Assign her a story on California Chardonnay and tell her it's good for her.
Castor oil for diminutive redheads.
You see, my life is not all copious amounts of DRC. Sometimes I get the short stick.
My assignment was to show that Chardonnay was coming into its own, that the toasty oak was receding. In fact, there was a trend towards unoaked chardonnay. And, she said, that fewer people were not forcing wines through malolactic anymore (the second fermentation that gives the butter, fat, popcorn and roundness to a wine--never mind that to block it you usually have to sulfur or filter the wine.) I was to celebrate the glory years of Calichard.
Okay, I can hear you all laughing. Serves her right! I can hear you over here, Shh. Hush. You know, my impatience with much of California wine is somewhat well known by now. It's not that the state can't make wine I can (or want to drink) I just don't care for the extreme use of make up, adjuncts and over-ripeness of the wine. Some people hate peas. I love them. It's a matter of taste. So, if you love the opulence of California Chardonnay, please don't take offense. But if you do like them, you might enjoy the ones I've decided were the best I've tasted.
So I started with 30 wines, mostly of those my editor thought were 'best.' (You'll LOVE the Heitz, she wrote to me.)
2004 Ridge Montebello (Santa Cruz)--so NOT my style. This was big and juicy and tropicale. It was a little obnoxious, like a large woman wearing Opium and rushing into the room, wearing flashy jewelry and gesturing loudly. But then you realize she's Italian and then you forgive her. The wine was well made. It is a reference. And it was complex.
2006 Hanzell (Sonoma): --fairly intense, full-bodied, some toast and nut and lemon confit. Polished. 15% + alcohol. Hot. Hot. Hot.
2007 Pelligrini un-oaked (Sonoma): --tart and refreshing (lemon rind) version of a wine with edge. Unoaked and un malo-ed
2006 Pellegrini Olivet Lane (Sonoma): not very aromatic, but level-headed and well structures. Hey, the wine went through malo-and it's not popcorned! Good work!
2006 Ramey (Sonoma)--actually kind of nice lemon rind with bitter white cellulose. Some creamy butter and pretty aromatics. Could actually work with food.
2006 & 2007 Stony Hills (Napa)--You can't go wrong with these long-lived Napa darlings, at it since 1947. As always, made in old (average age 15 years) oak and they prevent malo-lactic fermentation. 2006:earthier (probably needs some age) 2007--nice pear-like flavor.
2006 Heitz (Napa)-- Guess what? My editor was right, almost. It wasn't that it was fantastic!!! it was interesting. It had some cinnamon, cedar and dirt. Maybe that's not a turn on to you, but anything not squeaky clean from the Left Coast kind of gets me psyched.
I hate to say which wines I hated but even at $7.99 a bottle the Redwood Creek California Chardonnay was absolutely revolting. It was one of those wines that reminds me GRAPES should be required in 'fine wine." This was sugar water tinted with Chardonnay essence and it made me run to the spit bucket, and then (this is how bad it was) I had to gargle with the un-oaked Pellegrini.
I returned to the crime scene tonight, to retaste some who came late to the party. I got myself a spit bucket and a glass put on Phil Ochs, sat them on the bench, took out the tool, and yank out the corks by their roots.
(please stay tuned for Part Two)
(please stay tuned for Part Two)
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