Full Review

La Playa

La Playa
2023 Estate Series Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: Chile
Alcohol: 14% RS: 2%
Certified Sustainable
87 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended
$9
Best Buy

La Playa
2023 Estate Series Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: Chile
Alcohol: 14% RS: 2%
Yellow straw color. Aromas and flavors of banana candy, candied lemon, lemon creme, and brioche dough with a velvety, lively, dry medium body and a tingling, captivating, breezy finish with notes of lemon cream pie, banana, banana bread, and pineapple whip. A very nice table wine or everyday un-oaked Chardonnay to have around the house but that is also good enough to share with company.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Crisp & Lively
Aroma Aroma: banana candy, candied lemon, lemon creme, and brioche dough
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of lemon cream pie, banana, banana bread, and pineapple whip
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Turkey, Roasted Chicken, Boiled Lobster
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A very nice table wine or everyday un-oaked Chardonnay to have around the house but that is also good enough to share with company.

The Importer

Cabernet Corporation

The Importer
285 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Suite K
Novato, CA 94949
USA
1 415-884-9000

Their Portfolio

88 Axel 2018 Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $17.00.
89 Axel 2019 Red Blend, Maule Valley 14.5% (Chile) $17.00.
88 Axel 2020 Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $17.00.
86 Axel 2022 Reserve, Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 14.5% (Chile) $17.00.
BR Belasco De Baquedano 2020 Rosa De Argentina, Luján De Cuyo 14% (Argentina) $12.00. - Bronze Medal
90 Belasco De Baquedano 2021 Llama Bonarda-Malbec Blend, Luján De Cuyo 13.5% (Argentina) $13.00.
90 Belasco De Baquedano 2022 Rosa De Argentina, Malbec, Luján De Cuyo 14% (Argentina) $12.00.
89 Belasco De Baquedano 2021 Llama, Cabernet Franc, Luján De Cuyo 13.5% (Argentina) $13.00.
87 Belasco De Baquedano 2023 Llama Rosa, Malbec, Mendoza 14.5% (Argentina) $14.00.
87 Belasco De Baquedano 2023 Llama Rosado De, Malbec, Argentina 14.5% (Argentina) $17.00.
93 Berton Vineyards 2021 Metal Label, Cabernet Sauvignon, South-Eastern Australia 13.9% (Australia) $13.00.
89 Berton Vineyards 2021 Metal Label The Black, Shiraz, South-Eastern Australia 14.5% (Australia) $13.00.
95 Berton Vineyards 2022 Metal Label Flavored Moscato Frizzanté, Riverina 7.5% (Australia) $13.00.
91 Berton Vineyards 2021 Metal Label Rosé, Shiraz, Big Rivers 13% (Australia) $13.00.
88 Berton Vineyards 2021 Metal Label, Petite Sirah, Riverina 14% (Australia) $13.00.
92 Clark Estate 2023 Riverside Terrace, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 11.5% (New Zealand) $17.00.
BR Don Rodolfo NV Extra Brut Sparkling Wine, Mendoza 12% (Argentina) $12.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Don Rodolfo NV Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine, Luján De Cuyo 12% (Argentina) $12.00. - Bronze Medal
85 Don Rodolfo 2021 Art of the Andes, Malbec, Argentina 14.5% (Argentina) $12.00.
87 Don Rodolfo 2022 Art of the Andes, Pinot Noir, Argentina 13% (Argentina) $12.00.
85 Don Rodolfo 2023 Art of the Andes, Pinot Noir, Central Valley 13% (Chile) $12.00.
89 Don Rodolfo 2022 Malbec, Mendoza 14.5% (Argentina) $12.00.
88 Hay Shed Hill 2021 Pitchfork Pink Rosé, Margaret River 12.5% (Australia) $19.00.
85 La Playa 2021 Estate Series Rose, Maule Valley 12.5% (Chile) $9.00.
85 La Playa 2021 Estate Series Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
87 La Playa 2019 Estate Series Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
90 La Playa 2021 Estate Series, Viognier, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $9.00.
87 La Playa 2019 Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon, Maule Valley 13.5% (Chile) $13.00.
85 La Playa 2019 Reserva, Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
87 La Playa 2019 Reserva Claret Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $13.00.
88 La Playa 2021 Reserva, Sauvignon Blanc, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
91 La Playa 2021 Estate Series, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
90 La Playa 2020 Estate Series, Merlot, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $9.00.
87 La Playa 2022 Estate Series Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $9.00.
89 La Playa 2020 Estate Series, Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 12.5% (Chile) $9.00.
88 La Playa 2019 Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
88 La Playa 2022 Estate Series, Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 13% (Chile) $13.00.
87 La Playa 2021 Reserva, Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
91 La Playa 2020 Reserva, Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $13.00.
92 La Playa 2020 Claret Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $13.00.
BR La Playa 2021 Estate Series Dry Rosé, Maule Valley 12.5% (Chile) $9.00. - Bronze Medal
88 La Playa 2020 Estate Series Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $13.00.
88 La Playa 2022 Estate Series Dry Rosé, Maule Valley 12.5% (Chile) $9.00.
88 La Playa 2023 Estate Series, Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 13% (Chile) $9.00.
92 La Playa 2022 Estate Red Blend, Maule Valley 14% (Chile) $9.00.
85 La Playa 2022 Estate, Viognier, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
91 La Playa 2022 Estate, Carmenere, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $9.00.
93 La Playa 2020 Reserva Claret Red Blend, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $13.00.
85 La Playa 2022 Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon, Maule Valley 14% (Chile) $13.00.
86 La Playa 2022 Estate Series, Viognier, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
88 La Playa 2022 Estate Series, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $9.00.
87 La Playa 2023 Estate Series Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $9.00.
86 La Playa 2023 Estate Series, Viognier, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $10.00.
87 La Playa 2023 Estate Series, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $10.00.
85 La Playa 2023 Estate Series, Viognier, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $10.00.
85 La Playa 2024 Estate Un-Oaked, Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley 12.5% (Chile) $9.00.
BR La Playa 2024 Estate, Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 12.5% (Chile) $9.00. - Bronze Medal
94 Paxton 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale 13.5% (Australia) $19.00.
BR The Charmer 2021 Bourbon Barrel Aged, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
88 The Charmer 2022 Reserve, Pinot Noir, Central Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
85 The Charmer 2023 Pinot Noir, Central Valley 13% (Chile) $13.00.
BR Vino De Eyzaguirre 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 12.5% (Chile) $11.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2019 Syrah, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $11.00.
88 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2019 Merlot, Colchagua Valley 13% (Chile) $11.00.
86 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 13.5% (Chile) $11.00.
88 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2022 Merlot, Colchagua Valley 14.0% (Chile) $11.00.
87 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2022 Syrah, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $11.00.
86 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2022 Merlot, Colchagua Valley 14% (Chile) $11.00.
88 Vino De Eyzaguirre 2022 Syrah, Maule Valley 14% (Chile) $11.00.

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.