Name: Mirassou Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Modesto, CA (Central Coast)
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $11.99
Winery review: Mirassou California Chardonnay is fruit forward with delicious stone fruit flavors of peach and nectarine, complemented by tropical notes and a hint of citrus. A subtle oak character frames this medium-bodied wine. Balancing intense fruit flavors with delicate aromas.
My review: Excellent Chardonnay! This wine appears to maintain a soft yellow color. On the nose, this wine presents fruitful scents of pear and apple. Upon tasting this wine, I picked up buttery oak tones, pear, pineapple, and apple. This selection would pair well with creamy soups, seafood dishes, and brie cheeses, although I did not pair this wine with any food on this tasting Given the excellent palatability and great price, I would definitely recommend this wine to friends.
Name: Fetzer Gewurtztraminer
Variety: Gewurtztraminer
Region: Monterey County
Country: Germany
Year: 2014
Price: $8.99
Winery review: Aromas of orange blossoms, scratched apple skins, lemon-lime soda and jasmine waft off of this bottling. The texture is quite grippy, with tactile acidity and a dynamic mouthfeel presenting lime sorbet and sugared apple flavors. Wine Enthusiast rated this selection an 87.
My review: The wine presents a vibrant yellow tone in color. The wine appears leggy which makes sense given it's flavor profile on the sweeter end of medium sweet. On the nose the wine presents aromas of apple, citrus, and floral accents. Upon tasting this selection, I detected those same fruitful expressions with an acidic finish. This wine would pair well with chicken, pork, shrimp, and crab although I did not pair it for this tasting. I would not recommend this wine to a friend because in my opinion this selection does not compare to most moscato's as far as the price range and palatability is concerned.
Name: Dark Horse Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $7.99
Winery review: Dark Horse Chardonnay showcases rich flavors of baked apple and pear, layered with toasted oak, notes of caramel and brown spice with a lingering smooth finish. Review courtesy of Dark Horse Wines, Modesto, CA.
My review: Good chardonnay for the price. The wine is light yellow in color. On the nose, I picked up scents of melon and pear. The fruitfulness was evident in the taste as well, specifically in the form of pear and apple. I found this selection to be rather dry with an acidic finish. This wine would pair well with chicken or seafood although I did not pair this wine on this tasting. I likely would not recommend this wine to a friend.
Name: Folatre Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Curico Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2016
Price: $8.99
Winery review: The color is brilliant golden yellow, with aromas of ripe tropical pineapple and banana. Up front it is juicy, complex, fresh with intense fruit flavors elegant and well balanced. Best paired with seafood, white meats and fresh cheeses. Review courtesy of the estate by Vina Folatre Limitada.
My review: Solid chardonnay! This wine boasts a subtle pale yellow and maintains a fair amount of legginess for a chardonnay indicating viscosity aka higher sugar content. On the nose, the wine presented fruitful scents of apple and pear. I tasted those same fruitful flavors with a very smooth body and limited acidity. I was taken aback by the smoothness of this wine, considering it's low price point. Compared to the Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay of the same price point which I previously tasted, the smoothness of the Folatre was a standout quality of this selection. I paired this wine with Chik-fil-a nuggets and I found it to be a proper pairing. I would recommend this chardonnay to friends.
Name: Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $8.99
Winery review: Review by Natalie Maclean, A terrific, vibrant, full-bodied Californian Chardonnay with aromas of butterscotch, golden apple and pear. Perfect for roasted chicken or turkey. Maclean scored this wine a 90/100 on October 10, 2016.
My review: Decent. The wine maintains a vibrant, golden yellow appearance. This 2015 vintage maintains strong fruitfulness and citrus on the nose such as lemon, lime and even apple. Those fruit and citrus tones were evident in the taste as well. Upon consuming the wine I was struck with lemon, apple, and peach. I did not find the fruitfulness to be overwhelming. I did find this selection to maintain an acidic after taste. Additionally, I found this wine to be rather dry which is why I deemed it "decent" as I typically prefer a sweeter wine. It is recommended to pair with roasted chicken and pasta with cream sauce. I paired this selection with Chik-fil-a nuggets and found them to be a proper pair. I would probably not recommend this wine to others.
