Two Chardonnays on the Table

There are two Chardonnays sitting side by side on my table, and two wines could not be more different in color, aroma, flavor and texture. They appeal to two opposing tastes in wine, and that's why they are both sitting on the same table.

The 1998 Gilbert Picq Chablis Vieilles Vignes is seven years older than the 2005 Edna Valley Vineyards Edna Valley Paragon Vineyard Chardonnay, but the difference in color is not one of maturity. They are probably equally developed in terms of maturity, but the Chablis has greener tints, probably because of its higher acidity. From the Chablis comes scents and flavors of flint, minerals, lemon/grapefruit and sea salt. Its alcohol content is only 12% (versus 13.9% for the Edna Valley Chardonnay), but it fills the mouth with power and substance. There are earthy qualities; this is real Chablis--aged in stainless steel and with no adornments added by the winemaker. Impressive depth and fruit concentration. The Edna Valley Chardonnay is much lighter on its feet and offers scents and flavors of white peaches, lime, very ripe pears, vanilla and butter--pleasantly sweet. In contrast to the raw power of the Chablis, this wine has a rich, creamy texture. Acidity is low, and this New World Chardonnay is probably more advanced on the maturity curve than the 11-year-old Chablis. It needs drinking over the next year whereas the Chablis might be even better in a couple of years.

They are both good wines, and the major differences are 1) acidity and 2) wine-making style. The majority of American wine drinkers, if given the choice, would probably choose the California Chardonnay because of its plump, approachable level of acidity and the adornment provided by barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation and 90% new oak aging . As you might guess, I am strongly partial to the Chablis but keep plenty of the other wine on hand to serve guests...and for times when I am too tired to listen to what the Chablis is trying to say.

Ordinarily selling for about $15/bottle, the 2007 Edna Valley Chardonnay is available right now at D&W Parkview in Kalamazoo for $7.99 with a $15 mail-in rebate for purchase of six bottles.

Domaine la Monardiere Vacqueyras les Calades, 2003

Besides the name (les Calades means "the rocks" so presumably the vines grow in rocky soil), this wine and the Clos Saint Jean Vin de Pays below have much in common. They're both deep and dark with noticeable browning (more than you'd expect from a six-year-old wine). There's also a slightly roasted note in the aroma of each wine. All of these traits I would attribute to the 2003 vintage, which has never been my favorite. It was one of the warmest growing seasons in recent memory in France, producing very ripe, fat wines that were appealing young but have since lost some of their charm--at least for me. There are many respected critics who disagree and think highly of this vintage.

The alcohol levels are fairly modest (13.5% for the Clos Saint Jean and 14% for the Monardiere) and the roasted note on the nose is somewhat pleasant. The brownish tint, however, makes me think these wines will not keep much longer. Fortunately I have only a few 2003s left. And this Vacqueyras is still very good. Predominant smells are dark--licorice, black earth, smokey meat and stones--all very much in the Vacqueyras mode. Underneath is a core of bright red berries--ripe almost to the point of being candied and very concentrated. These same qualities come forth on the palate; a strong fruit presence, front to back, along with the trademark Vacqueyras personality. It's 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, but the structure is what you might expect of a Syrah- rather than Grenache-dominated wine. Not tannic but firm. The more I drink, the more I come back for that lovely core of red fruit--candied cherries on a black rock. Just enough earthy minerals to make you realize this is serious stuff.

My previous experience with Monardiere's Vacqueyras Les Calades were the 2000 and 2001 vintages. I enjoyed these even more, but, alas, they're all gone. Of course, I'm looking forward to the 2005 and 2007.

Clos Saint Jean Les Calades Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, 2003

This is another high-acid, fruity wine that matches up well with a Mediterranean dish like Ribollito [see note below]. It's medium deep with some browning around the edges. Southern Rhone fruit and spice dominate, with a hint of crushed black pepper. The acid level is high enough to provide a good match for the vegetables, but the wine still gives the impression of ripeness and plumpness.

