Two Winners From Rodney Strong For Around $20

2010 Chardonnay, Estate Vineyards, Chalk Hill

In 1965, founder Rod Strong was the first to plant chardonnay in what would later be recognized as the Chalk Hill American Viticultural Area (AVA), established officially in 1983. He recognized the region as distinct from the rest of Russian River Valley for its unique chalky white soils, which impart a subtle mineral character to wines grown there.

The 2010 vintage started with a cool and fairly wet spring that remained mostly frost free. The late rains generated a healthy canopy, but one that required careful management to avoid green flavors. The cool spring evolved into an exceptionally cool summer, punctuated by a three day heat spike in August which reduced yields in many varieties. September started out warm and ended the same way, giving us the ripeness we were waiting for, and we harvested the last of our Chalk Hill chardonnay on October 8th.

Barrel fermentation in new and seasoned French oak added toasty vanilla and spice complexities, and during 9 months of barrel ageing, we regularly stirred the "lees" in barrel, which adds a creamy texture and increases richness on the palate. Encouraging secondary fermentation adds additional complexity, and in the glass the wine is both creamy and crisp, with ripe apple, Meyer lemon, wet stone, and spiced vanilla flavors. Enjoy over the next 1-3 years.

SRP: $20 is excellent value. A lovely example of what California can do with Chardonnay. Loved the clean, fresh melon hints and food friendliness.

---

2010 Pinot Noir, Estate Vineyards, Russian River Valley

Rod Strong was among the first modern wine pioneers with a vision to plant pinot noir in the Russian River Valley. In 1968 he planted our heritage River East Vineyard in the alluvial clay-loam soils adjacent to the winery in Healdsburg. Today the Russian River Valley is well established as one of the premier pinot noir growing regions in the world, and we continue to rely on the original River East Vineyard as a core contributor to our estate vineyard bottling.

The 2010 vintage started with a cool and fairly wet spring that remained mostly frost free. The late rains generated a healthy canopy, but one that required careful management to avoid green flavors. The cool spring evolved into an exceptionally cool summer, punctuated by a three day heat spike in August which reduced yields in many varieties. September started out warm and ended the same way, giving us the ripeness we were waiting for, and we harvested the last of our Russian River pinot noir on October 7th.

Soft and silky, with intriguing floral and crushed pomegranate aromas, this medium bodied wine was aged for 11 months in small French oak barrels, which added a hint of toasty vanilla and spice complexity. Ideal for current enjoyment, this pinot noir will hold nicely over the next 2 to 4 years.

SRP: $20. Soft, easy going and perfect for chicken, light seafood and goat cheese.

 

 

 

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

Two Chardonnays at Affordable Prices Make Ideal Summer Drinking: William Hill and Frei Brothers Excel.

What a delicious wine.

Frei Bros. Reserve 2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, at a suggested retail price of  $20.00, goes beautifully with seafood, light cheese, chicken and Japanese cuisine.

The balanced fruit and good acid make it the ideal wine for summer drinking.

At Frei Brothers Winery, they craft wines in a gentle, traditional style enhanced by the use of modern techniques to produce a wine that is both varietally accurate and reflective of the terroir of the Russian River Valley.  Chardonnay grapes are whole cluster pressed to eliminate bitterness and maximize fresh fruit characters. The wine completed malolactic fermentation, which resulted in a plush texture and deep, layered flavors that express the terroir of the Russian River Valley

This 2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a soft and complex reflection of one of Sonoma’s most renowned cool-climate regions. This wine displays flavors of green apple, orange zest and apple pie, complemented by notes of butter and toast. The rich, nutty flavors in this Chardonnay lead to a silky finish and a plush mouthfeel.

Click Here To Visit Website

Wine On Line Suggested

---

 

William Hill 2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay at a suggested retail price of $25.00 is another option. Somewhat more graceful, you’ll love the medium-light body and subtle finish. You’ll also adore it with shrimp and shellfish as well as goat cheese and duck.

This 2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay reflects a transition to a new contemporary style by revealing elegant ripe tree fruit flavors of baked apple, supported by layered notes of toasty oak, caramel, and brown spice. The wine has a moderate mouthfeel and sweetness balanced by refined, juicy acidity.

The 2010 growing season in Napa Valley can be described in one word: uneven. A cooler and wetter summer delayed harvest, and an August heat wave drove temperatures from the temperate 70s to a scorching 110°F or higher in some areas. To cap off the irregular nature of the vintage, unexpected heavy rains blanketed the valley in late October. Chardonnay grapes were largely protected from the excessive rainfall because they were harvested prior to the unusual downpour. Despite the challenges, wines from this vintage are displaying great quality and refined structure.

Wine On Line Suggested

Click Here To Visit Website

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Offer Top Value and Unsurpassed Quality

The Story of the 2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Davis Bynum is distinguished as the first winery to produce a single vineyard pinot noir from Russian River Valley.  The vintage was 1973 and the grapes were from Joe Rochioli’s now prized vineyard. Today, more than thirty years later, the heritage of Davis Bynum lives on through hand crafted pinot noir and chardonnay grown
exclusively from prime vineyards in Russian River Valley.Chardonnay is among the most transparent of grape varieties, clearly showing the soils and climate in which
it was grown. They follow time-honored methods, bringing in whole clusters of carefully selected Russian River Valley chardonnay during the coldest part of the morning, pressing gently one batch at a time, and fermenting slowly in my favorite French oak barrels.

