chardonnay
2023 Wood Family Chardonnay – A Great Vintage!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Rhonda Wood has been producing awarded Chardonnay for at least 7 years in a row and before. I personally have enjoyed this wine extensively for the same amount of time. It has also won my Best Wines tasted during the year for the same amount of time. Over the last 7 years, as a testimony to her quality of Chardonnay, I have purchased 8-14 cases a year. What I also find interesting, while a thread of flavors are evident year to year, the nuances of the wine do change with the “terroir” of the year.
When one is consistent in a sport they are called All Star, consistent in horse racing they are known as a thoroughbred, consistent in car racing they are called a champion, etc. All those accolades and more are indeed worthy of Rhonda’s Chardonnay and several of her other wines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have called in the past Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay the “Utility Player of Wines” as it goes so well with so many dishes. In reviewing stories, I have written about this Chardonnay food pairings dishes have included: Asian chicken wraps, swordfish, seared Ahi tuna, baked stuff chicken, stir fried chicken with Bok Choy, baked butterflied chicken with Swiss cheese, blackened Mahi Mahi, Tempura chicken with noodles, shrimp Pad Thai, Firecracker chicken, seared scallops and many more dishes.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes a bright and deep golden color. Swirling the wine in the glass, you immediately see the thick and rich texture of this creamy wine. On the nose when cold, a slight lime note wafted in the senses, but as it warmed up, green apple and a tinge of green tea were present. On the palate most notable was the weightiness of the wine in the mouth. Honeydew melon was the dominant flavor with both buttery brioche dough and soft lemon zest and almond coming to the party. Also, on the finish a fresh star fruit quality was present. This year the butter scotch finish was not as pronounced, yet the wine encapsulated the mouth with a spring freshness.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2023 comes from two vineyards with 70% being Wisner and 30% being from Kalthoff Common area. These two are on opposite sides of Livermore. Barrel treatment was 100% French oak with 32.5% being new, 30% being once used and the balance being neutral. The wine was aged 9 months, and 900 cases were produced. The lees were stirred once every two weeks for five months. It sells for $36/bottle and comes in just slightly higher alcohol than 2022 at 14.6%.
The 2022 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A bit of a gamble this evening, pairing the wine with chicken stir fry with Udon noodles. Ingredients included broccoli and topped with slices of green onions. I was a bit concerned that the Udon spicy sauce would be too much for the Chardonnay. The Wood Chardonnay was a perfect match for the food. The honeydew melon, along with the lemon zest and brioche in the wine was both simpatico and a little polarizing, to make each bite delightful. Just added one more dish to the mix for this lovely Wood Family Chardonnay!
The Winery
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Rombauer Wine Dinner at Verona18 – With a Few Nice Surprises!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
It had been almost twenty years since I had a full tasting experience of Rombauer wines, so when and our local clubhouse restaurant, Verona18 and Rombauer held this event thought it was about time. Rachael Akerley from Rombauer in Plymouth conducted the wine portion of the event for about fifty attendees.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Chef Jaime Alderete prepared the exquisite dinner for the evening. The evening started off with a Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with herb oil as a shooter. This was the first surprise being paired with a 2024 Rombauer Sauvignon Blanc. Conventional thinking is that “tomato-based foods” usually trend toward high acid lighter red wines. The shooter was heavenly sent and the pairing with the wine was strikingly delightful. It generally got the best reviews for the evening for a wine and wine/food pairing from the crowd!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up a Sicilian-style Tuna Carpaccio with a garlicky herb dressing. Again the food was top notch and Rombauer 2023 Chardonnay, perhaps not to my likely, is still the number one selling Chardonnay in the USA and the number one Chardonnay for restaurants in the USA. The food and wine pairing was good but I kept thinking the Sauvignon Blanc would have tasted even better with the food.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up, and another surprise, was the Squash Ravioli of sage brown butter sauce, diced squash and tomato. The surprise was the taste of this light and tasty ravioli with a little sweetness. This was paired with their 2023 Pinot Noir from Santa Lucia Highlands from the Central Coast of California. The pairing with the Pinot Noir again for me did not seem to have enough weight to pair with the Pinot Noir. By the way for all the pairings, whether good or great, there wasn’t any wine left in the glasses!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Before the main entrée was served, an intermezzo refreshment with Prosecco and lime/orange sherbert as both a palate cleaner as well as to stimulate the appetite.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The main entrée was served up and a unique Surf & Turf of filet mignon, sauteed shrimp & lobster, with browned white wine and shallot cream sauce. The sauce was tasty and perfectly suited for both seafood and beef. This was another surprise of the sauce being well suited for both on the same plate. The beef was served medium rare and very tender.
