Full Review

Esser Vineyards

Esser Vineyards
2022 Chardonnay, Monterey County

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.5% RS: .05%
88 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended
$14
Best Buy

Esser Vineyards
2022 Chardonnay, Monterey County

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.5% RS: .05%
Light golden straw color. Aromas and flavors of orange juice, canned pineapple, and citrus cream egg white foam with a round, lively, dry medium body and a tingling, appealing, medium-length finish manifesting overtones of pineapple cream pie, orange creamsicle, green apple, and slightly bitter herbs with light oak flavor. A lovely aromatic lift from the Viognier makes this Chardonnay a highly versatile sipper for many meal pairings.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: New World
Aroma Aroma: orange juice, canned pineapple, and citrus cream egg white foam
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with overtones of pineapple cream pie, orange creamsicle, green apple, and slightly bitter herbs
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Turkey, Roasted Chicken, Boiled Lobster
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A lovely aromatic lift from the Viognier makes this Chardonnay a highly versatile sipper for many meal pairings.

The Producer

Appellation Ventures, LLC

The Producer
5570 Skylane Blvd, Suite C
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
USA
1 916-912-9559

Chardonnay

Wine Glass White.jpg
Serve in a White Wine Glass
Chardonnay is arguably the world’s most famous white variety, thanks to its success in France’s Burgundy region as well as throughout much of California. Chardonnay on its own has rather straightforward, pleasant aromas of apple and pear, but when aged (and sometimes fermented) in small oak barrels, the wines take on extra richness as well as notes of toasted almond, vanilla and yeast.

The most renowned examples of Chardonnay are from small villages and vineyards in Burgundy, such as Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. These wines are very powerful with ample spicy notes and very good acidity; they age very well, sometimes as long as 20-25 years. Another part of Burgundy, Chablis, is home to more restrained style of Chardonnay. Certain areas of California, especially Russian River Valley in Sonoma and Santa Barbara County are also home to many distinguished examples of Chardonnay, with those from the latter region often displaying tropical fruit flavors.

Given that most Chardonnnays are aged in small oak barrels, there has been a movement as of late to give consumers a mored delicate style of Chardonnay, without all the spicy and toasty flavors. Thus there are now many producers that produce non-oak aged Chardonnays; this has been seen from many producers from Australia as well as a few in California as well.

Chardonnay, especially oak-aged versions, are quite rich and need seafood of equal richness at the dinner table. Thus lobster, halibut and swordfish are ideal food pairings.