Grapesphere

2006 Pierre Herni Chardonnay

This French chardonnay was a really nice find, especially for the price of around $7. The wine had a nice richness, possessing apples and lemon custard flavors. The wine had good body, all while being light and slightly crisp. The nose had some hints of almond and wet stones integrated. The finish was round and smooth and quiet refreshing. For the price and quality, I found the wine to be a great deal.

Rating: 89pts

 
2003 Three Saints Chardonnay

This wine had a lemony explosion of flavor.  This $24 central Californian Chardonnay was a little on the acidic side. There was nice fruit in the wine, with apples, pears and a little caramel hiding at the edges.  I think it was tough at times to taste the classic Chardonnay body underneath the acidic nature of the wine. 

Rating: 87-88 pts

We took this wine to our favorite ‘BYOB’ restaurant in New Jersey.  It had not been chilled prior to opening.  I actually found it good both at room temperature and also chilled.  There was a lot of butter, oak and earthiness at room temperature.  When it was slightly chilled, it had a little more of the crisp acidity flavor.   

This winery always produces solid values.  This wine is no exception with classic Napa butter and caramel notes.  These flavors mix with apples and pears. The wine is not flabby by any means.  It is just a nice middle of the road wine between the California and Burgundy styles. Priced around $25.

Rating: 90 pts

 
2005 Pride Chardonnay

The nose from this wine was full of lemon and herbal scents, along with noticeable caramel notes. The flavor at first was a little muted, not tasting as strong as the nose would have indicated. The wine exhibited notes of honey, custard and lemon. However the flavors, for a wine of this quality, came across weak. The finish was smooth and buttery, though not lengthy. Priced around $35, this wine did not have a great quality-price ratio (QPR) as would have been expected.

Rating: 88 pts

This was a nice interesting wine. The flavors focused on a lemon-crisp style similar to Chablis. The mid-plate still possessed some rich layers of toffee and custard. The wine had a nice balance of acidity with a soft texture. The wine reminds me of key lime pie. This wine is a good value at around $12.

Rating: 90pts

 
2005 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Dominique Russian River Valley

This wine possessed a nose of butter and baked apples. The taste was like fall in a glass with baked apples, cinnamon, spice and a buttery crust. There was a good bit of malolatic fermentation that gives a lot of roundness and a slightly noticeable oak. This was a rich big wine. I also still had some great acidity that helps to balance the richness. It would make the perfect wine for the holidays. Priced around $40

Rating: 93pts

Here was an interesting wine, full of gravel and chalky notes. There was a distinct mineral quality. The wine wasn’t overly rich through had a nice depth. Lots of acidity on the wine means it might evolve a little over time. There was a little bit of a bitter taste on the end of the wine that was disappointing. Priced around $15.

Rating: 88pts