A Trio of Chardonnays: Rodney Strong Vineyards, Noble Hill, and Domaine Séguinot-Bordet
Hello Friends,
Just about every day, as wine o'clock approaches, you can find me uncorking or unscrewing a new wine adventure. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence -- I find wine to be one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great "wine peeps" to meet in real life or via those wonderfuland time-consuming social media portals called Facebook and Twitter.
I recently enjoyed a trio of Chardonnays -- a wine that's hugely popular in the US and the world’s most widely planted white grape variety. Chardonnay is extremely versatile and is capable of producing a broad range of styles from crisp and clean to round and lush with a buttery richness that’s heightened by extended oak aging. Chardonnay’s mass appeal is largely founded in its diversity and ability to pair wonderfully with a full spectrum of foods. Below are three reasonably priced and tasty Chardonnay wines accompanied by my tasting notes and a picture I snapped of each bottle. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life; so, keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well my friends!
1) Rodney Strong Vineyards' 2011 Chalk Hill Chardonnay (SRP $22): Apple, citrus zest, and melon combine with hints of toasted oak, underlying brown spice, and vanilla bean notes. The palate is nicely textured with a full mouth-feel while maintaining vibrant acidity and a tangy, spice-driven medium-length finish. This Chardonnay is enjoyable on its own and would also pair well with anything from grilled fish to smoked white meats. Rodney Strong’s Chalk Hill Chardonnay offers good quality-price ratio from year-to-year and this vintage can be found on wine-searcher for under $15 – a price point that won’t break your piggy bank. (Other info: 95% fermented in French oak barrels, aged 13 months, full malolactic fermentation, ABV 14.5%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
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2) Noble Hill Wine Estate [South Africa] 2010 Chardonnay (SRP $17): Spicy pear, lemon zest, honeysuckle, and melon, softly framed by sweet toasted oak and a dash of butterscotch. This medium-bodied Chardonnay strikes a nice balance between fruit and oak with a touch of richness and a pleasant brightness that persists from start to finish. Smoked salmon rolls proved to be a good match and cellar temperature (55°) brings out all of the wine’s charms. (Other info: ABV 13.8%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
3) Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Premier Cru Fourchaume 2010 Chablis (SRP $23): An appealing mix of lemon zest, citrus peel, chamomile, and a citronella like component on a slender frame with subtle mineral accents and a solid core of refreshing acidity leading to a pleasant, medium-length finish. Overall, this is a moderately complex and vibrant example of Chardonnay (for the money) from the northernmost sub-region of Burgundy, France. This appellation has had centuries to perfect their craft and expressive wines made from the Chardonnay grape variety is their specialty (I'm only mentioning this because some Chardonnay lovers do not know about Chablis). I enjoyed this wine both on its own and with a grilled shrimp and spinach salad. (Other info: ABV 12.5-13%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: The Rodney Strong wine was provided for review. Thoughts are my own.
Click here to get my blog posts delivered to your inbox!
Just about every day, as wine o'clock approaches, you can find me uncorking or unscrewing a new wine adventure. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence -- I find wine to be one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great "wine peeps" to meet in real life or via those wonderful
Bird-watching and Sipping Chablis
I recently enjoyed a trio of Chardonnays -- a wine that's hugely popular in the US and the world’s most widely planted white grape variety. Chardonnay is extremely versatile and is capable of producing a broad range of styles from crisp and clean to round and lush with a buttery richness that’s heightened by extended oak aging. Chardonnay’s mass appeal is largely founded in its diversity and ability to pair wonderfully with a full spectrum of foods. Below are three reasonably priced and tasty Chardonnay wines accompanied by my tasting notes and a picture I snapped of each bottle. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life; so, keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well my friends!
Rodney Strong Vineyards 2011 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
1) Rodney Strong Vineyards' 2011 Chalk Hill Chardonnay (SRP $22): Apple, citrus zest, and melon combine with hints of toasted oak, underlying brown spice, and vanilla bean notes. The palate is nicely textured with a full mouth-feel while maintaining vibrant acidity and a tangy, spice-driven medium-length finish. This Chardonnay is enjoyable on its own and would also pair well with anything from grilled fish to smoked white meats. Rodney Strong’s Chalk Hill Chardonnay offers good quality-price ratio from year-to-year and this vintage can be found on wine-searcher for under $15 – a price point that won’t break your piggy bank. (Other info: 95% fermented in French oak barrels, aged 13 months, full malolactic fermentation, ABV 14.5%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
Noble Hill Wine Estate 2010 Chardonnay
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2) Noble Hill Wine Estate [South Africa] 2010 Chardonnay (SRP $17): Spicy pear, lemon zest, honeysuckle, and melon, softly framed by sweet toasted oak and a dash of butterscotch. This medium-bodied Chardonnay strikes a nice balance between fruit and oak with a touch of richness and a pleasant brightness that persists from start to finish. Smoked salmon rolls proved to be a good match and cellar temperature (55°) brings out all of the wine’s charms. (Other info: ABV 13.8%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
Domaine Seguinot Bordet Premier Cru Chablis
3) Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Premier Cru Fourchaume 2010 Chablis (SRP $23): An appealing mix of lemon zest, citrus peel, chamomile, and a citronella like component on a slender frame with subtle mineral accents and a solid core of refreshing acidity leading to a pleasant, medium-length finish. Overall, this is a moderately complex and vibrant example of Chardonnay (for the money) from the northernmost sub-region of Burgundy, France. This appellation has had centuries to perfect their craft and expressive wines made from the Chardonnay grape variety is their specialty (I'm only mentioning this because some Chardonnay lovers do not know about Chablis). I enjoyed this wine both on its own and with a grilled shrimp and spinach salad. (Other info: ABV 12.5-13%, cork enclosure). Click here to find this wine.
Black-capped Chickadee getting ready for takeoff
Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: The Rodney Strong wine was provided for review. Thoughts are my own.
Click here to get my blog posts delivered to your inbox!
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