A wine that really wants you to know it is UNOAKED. Chardonnay Showdown post #2.
100% Chardonnay from Spain fermented in stainless steel vats. SRP of $12. Available online and at select retailers for $11. Sample received courtesy Wines of Navarra for review purposes.
From the bottle:
"Situated in the north hills of Navarra at an altitude of 650 mts El Cerezo vineyard produces excellent Chardonnay grapes. Harvested in the cool of the night, fermented in stainless steel and bottled without oak ageing. UNOAKED. Delicious wine, pure and clean. Richness of fruit combined with a noted acidity behind.
13.5% Alcohol"
Another wine from the Kingdom of Navarra in Spain. And just in case the "without oak ageing" on the label wasn't clear enough for you, this wine is "UNOAKED", got it? And not only that but "pure and clean". I think they made their point! In any case, how does this wine taste?
The 2010 Castillo de Monjardin Finca El Cerezo Chardonnay exhibits aromas of green apples, pears, and papaya. It tastes light and sweet, with notes of green apple, citrus, and pineapple. The finish is medium-short with a dash of lemon and ends a bit tart. Overall a nice wine at a good value. Might even score a little higher if the finish would have held up a bit better, but definitely still a BUY rating for this UNOAKED Chardonnay. Just as good on day 2.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.0
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
Other wines reviewed in the Kingdom of Navarra series:
2010 Castillo de Monjardin Finca El Cerezo Chardonnay - UNOAKED, Got It?
2009 Otazu Chardonnay - A Wine From the Magic Kingdom
2010 Gran Feudo Rosado - A Spanish Rosado That Can't Close the Deal
2010 Señorío de Sarría Rosado Viñedo No 5 - A Successful Spanish Rosé Without an Abundance of Fruit
2010 Bodegas San Martin Senorio de UNX Garnacha - A Blackberry Bomb
2008 Malon de Echaide Tinto Roble - A Potential Trader Joe's Superstar
2008 Bodega Inurrieta SUR - Blackberry gelato in a bottle
2007 Albret French Oak - A Smooth Spanish Blend
2010 Ochoa Moscatel De Grano Menudo - 500ml Never Went Down So Easy
2006 Marco Real Crianza & Wines of Navarra Wrap-up