Reverse Wine Snob

Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good

  • About
  • Aldi® Picks
  • Costco® Picks
  • Trader Joe’s® Picks
  • FREE GUIDE
  • Insider Deals
menu icon
go to homepage
Get Our Free Guide!
search icon
Homepage link
  • FREE GUIDE!
  • Insider Deals
  • Best Of Lists
    • - Costco
    • - Trader Joe's
    • - Aldi
  • About
  • The Rating System
  • More Helpful Links
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Gold Label Chardonnay - Bridging The Great Divide

    By: Jon Thorsen Published: January 24, 2012 Last Updated: March 6, 2021

    2009_Francis_Ford_Coppola_Diamond_Collection_Chardonnay

    100% Chardonnay from Monterey County, California.

    SRP of $16 and available for as low as $10. Sample submitted for review purposes.

    From the bottle:

    "Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay is sourced from two distinct vineyards in Monterey County that, when blended together, achieve a lovely complexity and optimal balance of ripe fruit and acidity. Half of the fruit is fermented in French oak and undergoes malolactic fermentation, and the other half is fermented in stainless steel. This mix of techniques creates a creamy texture and rich flavors of pear, melon and apples with notes of tropical fruit and a beautiful vanilla cream finish. Enjoy with crab cakes, apricot chicken and vegetable quiche.

    13.5% Alcohol"

    When it comes to Chardonnay, it's all about the oak. OK, maybe not ALL about the oak, but the use of oak in Chardonnay tends to be a great dividing line. Today's wine takes an interesting strategy -- give them some of both. As the label states, half this wine sees time in French oak and the other half does not. The result, rather surprisingly, is a wine that takes on some of the best characteristics of both styles.

    The 2009 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Gold Label Monterey County Chardonnay begins with aromas of green apple, pear, honeysuckle and a little butterscotch. The wine has a nice creamy texture but is not overly buttery by any means. Pear, apricot, lemon and a little melon are the predominate flavors. On the finish, those fruit flavors carry over plus some more prominent oak notes. Really just a great compromise for oak and non-oak lovers who want to share a bottle of Chardonnay!

    Also check out these other Francis Coppola wines reviewed recently:
    From the Rosso and Bianco line
    2009 Francis Ford Coppola Rosso - An Offer You Can't Refuse?
    2009 Francis Ford Coppola Chardonnay - Clean, Fresh, and Unoaked
    And from the Diamond Collection line
    2009 Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Black Label Claret - A Capital British Blend From California

    See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.


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

    Recommended Buy


    Filed Under: California, Chardonnay

    << Wine Guerrilla Forchini Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel - A Really BIG and Really BOLD Saturday Splurge
    Jack Tone Vineyards Red Wine Bottle Blend 3 Liter Bag In Box - Breaking Into The Box >>

    About Jon Thorsen

    Author and independent wine consumer helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. Sign up for my FREE GUIDE to learn how! Read more about me...

    Reverse Wine Snob Insider Deals Header Square
    Limited Time offers with amazing discounts just for our readers.

    Don't Miss Out!

    About Reverse Wine Snob

    Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good! Jon Thorsen is an independent wine consumer who has been helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. If you're new to Reverse Wine Snob® sign up for my free guide and don't miss our exclusive Insider Deals! Read more about Reverse Wine Snob in the news and about me.

    Reverse Wine Snob Logo

    Join over 450,000 followers on social media!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Get Our Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine Without Breaking The BankReady to start drinking the best wine of your life, and save money doing it? Sign up for our 5 Day Free Guide!

    Learn More

    Helpful Links

    • - Ask The Expert Series
    • - Browse by Variety, Region, etc.
    • - Buy My Book on Amazon
    • - Get Our Free Guide
    • - How To Choose A Good Bottle of Wine
    • - Insider Deals
    • - Insider Deal FAQ
    • - Printable Lists of Recommended Wines
    • - Ten Tenets of Reverse Wine Snobbery
    • - The Rating System
    • - Wine Tasting Basics

    • - Advertise
    • - Contact Info
    • - Submit Samples for review

    How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Tired of wasting money on bad wine? Sign up for our Free Guide!

    No commitments, no spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Best Of Lists!

      • - Aldi Wine
      • - Best Pizza Wines
      • - Best Red Wines of 2022
      • - Box Wines
      • - Cabernet Sauvignon
      • - Chardonnay
      • - Chianti
      • - Costco Wine
      • - French Wines
      • - Italian Wines
      • - Malbec
      • - Merlot
      • - Oregon Wines
      • - Organic Wines
      • - Pinot Noir
      • - Red Blends
      • - Rosé
      • - Riesling
      • - Sauvignon Blanc
      • - Spanish Wines
      • - Sparkling Wine
      • - Syrah
      • - Thanksgiving Wines
      • - Trader Joe's Wine
      • - Vegan Wines
      • - Zinfandel
      • And Many More Best of Lists

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

    Copyright © 2011–2023 · Reverse Wine Snob, LLC. | Privacy, Editorial & Advertising Policy