A lot of very good and not very expensive Chardonnay originates in Monterey County. But what influences a bottle of Chardonnay more? Is it the the place where it is grown or the way it is made? I have to say both. Unlike in Burgundy, where the location dictates style, in Monterey there is total freedom to express the personality of the grape after it is picked, through its handling in the winery. Lots of oak, little oak, or no oak; secondary malolactic fermentation or not; it's up to the producer and wine maker to decide.
In Burgundy, if your vineyard is in Mersault, you are going to make a rich and oaky wine. If your vines are further south in Pouilly-Fuisse, you are going to make a Chardonnay with little or no oak at all. As a consumer, you know what to expect in terms of style based on where the wine is from. All you need to do is navigate the vintage charts and producers to make a selection that matches your tastes, mood and food.
In Monterey, you will need to taste a lot and decide for yourself which label is your style. Which label suits your mood? Which label will you open this evening? What if you're having a glass before dinner? How about with dinner? The good news is, I haven't tasted any fresh, well-made Chardonnay from Monterey I didn't like. The weather is cool there, the hang time for the grapes is long, and the soil is lean, well-drained and minerally.
Here are two Monterey Chardonnays that have both significant differences and similarities. I guess the story could be stated as thus: You can twist the grapes every which way, you can take the grapes out of Monterey, but you can't take Monterey out of the grapes.
Carmel Road Monterey Chardonnay 2006
Carmel Road Winery is now part of Jackson Wine Estates, best known for Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay. Carmel Road is managed under a Brand "umbrella" that includes high-end labels Hartford Family and Freemark Abbey.
Carmel Road Monterey Chardonnay saw just over 6 months in oak barrels, 3/4 French, a minor portion new barrels. Starting out with high quality concentrated fruit, this is enough oak influence to make for a richer style Chardonnay. I would say this one is just a bit richer than middle-of-the road, without going off the rails. You could say it's efficient luxury. If this is your house wine, you might drive a metallic pearl Lexus. Alternatively, you might drink it when you're celebrating, but not showing off.
Expect a rich lemon-gold brilliance in the glass, and aromas of pear, lemon drops, vanilla plus a whiff of clove spice. There is a creaminess on the tongue. The flavor is moderately complex, noticeably oak influenced, with spicy tree fruit and tart citrus notes that balance out nicely in a smooth finish.
Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.
NO Unoaked Monterey Chardonnay 2007
This is the first vintage for NO Chardonnay. NO Vineyards and Winery has been making Lake County Sauvignon Blanc, devoid of oak or malolactic fermentation, since 2003. With the growing trend in unoaked Chardonnay, it's no surprise they would line-extend to leverage their brand name, which might just as well be "Buck Naked", "Butt Naked", or "In the Buff".
As expected, NO Monterey Chardonnay saw no oak, and no secondary malolactic fermentation. The screw cap nails this concept home, as not even the natural influence of a cork is allowed to manipulate the Monterey fruit. This is as close to a pure sample off the stainless steel tank as you can get.
NO is bright pale straw, with a slight greenish tint in the glass, noticeable lighter than the Carmel Road. The aromas and flavors are lean, dominated by Granny Smith apple and lemon. On the tongue, this Chardonnay is lean, tart and focused, with grassy, lemon-lime and green apple flavors. This is a Chardonnay for Sauvignon Blanc lovers, you might even say "shrill" for a Chardonnay. If this is your house wine, you might drive a hybrid vehicle, or maybe you just feel like breathing some clean air.
Price: $11 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 13.5%.
Being that both of these Chardonnays originate in Monterey County, don't expect their differences to outweigh their similarities. I expected them to be more different, but was surprised they both share a fruit forward nature, beautiful Chardonnay character, plus great minerality and acidity. The nice thing about the comparison is the NO (unoaked) Chardonnay costs a few dollars less than the Carmel Road. This is as it should be. After all, when you're avoiding the high price of oak barrels, you should pass along the savings to the consumer. All too often that isn't the case.
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I had a glass of the Carmel Road Chard at Vinz in Escondido, Ca about 6 months ago. I am new to wines (so I probably won't describe things very well!)but the creamy texture that I noticed on my tongue with this white was so wonderful I was hooked! A close second is Fallbrook Sleepy Hollow. The "buttery" effect with this one is slow but if you wait for it...! Yep! There it is!
Posted by: Janel Keas | May 08, 2009 at 12:55 PM