Reverse Wine Snob®

Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good

  • About
    • What is a Reverse Wine Snob?
    • The Rating System
    • Ten Tenets of Reverse Wine Snobbery
    • Best of Lists by Category
  • Aldi®
  • Costco®
  • Trader Joe’s®
  • FREE GUIDE
  • Insider Deals
  • Contact
    • Submit Samples
    • Contact Info

Hess Select Chardonnay – A Crowd Pleaser From California

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: December 15, 2016

A crowd pleasing California Chardonnay shows the way! Chardonnay Showdown Post #8

IMG_4224

100% Chardonnay from California, aged in French oak for 9 months. SRP of $12 but available widely for $9-$10. Sample received courtesy The Hess Collection for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“The heart of this Chardonnay comes from our Shirtail Creek Vineyard in Monterey’s inland coastal valley, where cooling fog and coastal breezes make for ideal growing conditions. Lush tropical fruit characteristics of pineapple and mango are complemented by a bright finish. Ideal with light seafood dishes, fried calamari and goat cheese.
13.4% Alcohol”

The 2009 Hess Select Chardonnay exhibits aromas of green apple, pineapple, pear, and grass. It tastes of pineapple and green apple with plenty of oak but it works. Not very buttery. The finish is sweet mango with a bit of pepper and it lingers nicely. This is a simple, easy drinker, which is what you want in the heat of summer. Definitely a crowd pleaser that is accessible to occasional drinkers and at the same time won’t offend hard core winos. The wine was not quite as good on day 2 as it lost some of its sweetness on the finish so drink up!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.


Taste Rating: 7              Cost Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 7.3

Recommended Buy


1 Rating – Add Yours!

 
 
 
 
 

 

i
 

All ratings use a simple 10 point scale with 10 being the best. Find out more about my rating systemhere and check out the Interactive Wine Ranking to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.

Chardonnay Showdown Series | Intro | Post #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11| #12 | Results

Published: June 29, 2011 Filed Under: California, Chardonnay

<< Seven Heavenly Chardonnay Michael David Winery – Full-Bodied And Creamy
Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay – A Strong Contender >>

About Jon Thorsen

Author and independent wine consumer helping millions of people find great grape without breaking the bank. Sign up for my FREE GUIDE to learn how! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest and join my Facebook Group to chat about wine.

Reverse Wine Snob Insider Deals
Limited Time Offers. Amazing Discounts. Don't Miss Out!
Twitter 224,821Followers
Facebook 87,700Fans
Instagram 19,350Followers

Best Of Lists!

The Best Tempranillo Under $20 - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

The Best Tempranillo Under $20

The Best White and Rosé Wines Under $20

The 2020 Best White and Rosé Wines Under $20

2020 Best Red Wines Under $20

The 2020 Best Red Wines Under $20

The Best Red Blends Under $20!

The Best Red Blends Under $20

The Best Garnacha Under $20 - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

The Best Garnacha Under $20

The Best Wine From Argentina Under $20 - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks

The Best Wines From Argentina Under $20

Read All Of Our Best Of Lists Here!

Featured Articles

The Best Italian Wine - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

The Best Italian Wines Under $20

What Is The Role Of Native Yeast Versus Cultured Yeast in Winemaking? Ask The Expert!

What Is The Role Of Native Yeast Versus Cultured Yeast In Winemaking? Ask The Expert!

The Best WInes at Costco - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

The Best Wines at Costco

Tenet #4 - Wine Under $20 Is Not A Compromise

Tenet #4 – Wine Under $20 Is Not A Compromise

Blending Wines - Is it Art, Science or a Little of Both? Ask The Expert!

Blending Wines – Is it Art, Science or a Little of Both? Ask The Expert!

The Grapes of Vinho Verde - Alvarinho and Loureiro

The Grapes of Vinho Verde – Alvarinho and Loureiro

Order The Book on Amazon!

.

How To Drink Great Wine…Without Breaking The Bank

Tired of wasting money on crappy wine? Sign up for our free guide!

About Me

Maximizing your wine dollars since 2011! Independent wine consumer helping millions of people (2.7 million visitors in 2020 alone) find great wines without breaking the bank including through our exclusive Insider Deals. If you're new to Reverse Wine Snob don't forget to sign up for our free guide! Want to chat about wine? Join our Facebook Group!

Reverse Wine Snob®: Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good.

Copyright © 2011–2021 · Reverse Wine Snob, LLC. | Privacy, Editorial & Advertising Policy