Blue Fin Chardonnay 2008 Napa, California This wine is bland on first sip, but then a note of eucalyptus chimes in. It’s just a fleeting note, though, so bland still wins the day for me. It might be a stretch, but I think I taste pineapple and light brown sugar. It’s quite sweet for a
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Wine: Snapping Turtle Chardonnay 2007 Region: California I popped this one open to simmer some risotto in it.  It tasted like lemon meringue pie, though not as tart. When cold, it seemed dry but got sweeter as it warmed to room temperature. There was some green apple peel in the mix as well.  It was
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Wine: Dancing Bull Chardonnay 2004 Region: Monterey County, California This chardonnay is very yellow. It has a nose of peaches and soup broth. When drinking, the peaches are fleeting then give way to citrus.  There’s light oak, vanilla, and a bit of cream. I’m not decrier of mass-produced wines but this is really the epitome
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Irony Chardonnay Other words on the label:  Napa Valley 2005, The finest traditions in winemaking since 1935, 14.5% alcohol The nose smells of cantaloupe and caramel.  It’s sweeter than I expect for a chardonnay and is dripping with vanilla, cantaloupe and green apple.  Just as the bottle label says, the sip ends with a creamy
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Two Vines Chardonnay Washington State 2005 Columbia-Crest   The oak is strong in this one.  And it’s an excellent oak that imparts smokiness to the wine and a touch of sweetness.  It has a very clean minerality, by which I mean that there is a taste of wet pebbles that’s refreshing, not too bitter or
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Chalone Vineyard Other words on the label: Monterey County 2004 Chardonnay This review may be skewed because everything tastes like grapefruit lately. Which means that grapefruit, of course, is the most prominent flavor in this wine. Extracting that acidity, here are the rest: The nose is sweet with a hint of lime while first sip
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Casillero del Diablo Reserve Chardonnay Other words on the label: 2005 East Coast Casillero del Diablo’s labels tell a story of their vintner keeping a reserve stash in the devil’s cellar. More sugary than an average chardonnay, it makes me wonder if the devil doesn’t have a sweet tooth. The nose brings to mind a
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Monkey Bay Chardonnay Other words on the label: New Zealand Vintage 2004 East Coast I was excited the moment I read the back of the label and learned that “the legendary monkey, once believed to inhabit this secluded spot, has truly been brought to life through this exciting range of wines.” Wow, I thought. If
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