Wine of the Week! Trefethen 2004 Estate Chardonnay $26          We made a New Year’s resolution was to rediscover California Chardonnay…and we don’t think there’s a better starting point than this week’s wine ofthe week.  It’s Trefethen 2004 Estate Chardonnay. This is a classic Napa Valley Chard. All the grapes are from their vineyard in the dead center in the Napa Valley. The wine has a terrific taste of honey-like lushness along with a bristle of citrus flavor that makes it balanced and mouthpleasing. And there is the right amount of creaminess that makes good chardonnay so appropriate and good with richer foods. The Trefethen Chardonnay is a great choice with fish and sea foods in general… that’s easy!   But it’s also a match made for a rotisserie chicken or a veal cutlet with asprits of lemon. So you’ll find a lot of matches for it! At about twenty six dollars this is a fine wine when the dinner guests are gathered ‘round. The Trefethen 2004 Estate Chardonnay is Chardonnay the Napa way… and an ideal Wine of the Week to start the New Year. Pop the Cork™ Winemaker’s notes and comments: The Wine: Aromas of toasted almonds, honey, ripe peach and pear entice the nose. The palate is racy, lively and bright; lemon drop candies and pineapple flavors give way to a memorable, delicious finish. The Trefethen family has the rare distinction of never having purchased a grape since its inception in 1968. Vineyard ownership of estate-grownfruit guarantees our ability to control all viticultural practices with the goal of producing naturally pure, intense and uniformly ripe fruit.Intimate knowledge of our terroir for 37 vintages enables us to produce distinctive wines of authentic character and consistency. Our Vineyard: Lodestar is our main ranch vineyardand our guidinglight. Located in the heart of the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, the Chardonnay is grown in loamy soil. The marine influence of cool temperature and humidity provides the two climatic characteristics essential for preserving aromatics in the grapes and gives balance to the wine. The Vintage: The 2004 vintage started with an unusually warm and dry spring which led to early budbreak and set the stage for an early harvest. Summer temperatures were seasonably warm and the first week of September brought a memorable heat spell. The early season stress resulted in smaller berries with concentrated aromas and flavors. The Matches: Pair this wine with fresh, bold citrus and tarragon dishes. Roasted chicken or veal piccata, lemon fettuccini Alfredo, even succulent pork loin will match beautifully with this Chardonnay. Wine on the Radio - January 5, 2007

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be

significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show.

The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old).  Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!