Winnefred Chardonnay Central Coast 2009

Winnefred Chardonnay is produced and bottled by Central Coast Wine Warehouse of Santa Maria, California. You had me at "Santa Maria," although it is not clear from which part of the Central Coast the grapes come.  I suspect not from Santa Maria.  This wine is said to retail for $13, and I bought it at Trader Joe's for $3.  It is sold at the chain's California stores.

The label is full of hokey-jokey content disguising their tasting notes in the framework of a pizza eating contest.  They even recommend the wine be paired with pizza.  The Trader Joe sales page continues the "fun" theme and recommends pairing with salad or goat cheese.

It has an extremely golden hue in the glass, but the nose isn't very forthcoming - not even the essence of oak, which one might expect in a cheap Chardonnay.  The palate displays an oaky character, but not overdone.  The acidity is bracing and the flavors of pears, pineapple and baking spice meet head on with a forceful minerality.  The mid-palate doesn't make a lot of noise, and the finish is a little weak, but for the price, it's hard to complain too much.  The acidity alone makes it worth a try.  This wine isn't going to knock you out, but it won't prompt a Danny Thomas spit-take, either.


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