Final choices are made lot by lot, based on aroma, flavor, overall
balance, and what is called “mouthfeel.”Russian River Valley chardonnay expresses itself differently depending on location, site specifics, and the nature of the vines themselves.The winemaker seeks out the “middle reach” region of the valley, which runs just southwest of Healdsburg to the Wohler Bridge in Forestville.  This area tends to be slightly warmer than the very cool south-western sub regions. Then he focuses  specific vineyards that show superior vine balance thanks to well-drained, inherently low vigor soils. Finally,I choosing a select variety of chardonnay “clones” to enhance complexity, while keeping to the food friendly flavor profile that has always been a hallmark of Davis Bynum: a little lighter, without being lean; a little crisper, without being tart; a little more aromatic, without being distracting; and balanced with less oak and alcohol than you often find in California chardonnays.

SRP: $25. A genuine bargain and a delicious treat

Wine Maker Greg Morthole Notes: Russian River Valley chardonnay expresses itself differently depending on location, site specifics, and the nature of the vines themselves. I seek out the "middle reach" region of the valley, which runs just southwest of Healdsburg to the Wohler Bridge in Forestville. This area tends to be slightly warmer than the very cool south-western sub regions. Then I focus on specific vineyards that show superior vine balance thanks to well-drained, inherently low vigor soils. Finally, I choose a select variety of chardonnay "clones" to enhance complexity, while keeping to the food friendly flavor profile that has always been a hallmark of Davis Bynum: a little lighter, without being lean; a little crisper, without being tart; a little more aromatic, without being distracting; and balanced with less oak and alcohol than you often find in California chardonnays.

Copyright 2012 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.

Click Here For Tech Sheet

Disclosure

William Hill Estate Winery: Modern Mastery of Napa Classics Like a Fetching 2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay

2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay

William Hill Estate is renowned for crafting elegant Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot wines due to its exceptional location between Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail and Atlas Peak Road on the prestigious Silverado Bench.  Once classic in style, contemporary winemaker Ralf Holdenried has successfully transitioned our wines to a more refined and sophisticated style with fruit intensity and layers of complexity.  Ralf’s innovative and progressive approach to grape growing and winemaking enhances the unique style of our Napa Valley wines. 

The  2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay reflects a transition to a new contemporary style. The wine reveals elegant ripe tree fruit flavors and some toasty oak, brown spice and butter. The wine has a moderate mouthfeel and sweetness backed up by refined acidity. Impressive is the word for this smooth, beautifully balanced and refined wine.

Those of us ISO a Chardonnay to sip with dinner and find many California winemakers have lost contact with the grape and the game of dining, need look no further than William Hill Estate Winery. Loved it with chicken pot pie, steamed lobster, steak tartar,subtle cheeses and, of course, almonds. At a suggested retail price of $25, we can all go there. Bravo William Hill!

Viticulture Notes:

Spring of 2009 was warm and dry with an early bud break.  We had a moderate growing season causing slow ripening which led to the development of full flavors.   Although harvest was slow to start in the Napa Valley, warmer temperatures in August accelerated the last days of the maturation process.        

Winemaker Notes:

The Chardonnay grapes were hand harvested, and gently pressed as whole clusters. After the juice settled overnight, it was racked, and inoculated, and fermented in a combination of new and used oak barrels at approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit. All wine lots underwent malolactic fermentation. Aging occurred in a combination of new and used oak. Some of the wine was racked off the lees after primary fermentation, while other lots were allowed lees contact during aging. Final blending occurred after the individual evaluation of each wine lot.

Varietal Origin: Napa Valley

Varietal Content: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol Level: 14.75%

Titratable Acidity: 0.48 g/100ml

Residual Sugar: 0.67 g/100ml

pH: 3.58

Copyright 2011 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved

Disclosure

William Hill Estate: Napa Valley Bench Blend Chardonnay. Wine On Line Rating: A Major

William Hill Estate : Napa Valley

Wine On Line Rating: A Major

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 Bench Blend Chardonnay

Astounding example of what California CAN do with this so often maligned grape. Exquisite elegance, finesse, balance, subtle fruit and what a finish. Lovely with anything, from Pea Soup to Sausage to Salmon to Triple Crème Cheese or solo. A Personal favorite.

 

Varietal Origin: Napa Valley: 100% Weimer Clone from Carneros
Titratable Acidity: 0.56 g/100ml
pH: 3.35
Residual Sugar: 0.55 g/100ml
Alcohol Level: 14.2%
Harvest Dates: September 12, 2008

Wine Tasting Notes

The 2007 Reserve Chardonnay is creamy and complex displaying intense fruit aromas and flavors of white peach and ripe pear. The stone fruit combine with toasty oak, vanilla and coconut notes that extend through the rich, lingering finish.

Viticulture Notes

A dry winter and warm, dry spring initiated an early start to the 2007 growing season. The weather remained fairly mild through the harvest months with the only heat spike occurring in early September. Temperatures cooled throughout the remainder of September which slowed the ripening of certain varietals and set a good pace for the rest of harvest. This allowed winemakers to focus on bringing in and crushing one variety at a time. Many wineries waited until the very end of harvest to pick some of the later-ripening varieties, and were rewarded with a very high quality crop. Overall, the 2007 crop was much smaller and produced lower alcohol levels in the wines than in 2005 and 2006, but quality is exceptional.

Winemaker Notes

The Chardonnay grapes were hand harvested at night and then gently pressed as whole clusters prior to fermentation to maintain varietal aromas and flavors. The must was inoculated with the QA 23 yeast strain to initiate primary fermentation. Grape solids were left in the fermenting juice to add complexity and style. After primary fermentation was complete, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel in order to enrich the mouthfeel and further add complexity to the finished wine. The Chardonnay wine was aged in new and one-year old French oak barrels. The wine was filtered and fined and bottle aged 6 months prior to release

            Wine On Line Rating: A Major

Disclosure

Copyright 2011http://www.culinarygourmet.com/disclosure By Nancy Walman Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved Disclosure By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved Disclosure