Clos Saint Jean is located in Chateauneuf du Pape, and the vineyards for Les Calades lie just outside the appellation. Clos Saint Jean Chateauneufs were once among the most traditional (and inexpensive) of the appellation, and I got great enjoyment from the 1989, 1990, 1995 and 1998. Les Calades, at $3 to $4 a bottle, was one of my favorite house wines through the 1990s. Starting with the 2003 vintage, Clos Saint Jean hired a winemaker (the very talented and highly regarded Phillipppe Cambie) and started making wines in a more modern style, with some use of new oak and small barrels. I don't deny that some of these changes were for the better, but the prices are much higher now. The 2003 Les Calades was still a bargain when it came on the market, and I bought a case that has already given me more than my money's worth. At this point, however, the 2003 is taking on some tired, burnished notes and tastes older than the 1993 did in 1999.

Agricole Vallone salice Salentino Rosso Riserva, 2000

Mediterranean meals, featuring fresh vegetables liberally laced with olive oil, garlic and spices, require a high acid wine but have flavors too powerful for most whites. Fortunately, most Italian reds--Barbera, Chianti, Salice Salentino--meet the requirements quite well. Ribollito (literally re-boiled vegetables) is a hearty stew made with garlic, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, cannelini beans and kale poured over yesterday's whole grain bread--everything the doctor ordered but with flavors powerful enough to drive you up the wall. It's perfect with Barbera but also goes quite well with any Southern Rhone or the Salice Salentino from Agricole Vallone I opened tonight.

At age nine, this wine has reached maturity and is holding well. It's a deep, dark garnet and has dark smells of licorice, mushrooms, purple flowers and warm, macerated grape skins. Like many Italian wines, it's pushing volatility, but that's part of the charm. The same dark, rustic notes are on the palate, plump and ripe. Cosmo Taurino makes the best known Salice Salentino, widely available for about $12. This one from Agricole Vallone is better than any I've had, in part because, at age nine, it's reached a good stage of maturity.

La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux, 2007

This was my first real indication that the 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone is special. La Vieille Ferme is an excellent wine, year after year, and, at $6 to $8, always one of the least expensive wines on the shelf. I've been a regular buyer of half a case or more since the 1998 vintage and find that it is a good match for nearly any dish that goes on the table. With pork chops on the grill and a half case of 2007 LVF newly purchased, I couldn't wait to give it a try. And I was not disappointed.

The color is a medium deep crimson, as usual, with good brilliance. Aromas and flavors are bursting with raspberry-tinged garrigue, ripe and inviting. Big, full bodied presence--all fruit and a yard wide. Spice and peppercorns are showing already but only as a backdrop to the fruit. Loads of garrigue; this is what garrigue is all about. The more I drink, the more I want. This wine reminds me a lot of Domaine Sainte Anne Cotes du Rhone, and that, of course, is a high compliment. I usually drink LVF within a year of buying it, but I suspect the 2007 will keep quite a bit longer (even though it's too beautiful to miss right now). I may go back for another half case.

Chateau Grand Corbin Manuel Saint Emilion, 1982

This has been sitting in the cellar for a long time and has a dirty label and a faded price tag reading $8.89. It's not a big name in Saint Emilion wines, but it's a very big wine in bouquet and flavor. It has 40% Cabernet, so it's a bit unusual for Saint Emilion where Merlot and Cabernet Franc are king.

The color is medium to deep ruby, brilliant, with only minimal browning at the edges--incredible for a 27-year-old wine! The bouquet is beautifully perfumed--cherries, blackcurrants and subtly herbaceous with none of the green pepper element that I find off-putting in many Merlot wines. Elegant and under-stated. In the mouth, it's even classier with a silky texture with a full range of flavors on the mid-palate and a long, ripe finish. There is absolutely nothing old tasting about this wine. I would say it was $8 (and 27 years) well spent.

Camille Cayran Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne Reserve, 2004

When I last reported on this wine on March 8, 2008, I said it was a Cairanne for early drinking. A year later, I still hold to that assessment even though, more than a year later, the wine is every bit as charming as it was before.

It's a very deep crimson color, bright and enticing. The smells and flavors have the same tone--ripe cherries, red licorice, red berries and flowers. Ripe, forward and bursting with fruit plus a pleasing dose of spice and black pepper. This is old-style Cairanne at its best. And it also seems representative of the fine 2004 vintage--reserved and classic in its charm. Alcohol level is 13.5%, just enough to add warmth.

As a Cairanne, this may not have the complexity of l'Oratoire Saint Martin, but it's a good representative of the appellation.