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Wine of the Week!
Gary Farrell 2004 Chardonnay 
Russian River Valley $27
Sonoma’s Russian River is one of our favorite areas for wine. That’s the location for this week’s Wine of the Week selection from The Wine Experience. It’s a Chardonnay bursting with flavor … Gary Farrell 2004 Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.
What makes this wine really interesting is that it’s made from grapes sourced throughout the area and blended together. It captures the character of the Russian River Valley.
It is a very balanced wine that doesn’t overdo the oakiness or the big buttery quality of many California chards.
To us the tropical fruit flavors are most noticeable along with a finish in your mouth that’s crispy, maybe even just a bit tart… like a squeeze of lemon. That’s what makes this a terrific food wine, especially with shrimp, other sea foods and chicken dishes.
Gary Farrell makes several different single vineyard Chardonnay too, all very good, but this Russian River Valley offering is the affordable entry at about twenty seven dollars.
Our wine of the week… Gary Farrell 2004 Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
Pop the Cork™.
Wine on the Radio - August 10, 2007
Winemaker's Notes and Comments
Bursting with aromas of Golden Delicious apples, honeysuckle and pineapple. Rich, creamy flavors of lemon custard, butterscotch and hints of nutmeg in the mouth followed by citrus zest and notes of hazelnut. This generous offering will pair nicely with rich, creamy cheeses, salads with citrus fruits and sumptuous shellfish dishes.
Tiers of honey, green apple and pear are complimented by accents of melon and spicy oak. Its great structure provides both elegance and length, and the precise acidity makes this wine both refreshing … and an ideal compliment to a wide array of foods
While Chardonnay from most of these vineyards may often be used in single vineyard designates, our tiniest vineyard sources are also used in the crafting of this Russian River Valley blend. This wine is an example of how individual vineyard nuances express themselves with one another, creating a more complex and intriguing wine. Though 100% barrel fermented in French oak, the new oak component was held to 30% and malolactic fermentation was encouraged in only 50% of the barrels. The result is a very crisp, fruit-focused offering, not dominated by excessive oak, buttery character or high alcohol.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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