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Wines of the Week
Originally Published:  July 28, 2008

Chardonnays for Summer Sipping
By Chuck Hill
See Column #2 in this Chardonnay series

Summer has finally arrived in all its glory and so has the time for lighter meals and lighter wines. Here is a selection of Chardonnays to accompany your warm weather
repasts.

Sockeye
2006 Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
$12.00

This value-priced bottling comes from Precept Brands, now building a new production facility in Walla Walla. Look for bright aromas of citrus and mineral with a background of light pear and vanilla. The palate is soft with apple and citrus notes and hints of oak in the finish. A nicely toned-down alcohol content (13%) is an added
bonus.

Kendall Jackson
2006 Chardonnay, Grand Reserve
California
$21.00

As one taster bluntly exclaimed, "This Chardonnay is pretty damned good!" We can't argue there. Crafted from grapes grown in Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties, the wine is a blend of Dijon and Rued clone grapes. Tropical fruits and floral notes lead the aroma to a palate featuring =
mango, pear, pineapple and light toasty oak. Very nice with lighter fare from the grill.

Chateau Ste. Michelle
2006 Chardonnay
Indian Wells Vineyard
$18.00

The Indian Wells Vineyard is on the Wahluke Slope and has been the source for many great wines from Chateau Ste. Michelle. This single-vineyard Chardonnay shows aromas of citrus, ripe apple and tropical fruit. The delicate palate is well balanced between tropical fruit flavors and toasty oak/sur lie character. An elegant choice for your next sit-down dinner.

Columbia Crest
2005 Chardonnay, Reserve
Horse Heaven Hills
$25.00

The Horse Heaven Hills AVA may turn out to be Washington's finest growing region. This blockbuster Chard shows rich aromas of pear, pineapple, coconut and baking spice along with forward notes of French oak. The palate teems with tropical fruit flavors mingled with buttery, oaky goodness. Not necessarily a great food wine, but a show stopper for Baby Boomers looking for flavors of their past!

Columbia Crest
2006 Grand Estates Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
$11.00

This wine is sort of the lesser sibling of the one described immediately above. Similar aromas and flavors are there, but in lesser amounts and offering a softer impression. Bring this terrific sipper along on your next picnic.

Hoodsport
2006 Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
$10.00

A classic, lighter Washington Chardonnay, this bottling from Hoodsport's Orca series, fills the bill for sipping at the picnic or by the pool. Blended with 14% Sauvignon Blanc, the wine offers aromas and flavors of ripe pear and apple with citrus and tropical notes in the background. Good value.

Kestrel Vintners
2006 Estate Old Vine Chardonnay
$20.00

Historically, this is a wine of note. From perhaps the oldest Chardonnay planting in Washington (1972) the grapes are of the Wente clone, an unusual cultivar in Washington. Look for aromas of Asian pear, citrus, and toasty oak with notes of tropical fruit. The palate offers all of the above with the addition of rich honey/butter flavors. Try a bottle for a great tasting experience and to stimulate a short discussion about wine country history.

Chehalem
2007 INOX Chardonnay
Willamette Valley
$19.00

We like this wine every year. Crafted from Dijon clone Chardonnay and fermented only in stainless steel tanks (the name "INOX" is a contraction of the French word for stainless steel), the wine offers great character due to the blend of Dijon clone fruit and careful handling from vine to bottle. Aromas of apple, pear, mineral, melon and citrus mingle with notes of baking spice. The palate is exceedingly clean and crisp and the moderate alcohol content (13.4%) makes this a superb food wine.

Jordan
2006 Charrdonnay
Russian River Valley, CA
$30.00

California's Jordan Winery enjoys a well-deserved reputation for consistently crafting complex and elegant wines, among the state's finest. Rather than bore you with a litany of superlative flavors and aromas, let me say just one word, "structure." If a winemaker can somehow balance fruit, oak, alcohol, acidity and other components, the wine speaks for itself - no rough edges, no unusual odd characters poking out. Enjoy it with a meal as I did and you won't be disappointed.

Three Rivers Winery
2006 Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
$19.00

Winemaker Holly Turner continues to create fine varietals, often by sourcing fruit from around the Columbia Valley AVA. The nose of this flavorful and complex wine shows tropical fruit and pear with hints of spice and toasty oak. The palate is soft and approachable with tropical flavors and notes of sur lie aging. See if you can pinpoint these vineyard sources on your Washington map: Bacchus, Sundance, Weinbau, and Champoux.

Dry Creek Vineyard
2006 Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, California
$20.00

Many of us old Baby Boomers have a fond spot in our hearts for Dry Creek Vineyards since, in 1972, we were just beginning our wine drinking careers when David Stare planted his vineyard and founded Dry Creek Vineyards winery. So many great wines have come from this property that one could spend an entire evening reminiscing. This current Chardonnay offers aromas of Asian pear, stone fruits, and toasted almonds. A palate of creamy white peach and vanilla is wrapped in notes of toasty oak and spice.
 

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