Varietal: Â 76% Chardonnay; 18% French Colombard; 3% Viognier; 3% Proprietary Blend of Aromatic Varietals
Region: Â California
Cost: Â $8 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Â With an aroma of green apples and a floral undertone, our 2011 Chardonnay displays a smooth elegance. The aromas and flavors show nuances of baked apples and cinnamon, ending in a rich oak finish. This flavorful, textured wine is great to enjoy with friends over appetizers, such as crab cakes or prawn skewers. You can also try it with smoked salmon, grilled chicken, creamy pastas, and stuffed clams.
My Review: Â In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s gotten just a bit hot outside. Here in Virginia that heat also comes with a healthy dose of humidity, meaning that I was very much in need of a cold, crisp wine that would pair with my dinner and help me beat the summer heat. Looking at what I had cold, and the dinner my wife and I were making, I decided to open up the bottle of 2011 Chardonnay from Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi I had received a few weeks earlier.
On the nose I got apple, pineapple, and a touch of the floral notes that I presume came from the bit of Viognier and “aromatic varietals”. In the mouth the wine was crisp with just a bit of roundness on the finish thanks to just a bit of time in oak. The apple from the nose carried through along with a bit of vanilla towards the finish. Paired with a dinner of spinach and mozzarella in whole wheat ravioli it added a crisp counter note to the food, but I wouldn’t say that it particularly “made” the dinner.
For the price it’s a good enough wine for a hot day when you want a versatile white that can go with a variety of foods, especially for cook outs. You can certainly do better for not much more money, but the Woodbridge line from Robert Mondavi is readily available in most stores, which is a selling point.
