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90+ point rated wines under $20







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2006 Stags Leap Winery Chardonnay**
stagsleapchard06.jpg Region Price Purchased Drank
Napa Valley, CA $23 Gift 5/30/08
This pale, lemon-colored wine has bright aromas of stone and tropical fruits with notes of blossoms and sweet spice. The palate presents flavors of lemon, pineapple and green apple with a creamy mouthfeel from aging on the lees. Lush without the usual CA butter, since the wine did not go through malolactic fermentation. Nice adidity and a hint of minerality on the refreshing finish. Not overly complex, but a pleasant, well-balanced, cool climate Chard that delivers for the price.

OTHER RATINGS: WE: 90

2006 Wild Horse Chardonnay**
wildhorsechard.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Paso Robles, CA $16 @ the Wine House 7/19/08
A bright gold-colored wine with an aromatic nose filled with green fruit, citrus and notes of oak. The palate is medium-bodied and creamy with the right amount of acidity to keep it refreshing and has flavors of green apple, pear and lemon that is complemented by notes of vanilla, caramel and toasted oak on the medium finish. Not a wine that will knock your socks off, but a solid, well-crafted chardonnay that bridges the gap between bracing and buttery quite well.

2006 Wishing Tree Unoaked Chardonnay*
wishingtree06chard.jpg Region Price Purchased Drank
South Eastern Australia $12 BevMo 8/20/07
A light-bodied wine (for Chardonnay) with a bright nose of citrus and stone fruits. The palate is crisp with notes of lemon and a minerality that contributes to the lively mouthfeel. Not as ripe as I expected from Australia and a bit too austere for me.

2005 Alma Rosa Winery Chardonnay, El Jabali Vineyard***
almarosachard.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Santa Barbara, CA $30 @ the Winery 11/24/07
A vibrant, medium-bodied wine that's packed with flavor, yet elegant and crisp. Full of tropical and stone fruit flavors this is a wine that doesn't need butter to be yummy. Shows the expression of the vineyard and how good Chardonnay can taste without a ton of oak influence.

OTHER RATINGS: Robert Parker: 90

2005 Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay***
Region Price Purchased Drank
Pirque, Chile $19 Wine.com 9/1/07
Shows a nice mix of dried pineapple, papaya, pear and fig flavors, with a long, minerally finish. Has a nice layer of buttered toast, but stays fresh and pure. Medium-bodied and rich with enough acidity to balance the various flavors.

OTHER RATINGS: Robert Parker: 92 | Wine Spectator: 91

2005 Domaine de la Croix Senaillet St. Véran**
Croixsenailletstveran.jpg Region Price Purchased Drank
Burgundy, France $15 K&L Wines 7/15/08
A pale, lemon-colored wine, with bright aromas of floral, green fruit and citrus with a hint of minerals which follow through on the palate with good intensity, moderate acidity, low alcohol and a creamy mouthfeel due to malolactic fermantation. The flavors of mineral, lemon, ripe apple and hints of honey on the finish. For those looking for a round Chard without all the oakiness of New World versions, you'll like this nicely priced version.

2005 Lafond Winery Chardonnay, Lafond Vineyard***
lafond-chardonnay-05.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Santa Barbara, CA $40 @ the Winery 11/24/07
The nose was complex with ripe green fruits and just a hint of butter. The palate was rich and full with great balance between the subtle tropical flavors and the notes of oak, butter and vanilla. A Chardonnay with real class and flavor that's worth the price.

2005 Lafond Winery Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills**
lafond-chardonnay-05.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Santa Barbara, CA $22 @ the Winery 11/24/07
The clear aromatics of citrus and butter follow through on the medium-bodied palate, integrating in a way that complimented both flavors. The citrus makes the wine crisp and refreshing, the buttery note rounds out the flavor and gives the wine a nice finish. A lovely example of what California Chard is all about without being too over-the-top. Not as complex as their single vineyard Lafond, but a solid wine for the price.

2005 Pezzi King Russian River Valley Chardonnay**
pezzi05chard.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Sonoma, CA $26 Private Event 10/28/08
A lemon-colored, aromatic wine with a bouquet of lemon blossom, tropical fruits and vanilla with notes of oak and nuts. The palate is full-bodied, but with good acidity to keep the wine bright, exhibiting honey, tropical fruit, butter and vanilla flavors along with hints of hazelnuts and oak on the finish. Not as fruit-forward as I generally like my white wines, but it was well-integrated and food friendly. Not a wine to be drunk on it's own as the oak components are the main flavors.

2005 Rex Hill Unwooded Chardonnay*
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Region Price Tasted Drank
Willamette Valley, Oregon $15 The Wine House 9/17/07
A pale-lemon, light-bodied wine with fresh aromas of green apple, melon and lemon that follow through on the palate. Without any oak, the wine has more acidity than most Chards and a short, clean finish. Not enough body or flavor to balance the acidity.

2005 J.P. st M Auvigue Saint Veran "Les Chenes"***
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Region Price Tasted Drank
Burgundy, France $20 The Wine House 9/17/07
A pale yellow, medium-bodied wine with a lovely floral nose with notes of green apple and melon. The palate is a complex mixture of butter, vanilla, citrus and green fruits with a touch of minerality on the finish. An elegant and interesting wine that keeps you coming back to the glass.

2004 Jean Marc Brocard Premier Cru "Montee de Tonnerre"**
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Region Price Tasted Drank
Chablis, France $22 The Wine House 9/17/07
The pale color leads to the light aromas of lemon, asparagus and minerals. Fairly light in body and acidity the palate is full of green apples and wet stones. Good balance, but a short finish diminishes the complexity. More is expected from a Premiere Cru.

2003 Flora Springs Select Cuvee Chardonnay***
florasprings03chard.jpg Region Price Tasted Drank
Napa Valley, CA $25 Private Event 10/21/08
A pale-lemon, medium-bodied wine with complex aroman of tropical and stone fruits with notes of vanilla, oak and almonds. The palate is filled with ripe flavors of apricot, peach, melon and honey with hints of sweet spice and oak on the lingering finish. This is a well-structured wine with a lush mouthfeel, but enough acidity to keep it from being flabby. The oak is present, but well-integrated for a CA chardonnay. I was surprised by how much I liked this wine, considering I am not a big fan of the Napa style. If it wasn't at a tasting I would have finished the whole glass.

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**** Outstanding | *** Delicious | ** Enjoyable | * Drinkable
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