Chardonnay 2006 - Five Rivers

$11.95 per bottle

This sensational wine has aromas of lemon-lime and lemon drop, followed by passion fruit, sweet jasmine, melon and some butter topped with licorice. The mouth feel is creamy, with a good acid backbone. There are also crisp flavors of citrus, grapefruit, melon and some orange notes along with vanilla and spice.

Chardonnay from the cool coastal growing regions in Monterey have a distinct personality that is easy to recognize. This vintage is exceptional. Five River's winemaking approach begins with a gentle pressing and a slow, cool fermentation to retain the fruit's subtleties. They emphasize the fruit by fermenting 60% in stainless, 40% in mostly French barrels, with 15% of the wine allowed to proceed through malolactic fermentation. Their chardonnay is aged in French and American oak with a mixture of toast levels for six months prior to bottling.