Wine of the Week!
Matanzas Creek Chardonnay 2005 Sonoma   $25    

Are there some wines that you just seem to always come back to?  We think you’ll find this one to be one of those.  The wine is Matanzas Creek Chardonnay from the Sonoma. 

This is Chardonnay made the way we like it – full flavored but balanced and elegant without any overpowering oakiness. 

The 2005 has a mouth-pleasing citrusy brightness with the supple taste of a ripe pear.  No one flavor overpowers they just seem to evolve as you sip through the glass. 

This is Chardonnay built for food, especially fish.  Try it with meaty red snapper or some nice poached salmon, and it’s great with macadamia crusted baked halibut! 

The Matanzas Creek Chardonnay is what really good Chard should be – ready to enhance the food on the plate and complete the experience.  At about twenty five dollars you’ll keep coming back to Matanzas Creek for the nuanced style of their Sonoma Chardonnay.

Our wine of the week – any week you want it.   

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio - May 30, 2008

Winemaker's Notes and Comments:
A first glimpse of the wine reveals a pale, straw color, quite typical for a sophisticated Chardonnay. The first nose brings a delicate blend of green apple, white peach, and acacia flower, with a surprising addition of the autumn fruits pear and quince. After a swirl, the second nose reveals a more mineral note of crushed stones, the mark of an exceptional Chardonnay. The palate is round and velvety with a prolonged, flavorful finish of honey and melon. There is also a unique and subtle hint of smoke, derived from basalt, an ancient ocean floor rock found in Bennett Valley’s soil.

Although this Chardonnay was crafted with 95% malolactic fermentation, it is far from a heavy, buttery wine. François strives to create an elegant wine which is expressly crafted to complement the food. In addition, he is able to preserve the fullest potential of the Chardonnay fruit by employing a Champagne-style vinification that is gentle on the fruit during crush and prevents any bitter note in the finish. If allowed to age, this wine promises to further increase in minerality and develop a luscious, butterscotch character.

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.

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