There’s an ocean of Chardonnay out there. What to choose of the, oh I don’t know, 50 different Chardonnay labels standing in front of you? Afraid there’s no secret sauce to share with you. I can give tips, however, which leads me to this specific recommendation.
Check out a few Bourgogne Blancs when you’re in your local wine shop or grocer with a strong wine selection. There should be a few available as there is a lot of it imported into the U.S. Bourgogne Blanc (labeled simply as “Bourgogne,” and you can see it’s a white wine) is pretty much always 100% Chardonnay. I find, generally, the quality for the price of Bourgogne Blanc is high, so give it a shot when you want to move away from your go-to Chardonnay.
This leads me to Maison L’Envoye Bourgogne Blanc, a Chardonnay made from two mature vineyards in the Maconnais, southern Burgundy. This has the richness you expect from Chardonnay but with a lightness and of-the-earth quality you expect from Burgundy. Smell and taste lemon custard, citrus blossoms, apricot, apple butter, honeycomb and a smidge of green olive. More creamy than buttery and not oaky. My tasting notes finish with “pretty,” which means a floral, fruity, gentle, perfumed quality. This is a very good buy for $20.
This wine is imported and can be purchased from Old Bridge Cellars in Napa. Contact them to buy and, if you live in or around Napa, arrange a pick up.