The wine being paired was the Rombauer 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon with pronounced cherry, oak and medium tannins. This was a solid pairing with the filet, but the lobster and shrimp were left out in the cold with the Cabernet Sauvignon not making it a good pairing. Not to sound like a broken record but believe having two glasses to taste with the entrée would have been spot on with the Cabernet Sauvignon caressing the filet and Sauvignon Blanc with its citrus and passion fruit notes complementing the lobster and shrimp. Accompanied by fresh string beans and potatoes.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Last up was another surprise of Poached Pear with Gorgonzola dolci, tuile, chocolate mousse. This was paired with two Rombauer wines: 2022 Zinfandel and 2022 Zinfandel, Twin Rivers from El Dorado. Both wines were good with dessert and lots of discussion on which of the two wines went best with the desserts.
Video ©Michael Kelly
The crowd was very appreciative of Rombauer and Verona18 hosting the event and Jaime preparing such a wonderful meal to be enjoyed.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Picture of Rachael Akerley of Rombauer who conducted the tasting.
and
And Executive Chef Jaime Aderete who prepared each wonderful and delicious dishes for the evening.
A couple of us the following afternoon drove to Plymouth to a tasting with Rachael. We were treated to several reserve, older vintages and special wines which were all scrumptous. Here are just a few:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
and
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Would encourage everyone who has only tasted their regular lineup and have an opinion on Rombauer to try their “higher end” lineup for a comparison. You will be surprised!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Maritana Vineyards Chardonnay “La Rivière” From Sonoma County
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
I normally write a story with a food pairing but last weekend when the weather was pleasantly warm and comfortable we sat out on the patio in the early evening and enjoyed this spectacular wine sans a meal. While often using the quote by Andre Simon speaking about wine and food pairings that “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” this wine was perfect by itself.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine 2019 Maritana Chardonnay “La Rivière” – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The specific goals for all his wines are to have beautiful floral aromas, stabilized and permanent bright coloring to the eye. Lofty and elegant goals to be sure but he is implementing creative and imaginative techniques to achieve his desired outcome. He definitely hit his mark with this Chardonnay. I knew from previous tastings this wine was going to be outstanding. “La Rivière” means “the River” referring to Russian River AVA where the vineyards are located.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes, the clarity and brightness were ethereal straw, golden yellow and a heavy viscosity (not normally found in Chardonnay). On the nose, predominate aromas of almonds and pears. On the palate is where this wine is exceptional with its heavy and full mouth-filling essence with light lemon and fresh brioche. A slightly sweet finish with flavors of caramel, counterbalanced with a modicum of minerality. What the net effect provides is an elegant layered and creamy Chardonnay. This spectrum of quality is generally found in wines costing closer to $100 and up. The current price is $42/bottle and was rated by James Suckling at 96 points. The grapes were hand harvested, hand sorted using 95% used and 5% new barrels. It went through 100% secondary malolactic fermentation and is 13.5% alcohol level.
The Winery
I originally interviewed Donald Patz in his living room back in 2018. He was just starting out his venture with Maritana Vineyards, a project for developing and producing the highest quality of grapes for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here Donald is implementing his strategy to develop a more balanced and “elegant and perfumed version to show through” with choices of grapes with selected aged barrels. On his Pinot Noir, he has secured three vineyards in the Russian River AVA. For this varietal he is using approximately 60% new oak barrels. The wines for Maritana Vineyards will be his Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2017, “Le Russe”; the Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “La Rivière”; Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Hansen Hill Vineyard” and his Russian River Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Shop Block 1967”. The last using vines planted in 1967 and using 50-year-old vines in his Chardonnay production!
Fast forward some seven years and today with four decades of experience and intricate knowledge of the vineyards, he has three specific labels. They are:
MARITANA VINEYARDS – Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
SECRET DOOR WINERY – Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
TERMINIM – Mendocino County Marsanne/Roussanne and Syrah
Recently all his wines received scores in mid-90’s (seven with 95 points), which shows his dedication and artisan effort with his craft.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
A Wonderful Birthday Dinner
Stayed home this evening for some of my favorite foods and wines. A bit of difficult choice as I enjoy many foods and wines. Did settle for the following items.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with an assortment of sashimi from Shiro Ninja restaurant in Angels Camp. A combination of Maguro (tuna), Hamachi (yellowfin) and Sake (salmon). Served with wasabi and ginger. This is only the third time enjoying the fish from Shiro Ninja and very happy with the freshness of their offering.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The food and wine pairing were excellent with the richness, delicate flavors and texture of the fish, complimented by the mouth feel and voluptuous wine. Did need to reduce the amount of soy sauce and wasabi for each bite so as not to overwhelm the sashimi.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2014 Peter Michael La Carrière Chardonnay is a wine that can be aged like many top shelf French Chardonnays. The deep and rich golden color was striking along with its minerality (La Carrière translated mean the quarry), almond, jasmine, lemon and pear notes. The intense creaminess was the hallmark of this wine coupled with a heavy viscosity. The finish provided jasmine and pear with a touch of butterscotch. Robert Parker gave this wine 96 points. Currently online it is running between $100 to $130/bottle. It should be noted that this is one of the few American Chardonnays that is age worthy. I generally drink them 8-11 years after the vintage date. Peter Michael in their notes today states the 2014 can easily go another 10 years!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
For the first dessert was a homemade pineapple upside down cake baked by Susan Kelly. This is one of my three favorite cakes the others being NY style cheesecake and German chocolate cake.
