Cave de Lugny Les Charmes Chardonnay – Charmed

100% Chardonnay from Macon-Lugny, Burgundy, France.

SRP of $16 and available for as low as $12. Sample received courtesy Pasternak Wine Imports for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“The very old vines grown in the historic “les Charmes” vineyard give this lovely Chardonnay from southern Burgundy especially fine flavors and finesse. Fresh citrus aromas lead to a creamy palate and an elegant fruity finish. Perfect as an aperitif or with seafood, white meats or vegetarian dishes.

13.0% Alcohol”

We’ve covered many different brands of Chardonnay here at The Reverse Wine Snob starting with our Chardonnay Showdown series last year. Yet we’ve barely scratched the surface of styles available in this ever popular variety. Beyond the obvious differences in oak treatment, there are many more differences (sometimes subtle, sometimes not) based on soil types, temperature, altitude, etc. Included in this list are slight genetic differences within each variety, called clonal differences. Today’s wine is a good example of just this.

Les Charmes is 100% Chardonnay, but much of it comes from the Musk Chardonnay clone. This particular clone has developed aromas similar to the Muscat grape. It’s not something you hear discussed often, but these clonal differences are one of the wonderful reasons wines of the same variety can taste so different.

The 2010 Cave de Lugny Les Charmes Macon-Lugny Single Vineyard Chardonnay begins with fresh and fruity aromas of apricot and lemon along with some mineral undertones and a bit of spice. Tasting the wine reveals a creamy mouthfeel with more apricot and lemon flavors and a good bit of spice. According to the winemaker this wine has not seen any time in oak, but I would have guessed it had seen at least a little. On the finish grapefruit flavors come to the front and the nice spice component continues. The mineral notes also become a little more prominent.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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