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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: www.chateaustjean.com/ California certainly has a reputation for making over-oaked Chardonnay, however, this 2010 bottling from the Robert Young Vineyard is different. It has a much better balance than many of its peers at its respective price range and is rather food friendly. Technical Data:  Harvest Dates: Sept. 30-Oct. 19, 2010 Harvest [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: www.robertmondaviwinery.com While Mondavi is known around the world for its high-end cabs, it also produces much more affordable “daily wines” like this 2010 Chardonnay. It’s a “California-style” Chardonnay that isn’t over-oaked and one I’m sure many people will enjoy. Here’s the rub: Technical Data: Appellation: Napa Valley Grape Sourcing: 41% Napa [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.rutherfordwine.com Rutherford Ranch wines is winery based in St. Helena California and has been family-run for over three generations. Located right on the Silverado Trail, its a favorite winery destination of locals as well as tourists. This fine little bottle of Chardonnay does a good job of showcasing that Napa [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.hartfordwines.com/ Hartford Family Cellars is clearly a Sonoma winery that’s dedicated to the art of making fine wines – although a good deal of its wines are well aboe the $50 mark, this little gem is only $32 and packs enough punch to take-on many White Burgundies at twice its price. [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.closduval.com Clos Du Val is a Napa brand that has wide-spread national distribution and has garnered a loyal following for producing good wines for the money. Technical Data: Appellation: Carneros, Napa Valley Composition: 100% Chardonnay Fermentation: Barrel fermented Cooperage: 10 months in French oak barrels, 20% new barrels Acid: 6.6 [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.napacellars.com/ Napa Cellars’ reserve program has released three new releases that are all 100% varietal, made in small lots and designed to really showcase the terroir of the specific region the grapes were sourced from. \ 2010 Mount Veeder Chardonnay – W.E.P. Rating: 90% Technical Data: Appellation: Mount Veeder Composition: 100% Chardonnay [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.foleywines.com Foley winery, located in Lampoo California (just north of Santa Barbara) uses local vineyards of the near-by Santa Rita Hills to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. If you haven’t tried Chardonnay from this region, then this is one that’d make a good starting place for your palate. Technical Data:  [...]

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By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.ridgewine.com Ridge Vineyards is known the world-over for producing exceptional Zinfandel but they also make wines from other varietals such as this Chardonnay as well as some red blends. At a MSRP of $60, this is one of the more expensive, domestic Chardonnay’s I’ve tasted and while I know the [...]

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La Follette is a premium producer in Healdsburg California and has developed a loyal fanbase of its wines. This is because it has a reputation of producing clean-tasting wines that are both true to the terrior and varietal composition. They are a bit on the higher-end of pricing but overall are pretty commonly priced as [...]

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Every now and then there comes along a winery who just seems to “get it” – they fire on all cylinders and produce wines of such outstanding character that one can’t help but step back in a bit of awe. Robert Young winery, located in Geyserville California, planted its vineyards in 1963 and has been [...]

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