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Chardonnays to Try, Part One

By Darryl Beeson

Chardonnay, the white wine grape that originated in the Burgundy region of France has taken on a whole new meaning when grown in California. The fruit flavors are bigger and the oak nuance from the barrels is more apparent. This is part one of a list of recently examined chardonnays.

Crosspoint Chardonnay, Monterey 2001
Price       $7.99
Rating     86

Plummy, a bit over-ripe fruit in the nose, followed by crisp earthy flavors of white fruit and maybe melon. Crosspoint is a distinct wine operation uder the umbrella of J. Lohr Winery.

"Produced from world class, cold climate Monterey County grapes," says Jerry Lohr, "a combination of chardonnay clones including the very floral chardonnay musque clone from France are night harvested, field crushed, pressed and settled overnight. In creating these wines, a different approach to winemaking is undertaken, which had its genesis in recent visits to Australia and the United Kingdom. In this new paradigm, winemaking is stepping back and letting the grape variety take the forefront. The majority of the chardonnay is stainless steel fermented at cool temperatures to retain the abundant Monterey County chardonnay fruit characteristics and a much smaller portion is barrel fermented, lees stirred and aged for up to 7 months to provide a richer palate feel with some very attractive, refined, perfumed fruit aromas." For further details, go to www.jlohr.com.

William Hill Chardonnay, Napa 2001
Price       $22
Rating     90

Complex oak and apple aromas in the nose, then flavors of balanced oak and apple. This white is crisp and perfect for many food pairings. Delicately oak-aged on the lees (the spent yeast cells that add complexity), the fruit reveals itself, with a smooth, creamy texture with hints of nectarine, honeysuckle and crisp apple.

The producers suggest pairing this chardonnay with many seafood dishes, such as sautéed halibut with a fresh lemon and butter sauce, grilled shrimp or salmon, or fresh crab cakes. This wine also shines when paired with a simple pasta salad, delicately sprinkled with fresh Parmesan, Asiago or Gruyere cheese. For additional information, go to http://williamhillestate.com/wines/

Clos La Chance Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2001
Price      $19
Rating     91

Aroams and and flavors of black walnut, bright citrus and pear. The rugged topography of the Santa Cruz Mountains limits the size of individual vineyards. The costs associated with planting small mountain vineyards limits the overall acreage devoted to grapes in this cool coastal appellation. In 1996, to ensure a continuing supply of high-quality fruit, Clos LaChance's owners Bill and Brenda Murphy established CK Vines, a vineyard maintenance and installation company specializing in "back-yard" vineyard development throughout the Santa Cruz Mountain appellation. For further information, visit www.closlachance.com.

Geyser Peak Chardonnay, Russian River 2001
Price       $16
Rating     90

Beautiful aromas of white fruits are integrated with the distinctive oak, a velvet hammer of a white wine. Sonoma's Russian River Valley is one of the premier appellations for chardonnay in California. The cooling maritime fogs that blanket this region during the summer-time evenings provide ideal growing and ripening conditions.

"Fruit for this wine was predominately sourced from four distinct vineyards in this area," says Geyser Peak winemaker Mick Schroeter (formerly the assistant red winemaker at Australia's Penfolds), "The grapes were harvested during the cool early hours of the morning and whole-berry pressed. The juices, at this stage showed great fruit characters and finesse, were racked straight to barrels. After fermentation, the lees were periodically stirred. Only 50% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. In doing so, we are able to retain a little more of the bright acidity in the wine, enhancing its friendliness toward food." To learn more, got to www.geyserpeakwinery.com.

Darryl Beeson travels the world looking for great wine values. In the past, he has been wine steward or cellar master for The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Voltaire, and The Adolphus Hotel. Not one for stuffiness or secret handshakes relative to wine, this Texan might now be described as a "ki-yi-yippee sommelier, sommelier." Beeson reports on wine, spirits, food and travel for numerous publications.

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