2011 Stoller Family Estate, Reserve Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Oregon ($35)
Well, it ain’t often you’ll find me touting a Chardonnay from somewhere other than Burgundy…but here we are! To me, the problem with most non-Burgundian Chardonnay is, well, fatness: viscous texture, sweetness, obnoxious fruit, high alcohol, heat in the finish, a level of oak that has you picking splinters out of your soft palate. But this Oregonian beauty…is a lot like Burgundy. Don’t expect Montrachet-like pizzazz, but expect good. Light straw, promising color. Aromas of hay, wet stone, apple…missing the characteristic New World tropical fruit, butter and toasty oak. Good! Dry entry. Wonderfully graceful, elegant balance. Subtle flavors follow the nose.
Wine4Food
Magnificent acidity keeps it all food-targeted. It’s not quite an oyster wine, but should be great with all kinds of cooked shellfish, plus white meats in white sauces. Possibly a great vegetable wine too, as long as the vegetable is not sweet (mid-summer corn would not work).
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