What this is all about...

It all started with a "little" book called 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die. I asked a few girlfriends if they would be interested in working through the book with me. I mean, 1001 wines, by myself? Thought that would seem a little selfish. Fortunately, I have some of the greatest friends in the world and they have willingly agreed to take the plunge with me. We have gone a little "off book" but I haven't heard a complaint yet.

As we continue with these tastings, I hope to share not only the wines and what we thought of them, but also the food we paired with the wine and recipes as needed. Food can make or break a wine and our tastings have borne that out. I want to share that information and help break the "mystique" of wine.

We are expanding our wine knowledge and narrowing our choices at the same time. The real time goal is for all of us to find a few varietals (that is what the different grapes are called) that we like and then find the lowest, consistently good price point for those varietals. You do NOT have to spend a lot of money to drink really good wine!!!

13 tastings down, 100s still to go. So grab a glass, pop a cork, and join us!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Chardonnay - August 2011 Tasting Notes

Chardonnay

 I hate Chardonnay.  This grape is the reason I avoided drinking wine for so many years.  You know what I am talking about.  All that jug Chardonnay or the cheap white on the bar at far too many weddings.  When I think Chard, I think oak and I don't eat trees, so why would I drink one.  I mean, I don't drink gin because I don't like juniper.  It is a theme with me.  I am consistent.

When I was prepping for this tasting, I mentioned to some friends that I was not looking forward to it.  One of those friends LOVES Chard.  It is her go to wine and she had never had one she didn't like (we changed that with the Virginia tasting).  She likes it oaky and unoaked.  WAIT - what?  Un-oaked?  A Chardonany?  I had no idea such a thing existed!

Well, let me tell you, they ARE real and they are spectacular!  An unoaked Chardonnay is the purest form of the grape.  It is still a full bodied wine, but a whole different animal.  Try it for yourself sometime.  Grab a Cali Chard and a French Chard (check the bottle for notes about oak and if you can't find an unoaked French one, get one from Australia).  Pour them side by side and then smell them.  An unoaked Chard is all about the butter!  Oh yea, it will change your world when you learn you don't have to chew a tree to drink Chardonnay.

It changed me and it can change you too!

 Vie Di Romans -  2009 - Italy - $41 @ Rick's
Verget St. Veran Terriorrs de Davaye - 2009 - France - $22 @ Rick's
Jacob's Creek Chardonnay - 2010 - Australia - $11 @ Safeway

We paired these with prosciutto wrapped melon, brie and other assorted cheeses.



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