Wilfred Wong is the popular and affable Cellar Master at BevMo! His palate is highly regarded; his opinions matter a great deal. Please enjoy.
Winery images have been borrowed from the respective wineries’ Web sites; for emphasis and their promotional use, only. Wilfred’s image comes from his BevMo! wine blog page.
If you’d like to review more wine picks from Wilfred Wong, just search wine-blog for “Wilfred” and all of his recommendations will be listed.
Meanwhile, enjoy his three Top Chardonnays for Ultra Special Events wine picks…
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From my notebook: Notes from an extreme taster
Top Chardonnays for Ultra Special Events
By Wilfred Wong
Acacia, Far Niente and Flowers: Stalwarts on the Midway
How often do we overlook the tried and true? With hundreds of brands in the marketplace and everyone writing about the next great wine, the old guys get passed over like stale white bread on a fishing pier; the only interested folks are birds searching for food. Here are three known entities that are consistent and pretty fine.
Acacia, who released their first wines in 1979, under the direction of winemaker Mike Richmond, made a major splash in the marketplace. With an array of different appellations and single vineyard offerings, this winery changed the course of Chardonnay in California. The 2012, though way different than the first offerings via management and concept changes, is a very solid wine. Juicy and ripe, with a touch of oak, this magic from the Carneros District is a beautiful, upscale wine that all will enjoy. BevMo! Retail: $15.99
Far Niente, one of the great names in ultra premium chardonnays, the 2012 is full and rich, exhibiting oak and ripe core fruit flavors. First released in 1979 (like the Acacia), this one has been incredibly consistent and is still made in the same fashion as it began. Perfect for the super special event. BevMo! Retail: $59.99
Flowers, a relative newcomer in comparison to the other two, have solidified the AVA of Sonoma Coast. Offering, feisty mineral, ripe core fruit, and dried leaves, this is fine effort always stays high in quality with each new vintage. A hint of oak ties all of its elements together. BevMo! Retail: $42.99
Let’s revisit the players who have brought us here and help shape the excellent of California’s Chardonnay category!
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