After a few other phone calls, video calls and emails, we sat down to watch a very intriguing movie on NETFLIX’s called Now You See Me. A mystery and suspense movie with a great ending!
As we watched the movie we enjoyed the second dessert, a 2013 Outpost Wines True Vineyard Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes a deep purple, almost black color like none other with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose a bouquet of floral aromas wafted into the senses. Once on the palate, blueberries and blackberries were the dominant flavors with a slight sweet vanilla tobacco hiding. The finish was invigorating with what felt like fireworks bursting with flavors on all corners of the palate. It was the quintessential throwback to Napa Valley historical roots of what a Cabernet Sauvignon should taste like. Robert Parker stated “the finish was close to a minute” long. It seemed longer and small sips were taken to savor the experience. It was rated 99 points and current pricing ranges from $189 to $249/bottle and up.
And that is how my simple and enjoyable “58th birthday” concluded.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2021 Iron Hub Winery Chardonnay – A Great Wine and Perfect Match for Blackened Ahi
The Winery
Photo of Spencer, Beth and Tom (L to R) from Iron Hub Winery website
The winery was founded by Tom Jones from Lava Cap Winery fame in the Apple Hill area near Placerville. Tom completed his master’s degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis, and for almost 30 years developed award-winning wines. Tom and his wife Beth’s new endeavor began in 2014 with the purchase of the 33-acre property that had been known as Amador Foothill Winery. Having control of the grapes from vineyard to bottle was key in his quest for quality control with 17 acres planted in vines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly with view of snowcapped Sierra’s in background
The name of the winery came from Tom’s mountain sojourns in the area. On an adventure he discovered an antique, hand-forged wagon wheel hub in a remote area. Thus, this small winery on Steiner Road drew a parallel with his goal of making small lot artisan wines like the craftsmanship of the “iron hub” he found on a walk. The beautiful new tasting room was opened in December 2017.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Spencer, their son, following in his father’s footsteps by also graduating from UC Davis with a master’s degree from the Department of Viticulture and Enology, is the winery’s Assistant winemaker. Today, they form a dynamic father-son winemaking team. Tom and Spencer enjoy and demand a hands-on approach to every aspect of the winemaking process, from tending the grapes in the estate vineyards to carefully crafting both red and white wines. They recently added 10 acres managing the Spanish Creek site they are leasing. Having now 27 acres of “estate property” to manage is keeping them very busy. Tom has stated that “Our estate affords me creative control from the vine to the bottle”.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Chardonnay typically does not do well in the warmer climate of Amador County and when first was offered it I was taken back. It was explained that the vineyard for this wine is in Amador County but located at a much higher elevation called Spanish Creek vineyard in the Sierras at an elevation of 2700 feet. The cooler climate is ideal for producing exquisite Chardonnay grapes.
The small lot 2021 Chardonnay on the eyes was a golden straw color with medium viscosity. The first aroma on the nose was like a lightning strike! Fruits of green apple and pear shouted out their presence in the glass. Secondary flavor of dry apricots was also present. From the first sip a creamy textural wine with previously mentioned fruits came together like a well-orchestrated symphony. Added to the mix was vanilla which was just slightly present on the nose and became infused in the glass with gentle oak overtones. The finish was long, poised and glamorous like a family portrait with a hint of brioche. It sells for $34 a bottle and for my money an excellent price for such high-quality wine. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol.
