Wente Chardonnay 2015

There are two wines that whose merits and demerits have been praised, discussed, and argued over for centuries more than any other wines; Cabernet Savignon and Chardonnay. In recent years it has been the Chardonnay that has taken the brunt of the criticism because so many new white wine varieties have appeared on the market. Some critics of the variety have even gone so far as to form the ABC Club, Anything But Chardonnay. Try as hard as the digressers have, they have not been able to dethrone the Chardonnay as the queen of the white. Why the gender reference? History has shown that women seem prefer the white wines over the red.

It appears that part of the loss in popularity of the variety was due to simple economics. The price for better quality Chardonnay grapes has been as high as a staggering $3000/ton. With an approximate yield of 756 bottles of wine per ton, that makes the cost of the grapes alone $3.97 per bottle. Next, add the costs of processing, fermenting, and aging barrels (about $600 each), bottling, labeling, and shipping and you can realize why some wines are more pricy than others. To support their belief in the variety, Wente Vineyards, long famed for quality wines, has just released three Chardonnays that explore all of the facets and nuances of the variety and is in itself, a lexicon on the variety.

Wente 2014 Eric’s Small Lot Chardonnay ($25). We must start by saying that this is one of the best Chardonnays we have tasted in a very long time. We have sampled so many mediocre and even downright poor Chardonnays in recent years that we were becoming almost indifferent to the variety and perhaps even somewhat jaded. This wine has changed all of that. The Wente 2014 Eric’s Small Lot Chardonnay is not a bold nor is it an overpowering wine. It is rather, a comfortable wine that combines all of the elements of a great Chardonnay into a mellow, soft, flavorful, and easy to drink beverage. The aroma clearly displays the scents of pears, apples, and vanilla with a hint of roasted nuts in the background. The flavor is bright, fruity, and crisp accenting green apples and pears. The finish is soft and possesses a toast-like element. The Wente 2014 Eric’s Small Lot Chardonnay is a masterpiece among Chardonnay wines.

Wente Riva Ranch 2014 Arroyo Seco Chardonnay ($22). This wine is typical of all of the wines from Wente, luxurious, well made, and elegant. Throughout the entire process of making this wine, extra care has been taken from the selection of the grapes to the winemaking procedures. All of this tender loving care resulted in an impeccable wine of great character and distinction. The wine features green apple and tropical fruit in both the aroma and flavor. Coupled with this is a positive oak and vanilla flavor. Unlike many of the lesser Chardonnays, this wine has a long, fruity, and captivating finish. Try this wine with seafood as well as almost any poultry based dishes. From beginning to end this is a grand wine and we would like to thank the Wente family for reestablishing our faith in the Chardonnay grape and the wines that can be made form them.

Wente Morning Fog 2015 Estate Grown Chardonnay ($18).This wine is just too bright and happy to be believed. It seems to bubble with fruit and flavor. Wente Morning Fog is a full-bodied wine, heavy with the aromas of summer fruits, vanilla, and oak. All of these aromas are continued into the flavor with the added sensation of big, ripe, raisins. Like all of the Wente wines, there is a long and fruity finish that lasts in the mouth for many minutes after it has been swallowed. This may not be the wine for wine snobs (it’s not expensive enough for them) but it certainly can fill the bill anyplace a Chardonnay or a really fine sipping wine is called for.