Welcome to our seventh episode, and National Chardonnay Day! On this episode:

• Chardonnay: To oak or not to oak.
• 2010 Simply Naked Chardonnay & 2009 Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay

Chardonnay: Oaked vs. Unoaked

This is a topic that comes up from time to time, and what better day to examine it than on National Chardonnay Day.  Should Chardonnay be oaked or unoaked? Well, at it’s simplest, the answer is:

Which ever you happen to prefer is correct.

Oak is an element that is used in heavier white wines and most reds.  It can add flavors such as vanilla, toast, butter, cedar, leather, and more.  All of these elements add complexity to the wine, but when over used can cause a wine to taste like only those factors, which is a waste of good grapes.

The trick to great chardonnay is balance [between fruit and wood].

The Chards

2010 Simply Naked Chardonnay

Hailing from Woodbridge, California, this wine should be expected to have some of California’s larger than life fruit forward style.  It also should be pretty fruity given the absence of oak.

Sight: Very pale, almost Riesling or Vino Verde pale.

Smell: Apples, pears, and honeydew melon get a slight drizzle of honey.

Sip: Very crisp, and light, but still somehow rounded (very chardonnay in the rounded character), apple and melon takeover for the pear.  Possibly a touch of cantalope and starfruit. [ABV 13.5%]

Savor: Mostly lemon pith and apple, but not bitter.  Very clean.

This wine is definitely the new face of chardonnay, and some whites. Clean, crisp, and inoffensive but fruity easy drinking wine.  Interestingly, it had the most accurate description of the wine on the back of the bottle we’ve seen since starting FPW.  Not bad for the price, but there are more complicated and interesting dry rieslings and other varietals for the more adventurous.

Price: $6.95
Woodbridge, California
http://simplynakedwines.com/index.html

2009 Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay

Coming from the Columbia Valley in Washington, this Chardonnay seemed like a bit of a wild card.  The label promised creamy oaky characteristics, and goodness was it not wrong.

Sight: Golden wheat

Smell: Toast with butter, vanilla cream with a hint of coffee, and some extra smoke just for good measure.  There might be a papaya hidden in there somewhere, but if it’s there, it’s hiding well.

Sip: Creamy and full bodied with touches of acid, the vanilla toast and caramel cream adventure continues.  No fruit in sight.

Savor: Suddenly there’s lemon pith and toasty custard, but not for long.

The lemon pith is a bit off putting, the wine lacks something of a fruit burst anywhere in the experience, but what it delivers in oak it delivers well.  This wine is strong enough to even pair with a steak and mushrooms cooked in butter or creamy pastas, but don’t bother with it for anything light and fresh.  It will most likely overwhelm it.

Price: $7.95
Columbia Valley, Washington
http://www.columbiacrest.com/