California chardonnays still dominate the popularity game
While it's been unfashionable in some quarters recently to seek out chardonnay, the white wine that pours largely from California still is the most widely produced — and drunk — in the United States. And that's likely because it still has plenty to offer in terms of style and quality.
Grapes from Santa Barbara County and Monterey are a great combo. Ripe and flavorful, this wine has a peaches-and-cream complexion, mingling tropical lushness with a citrusy backbone. A fine value. (Young's-Columbia distributes)
DON'T FEEL sorry for California chardonnay. Despite an anything-but-chardonnay backlash, it remains, according to the industry's Wine Institute, "far and away the most popular wine in the U.S."
Let's put it in perspective: For starters, chardonnay is California's most widely planted wine grape (94,000 acres). And California vintners account for more than 90 percent of all the table wine made in this country; chardonnay sales alone make up more than a quarter of that total — 50 million cases in 2007. Five out of every six bottles of chardonnay consumed in this country are from California.
No short column surveying such an ocean of vino can do full justice to its subject, but it helps to part the chardonnay sea into meaningful bays. Three good ones are style, price and region.
Given its inherent neutrality, chardonnay styles vary widely but fall into two main camps: rich, buttery, oaky; and tart, citrusy, steely. The buttery style came into fashion in the 1980s, its flavors derived from a combination of riper (hence sweeter) grapes, a secondary malolactic fermentation (which softens the acids and brings out buttery flavors), and aging in new oak barrels. Good examples (though not cheap) of the style include Morgan's 2006 Double L Vineyard ($44), Lynmar's 2005 Quail Hill Vineyard ($40), and Patz & Hall's Napa bottling ($36).
Those buttery flavors can be found in some cheaper brands, which use oak alternates (chips, powder, etc.) and tricks such as leaving residual sugar in the finished wine. Done well, they are perfectly pleasant. The Pick of the Week is a great example.
More recently, wineries are making steelier, unoaked chardonnays that are not put through malolactic. These fruit-driven wines are often lower in alcohol, very dry and food-friendly. They require more sophisticated winemaking techniques and immaculate fruit.
Good examples are 2007s from Mandolin ($10) and Hess ($11) — both from Monterey vineyards, as is the Morgan 2007 Metallico ($22). The Metallico has great concentration and loads of mixed citrus, stone and tropical fruits. From the Sonoma Valley, Kunde's 2007 Chardonnay Nu ($18) is recommended; fresh and lively with sweet fruit and a floral note from blending in a percentage of musque clone.
Price is always a factor in choosing wine. With my palate stuck firmly in the Northwest, I don't think the cheapest California chards can top those from Washington or Oregon, but some good and widely available values are made. Try Kendall-Jackson's 2007 Vintners Reserve ($12), Windmill 2007 ($12), Hahn Estates 2007 (another fine bottle from Monterey, $14) and Spellbound 2006 ($15), part of Michael Mondavi's Folio Fine Wine Partners group.
If you spend a bit more, you'll generally get riper, richer, denser wines with more texture and length. Though many claim to be emulating a Burgundian style, it is rare to find a California chardonnay with that sort of elegance. But the Jordan 2006 ($34) and Sonoma-Cutrer 2006 Russian River Ranches ($22) both come close; crisp, lean, juicy wines with suggestions of minerality.
How does regionality impact flavor? Chardonnay is grown successfully almost everywhere in California. As far as white wines go, Napa built its reputation on chardonnay, but recently I've been ranging farther afield to find bottles that offer more intriguing flavors at less aggressive prices.
Some of the places making these sophisticated, intense wines are the Russian River Valley, the Santa Rita Hills and the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Some producer names to hunt for: Michaud, Paraiso, Figge Cellars, De Tierra, Pessagno, Boekenoogen, Kali Hart and Talbott. Not all of these wineries are yet available in this market, though all may be contacted directly. De Tierra is a chardonnay specialist. Owner Dave Coventry says his wines are available at many Fred Meyer stores.
Paul Gregutt i