Chardonnay is a great middle ground for Thanksgiving.  With good acidity, a round smooth body, and lots of apple and pear flavors, it fits well with fall and poultry.  With a touch of oak, Chardonnay picks up notes of vanilla and toasted oak, adding spice to the mix.  For sweet potato pie, poultry, and all the trimmings, can Parnell Estate Chardonnay make a perfect pair?

Sight: A pretty gold, slightly pale.

Smell:  The nose is buttery with a hint of lemon.  There are touches of smoke, vanilla, and apple.

Sip:  Brown sugar, burnt toast, and monkey bread whack you in the palate.  Notes of mushrooms, lemon, and apple try to get into the act.    A wet slate runs in the background with smoke.   The body is heavy, but bright.

Savor:  The ending has prickles of acidity, but leans into the oakiness.  The finish lingers, and has this amazing characteristic of buttered, toasted white bread (slightly burnt).

Parnell Estate Chardonnay is ridiculously oaked.  The toast goes clear off the rails, and with a hint of earth and slate, it makes an oak bomb.  If you’re having a mushroom swiss burger, this is a crazy alternative to red wine that might work as an amazing compliment.  That said, this is a funny sort of wine, and definitely not the sort of wine you want to knock back glass after glass of.  With that in mind, Parnell Estate Chardonnay isn’t much of a Thanksgiving wine, but it might be worth trying with barbecue or camping over burnt marshmallows.

Verdict:  Butter, Mushroom, Toast, Oak
Rating: 70
Price: $10
Russian River Chardonnay, California

Available At: