this tasty Chardonnay deserves a place on your spring and summer table to accompany light meals, snacks and friendly conversation.  Expressing the true character of Washington Chardonnay, the wine was not barrel fermented or aged in oak.  Aromas of pear and citrus lead to a light palate of apple, pear and baking spice.

Frei Brothers
2006 Chardonnay Reserve
Russian River Valley, CA
$20.00

The original Frei Winery dates back to 1895 when Swiss immigrant Andrew Frei began making wine from grapes grown in his Sonoma County vineyard.  His sons took over the winery in 1904 and the name was changed to Frei Brothers.  Today, the winery produces six varietal wines.  This is a great sipping Chardonnay with soft edges, creamy aromas and hints of citrus and apple to refresh your palate.

Firesteed
2006 Chardonnay, W3
Oregon
$30.00

The W3 designation of Firesteed Chardonnay indicates that grapes were sourced from the Willamette Valley and the Walla Walla Valley in Oregon. (Editor's note: The Walla Walla Valley lies in both Oregon and Washington States.)  A superb expression of Oregon fruit, W3 shows aromas of pear, apple, earth and mineral with hints of Meyer lemon and light vanilla.  The palate is complex featuring flavors of Asian pear, pineapple and toasted hazelnut with a crisp finish of citrus.  This is one of the most enjoyable food wines we have encountered in our tastings thus far.

Airfield Estates
2008 Chardonnay, Unoaked
Yakima Valley
$12.00

Winemaker Marcus Miller crafted this clean and crisp Chardonnay without the use of oak - just a judicious blending in of 3% Marsanne and 1% Viognier to add complexity.  The nose is lemon and lime with light herbal notes.  The palate is crisp and refreshing with flavors of lemon, grapefruit and white peach.  The finish is a friendly screwcap.  The result is a great wine for spring and summer enjoyment with chicken, pork or seafood.

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