Wine of the Week!

Bernardus 2005           

Monterey County  $18

There is something mystical about Monterey County. Maybe it’s the stunning coastline or the fog shrouded mornings that give way to the warm sun inland… but you know you’re in a special place. So here we come with a wine of the week born of that unique landscape… Bernardus 2005 Chardonnay.

This wine captures the spirit of Monterey. The balance of cool and warm climate growing conditions gives us a wine that has creamy feel and tropical tastes along with a lean edge of flinty, Chablis-like acidity. It’s like the best of two worlds… the fuller taste of California with the nuance of its French styled cousins. That’s a lot to say about a Chardonnay that’s about eighteen dollars a bottle.

The acidity also matches it perfectly with the fish and sea foods of the chilly Pacific waters off the Monterey coast – from crab cakes to scallops, swordfish to abalone, Bernardus Chardonnay is an easy choice…. For the dinner table or anytime, and our easy choice as wine of the week.

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio – July 6, 2007

Winemaker’s Notes and Comments:

The beautiful weather throughout the critical months of September and October of 2005 provided us with ripe and perfectly balanced fruit. We harvested our Chardonnay from ten distinct vineyards from September 23rd through November 3rd. We select these vineyards for the differences in their microclimates and terroir.

These microclimates range from very cool climate from the north end of the Santa Lucia Highlands, to the warmer climate of the Arroyo Seco appellation in the Salinas Valley. These grapes offer a broad palate of fruit styles and acidity levels to choose from in preparing our final blend. At Bernardus, all our grapes our hand picked and very gently pressed in order to retain their best characteristics. We barrel ferment 90% of our Chardonnay in French oak barrels, 33% of which are new, and allow 80% to undergo a malo-lactic fermentation for richness and complexity.

In addition, we stir each barrel on the lees every two weeks to enhance texture and build extra structure. The remaining 10% is fermented in stainless-steel tanks at cool temperatures in order to add a note of crisp, fruity flavors to the overall blend. The resulting wine is a perfect expression of Monterey Chardonnay, with bright citrus and tropical fruit aromas married with mineral notes and subtle toasty oak nuances. The lush, opulent palate is intense and focused with complex flavors of ripe pineapple, lime, mineral notes, and crème brulèe lingering on a long, creamy finish.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

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. 

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