Varietal: Â 100% Chardonnay
Region: Â Clarksburg & Monterey, CA – USA
Cost: Â $10 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Â Chardonnay grapes grown in Clarksburg are known for their characteristic apple and pear aromas. Bogle winemakers have captured these refreshing and ripe notes will allowing them to develop and intensify through stainless steel fermentation. Additional grapes are vinted using the techniques of barrel fermentation, sur-lies aging, and partial malolactic fermentation, which creates an equal counterpart to the fresh fruit with tones of spicy vanilla and nutmeg. The creamy mouthfeel adds just the final touch on the finish, reminiscent of an apple and pear galette. Enjoy this wine with just about anything.
My Review: Â Chardonnay, the one varietal that can be either a success or a failure in my house. With my wife disliking Chardonnay that has spent time in oak, my enjoying it, it’s arguably the one wine that we spend more time debating than any other. Fortunately my wife is always willing to try an oaked Chardonnay to see if it’s too much for her, and in the case of the 2012 Bogle Vineyards Chardonnay, I think we just managed to squeak in with what she can tolerate.
The wine itself was a light straw color in the glass. Not particularly dark like I expect to see with heavily oaked Chardonnay, but neither was it clear like some stainless steel ones can be. On the nose I picked up primarily apple notes, with none of the pear that is apparently common in Clarksburg chardonnay grapes coming through for me.
In the mouth the wine started out crisp, showing nice, refreshing apple flavors. On the back end of the wine it rounded out, showing some creaminess and vanilla flavors that I enjoyed. The wine had obviously spent time in oak barrels (9 months in new American oak according to the notes), but not so much time as to lose some of the crispness at the start.
Paired with a shrimp salad from Blue Apron, I thought the wine did a great job of pairing with the food. The crispness of the apples matched up well with the sharper, fresher ingredients in the salad, while the creamy finish complimented the dressing that we had tossed the salad in.
As we move closer to the holiday season, the 2012 Bogle Vineyards Chardonnay is definitely a wine worth keeping an eye on for those holiday parties you’ll be throwing and attending. It’s not a ground breaking wine, it’s not a Chardonnay that you’ll buy, cellar, and revel in later, but it is a great value wine that’s versatile enough to go with a range of dishes and appeal to a wide selection of palates.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
