This Chardonnay is from Lodi. I'm a big fan of Lodi wines, so I get the feeling I'm going to like this one before it's even open. The label shows 13.5% abv, but the notes from the winemaker say it's more like 13.7%. It's a blend, by the way - 91% Chardonnay and 9% Sauvignon Blanc.
It's got a nice, pale golden color in the glass. The nose makes me think of apples and oak. My wife thought, "chalk and flowers." I get the floral aspect, too. And the chalkiness comes to me on the palate, but not the nose.
The flavor of apples is there, along with some kind of tropical note - possibly pineapple. There's a bit of oak, too, but not as much as I had feared, nor as much flintiness as I had hoped for. A hint of vanilla creaminess is present, but it's subdued. This may be due to the blend, as the Sauvignon Blanc probably keeps it from being a full-blown California Chardonnay. It has more of a French feel, to my taste. The mouthfeel is quite full, and finish is fairly long and luscious. It doesn't have me jumping up and down, but it's not a bad little white at all. The cost, if I remember correctly, was quite low - about $5 on sale at the grocery store.
