Saturday, June 7, 2008

Oyster Bay Marlborough Chardonnay, 2006

In a blind tasting, I probably would not pick this wine as a Chardonnay. It's brisk, tart, almost aggressive. It is nothing at all like a buttery, tropical fruit Monterey Chardonnay, but it's not like French Chablis either. Whatever it is, I like it.

There are strong mineral scents upfront, then gooseberries, lemon and semi-ripe pears and nectarines. Has the structure and weight of a Sauvignon Blanc but with an even richer flavor profile and finish. A very exciting wine, particularly for the warm days of Spring and Summer.

Marlborough is on the south island of New Zealand--a cool climate area that produces most of New Zealand's well recognized Sauvignon Blancs. Some of these Sauvignons are a bit green for my taste; this Chardonnay is right up my alley. It's regularly priced at $14.99, but I bought this bottle on sale for $11.99 at Sawall's Health Food store in Kalamazoo.

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