WTN: Chardonnay tasting

2010 Ridge Chardonnay Estate - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
I always thought Ridge didn't make over-the-top wines. The reds I've had from them aren't perhaps elegant wines (at least not when young), but neither are they supermassive black holes with gravitational fields so strong they even suck the joy right out of you. I've quite enjoyed the reds: they may be big and quite obviously oaky when young but they have good structure.

So perhaps this note is just further proof that I should stay away from this grape variety. Except from a small region near Paris.

This smells of butter, popcorn, vanilla and all sorts of things I don't like. What it doesn't smell like is steel and minerals and all the pleasantly neutral aromas this grape can sometimes - albeit rarely - have. It actually tastes sweet. I don't know why people complain about the sweetness of Mosel Kabinett but not from the equally sweet sensations of this. Seriously: why should it matter whether the sweet sensations come from sugar or just ridiculous ripeness? It still tastes sweet! Unlike Kabinetts, this just tastes monotonously flat and though there's some nice citric acidity there, it doesn't relieve the unctuous, ponderous mouthfeel. Oh well, I suppose it had to happen eventually: a Ridge I didn't like. Though if this isn't an example of over-the-top Cali Chardonnay, I wonder what those taste like?

2011 Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay Cuvée Alexandre Atalayas Vineyard - Chile, Casablanca Valley
14% abv; "made with organic grapes" so it must be good... Caramel, vanilla, butter - it's tempting to put this much make-up on Chardonnay since it's such a neutral grape. But I think it still is a grape that works best with no make-up at all. The palate isn't very nice at all: hot and alcoholic, harsh rather than nicely acidic. Despite the tasting note format preferring a distinction between the nose and the palate, that's really a myth. The sensation of wine is the whole - and the nose and the mouth are connected. And the most unfortunate thing about this wine is that they are connected.

2011 Planeta Chardonnay Sicilia IGT
13,5%; a sunny, oaky, ripe, in-your-face style of buttery Chardonnay. Despite the creamy mouthfeel it ends with a surprisingly steely, citric and acidic finish. Sicily is such a hot region that I have to wonder if the acidity is added - but if it is, it is deftly done. It seems balanced for a full-on style. Not really my thing, but surprisingly drinkable in its style.

2012 J-M Burgaud Beaujolais-Villages Chardonnay
Very pure, steely Chardonnay, neutral in fruit aromas. Quite rich for what was a leaner year. Not a good wine to bring to a tasting. My last bottle was so much better with extended air exposure. But even this was pleasant. But this time it didn't outperform Brun:

2011 J-P Brun Beaujolais Chardonnay Classic
Surprisingly rich for a Brun, but with enough of that steely, structured style that I really loved it. It may not be complex, but it wears no make-up and is still perhaps the prettiest wine tonight. Raw, pure and uncompromising.

2011 J-P Brun Beaujolais Chardonnay Vinification Bourguignonne
Obvious oak, but nothing like those first three wines which after these lovely Bruns seem even more like cheap travesties. In fact, here I kind of understand why so many say that Chardonnay benefits from a "kiss of oak" or whatever the famous phrase was. This does round the wine out and brings a touch of flesh and non-neutral aromatics that I suppose are positives.

Yet, I must admit, I still preferred the Classic. In fact, the more I drink of the Classic the more perfect it seems. The first time I had it, it seemed a bit underwhelming. But it grows on you. It's a bit like those late period John Coltrane pieces where he only vaguely references the melody during his improvisations but never bothers to play it outright - well, the Classic never is obvious but is always uncompromising and may not be easy but it is awesome.

2007 Domaine de la Bongran Viré-Clessé Cuvée E.J.Thévenet
Some oak, much spice, almost a ketchup aroma. Very, very rich. Quite a unique take on the grape, but I must admit the sheer density and ripeness was a bit much for me even though it did have ok acidity.

2004 J-P Brun Beaujolais Chardonnay In Extremis
Weird. This is the sweet, botrytised wine that Brun occasionally makes. Much orange-peel aromas. Racy and light on its feet, it's like drinking mineral water except at some point you notice that it's actually sweet. Brilliant stuff!

[Jenise]

Interesting comment on the Planeta. I keep reading that in spite of the fact that Siciliy is so far south, the elevation creates cool-climate conditions and that's why so many of the reds are almost pinot noir-like. You wouldn't agree?

Btw, re Ridge: I've never tasted a Ridge chardonnay that you'd like. They're always big.

Thanks Jenise. My hopes were high since I had liked all Ridges I've had before.

I thought Sicily was a scorching hot place and that some grapes (Frappato and Nerello) just kept good acidity even in such hot climates. I have no idea what altitude the Chardonnay comes from but altitude could certainly explain the acidity and how seamless it seemed. But such a level of richness of fruit coupled with such acidity is the surprise. But whatever it was from, those who enjoy a full-on, big, oaky Chardonnay will find much to love in the Planeta.

[Jenise]

I have had exactly one Planeta chardonnay, and though it's been like ten years or so yours does sound a lot like what I remember. Ripe, but also fairly extracted in mouthfeel with the big bright yellow color to go with it. That aside, here's a quote from some website which describes what I'm talking about: "Etna’s primary wine producing zone rises up the slopes of Mount Etna to an elevation of 3,500 feet and higher - the highest commercial vineyards in the world. Such high-elevation vineyards present some unique problems for vintners. The steeply-sloped, terraced vineyards are difficult to navigate with mechanical equipment so most of the tending and harvesting of the vines has to be done by hand, a time-consuming and expensive proposition. Winters at these high elevations can also be harsh and the summers hot and dry. You have to be committed, patient and tough to run a winery on Mount Etna." Of course, there are probably miles of vineyards that aren't on Mt. Etna and that aren't devoted to whatever grape it is that makes marsala and other stuff.

I really liked the Terres Dorees "Bourguignonne" cuvee, but haven't seen here in several vintages. I used the 07 (along with 04/05 Pepiere Briords) as my house whites for me 50th party a few years back. I always like the standard Beaujolais Blanc.

Not sure where Planeta grows their Chardonnay, but doubt it's on Etna. Sicily is a huge wine producer, and a tiny fraction is from Etna. To me a lot of Sicilian wines are hot and/or flabby, but Etna wines can be amazing and are my favorites from Sicily. But certainly there are also great wines from Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Faro, etc. Maybe Oliver or someone could comment more intelligently than I can.

Though if this isn't an example of over-the-top Cali Chardonnay, I wonder what those taste like?

BELIEVE ME--YOU REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!

-Paul W.

Planeta Chardonnay has nothing to do with Etna, neither the volcano nor the wines.

The wineyards are around the tiny Lago Arancio (Orange Lake), 300 km west of, for instance, Passopisciaro or Viagrande (main wine villages on Etna).

Roberto

Thanks Roberto.
Looks like Sicily has more vineyards than any other Italian region (125,000 ha). Entire Etna DOC area is 400 ha.

FWIW. Opened a 2012 Frescobaldi Pomino Chardonnay not expecting much, but to my delight the wine was exceptional with good fruit (green apple), no oak and a nice finish. Some good effort went into this. Didn't know that Frescobaldi even made a chard.