Aged in 34% new French oak barrels and the remainder being neutral French oak. Held in the barrels for 12 months and went through 100% malolactic fermentation. Immediately, this wine made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted in 2025 (list out mid-December). This will make three years running their Chardonnay has made the annual list.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
If you want more oak in your Chardonnay, on a recent visit to Iron Hub Winery, we saw something new on their menu and asked if we could taste their Proprietary Reserve Chardonnay ($48) which I did not know they made. An excellent wine being 16 months in new small French oak barrels, 11 months in bottle. While excellent, for my taste buds it was a bit “too oaky” but still delicious.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
My wife picked up a fresh ahi steak loin yesterday and last night made a blackened ahi. Placed on the skillet with Canola oil on high heat in cooking white wine. Prepared in advance a blackening seasoning with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne pepper, Himalayan Sea salt and black pepper. Two minutes a side with the seasoning on it and plated with a mixture of cut pineapples, cut Mandarin oranges and green onions. Topped with both black and white sesame seeds and served very rare. The wine welcomed the spiciness of the fish and provided a great counterbalance of cooling refreshment to the fish spices. An extraordinary meal and exquisite wine!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Test Results of 1” Square REUSACUBE for Keeping Wine Cool
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I recently did a story on REUSACUBE new 1” square re-usable cubes filled with distilled water just being released. This now gives them two products: their 2” square cube and now their 1” cubes. You can read the previous article at:
I had not done the testing as I had done with the 2” cubes for the 1” cubes but now have the results.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I took three identical Sauvignon Blanc wine glasses from Riedel and poured equal amounts into each of them. The consensus by wine aficionados is that Sauvignon Blanc wine should be served between 45-50 degrees. This Sauvignon Blanc pulled from the cellar was 56.5 degrees. Once the test was set up the wine in the glass had increased to 57.4 degrees in all three glasses. Many approaches could be taken, and I measured the wine from the cellar and its temperature after setting up the experiment. I used a temperature gauge that calibrated the temperatures to one decimal. Using one glass as the baseline and one glass with the 1” REUSACUBE with two cubes and one with 3 cubes . The house temperature was 75 degrees, and the outside temperature was 82 degrees on the day of testing. Here are the results being measured every 10 minutes:
Observations and Conclusions
*The REUSACUBE did in fact keep the wine cold and cooled it down from the stored temperature with 3 cubes doing a quicker job.
*The wine glasses used did allow a partial submerging of the CUBE. This created a reduced ratio of REUSACUBE to liquid, yet still chilled the wine.
*I was surprised how fast the wine warmed up in a standalone position without the CUBE, meaning no person was holding either the stem or the bowl of the glass! Nor was any wine consumed in the glass. With the wine being consumed the temperature would be cooler (cube to liquid ratio).
*With this being a stagnant test setup, a live one being a certain amount of the wine would be consumed. This, however, would introduce too many variables on time depending on how everyone drank their wine. For someone consuming it quicker, the temperature test may vary.
*The 2” cubes and the temperature changes are recorded in the previous story focused on a Chardonnay glass with a larger opening.
*Usually when taking a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc out of the cellar, it is chilled in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to get it to the right serving temperature. Both the 2 cubes and 3 cubes result showed a temperature swing of +.7 degrees and -.6 respectively. Both did extremely well at 75 ambient temperature. If this was held outside, then the 3 cubes scores would have presented a more stable temperature.
*Once the experiment was concluded very little of the distilled water was still frozen. So if having another glass of Sauvignon Blanc with 1” cubes, you would need to have additional cubes at the ready. This was not the case for the 2” cubes with plenty of ice still left in the cube. However, the 2” cubes will not fit in a typical Sauvignon Blanc glass.
*For those living in warmer temperature zones than California for example, Arizona, Texas, Florida, having the REUSACUBE in a YETI or similar product would keep wine cool for a long time.
My personal perspective is that for most people this is a summertime necessity and as my wife mentioned a “game changer” for white wine on the patio be it Chardonnay (2” cubes) or Sauvignon Blanc (1” cubes).
Sláinte,
Michael
2018 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay
Photo from Duckhorn Vineyards
The Winery
Usually, I don’t write about large wineries or wine corporations but pulled this bottle out of the cellar and was very impressed by it. Duckhorn has long been a solid and personal favorite Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay wines.
Duckhorn, founded in 1976 by Margaret and Dan Duckhorn, has been an iconic fixture in Napa Valley for decades. Today it includes Decoy and Sonoma-Cutrer and another 9 winery labels/brands. Beverly Hills-based Butterfly Equity acquired the portfolio in an all-cash deal valued at $1.95 billion in 2024. Their wines are have always been noteworthy and have held a high standard for Napa Valley. Most notable is their Three Palms series which is personally one of my favorites.
The Duckhorn Portfolio, until recently was one of the few publicly traded wineries in California according to their news release. The acquisition will make Duckhorn a privately held company.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This 2018 Duckhorn Chardonnay from Napa Valley is 100% Chardonnay aged 10 months in 90% oak barrels with 40% being new and 10% in stainless steel. A somewhat unusual mixture but the end result was very good. Apparently, those in the know follow Duckhorn Napa Valley Chardonnay wine!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine on the eyes is a soft golden color that is crisp and radiant. Swirling in the glass a heavier than normal viscosity. On the nose, stone fruit and lime swell up in the senses begging to be sipped. Once on the palate, the stone fruit of peach and minerality are the dominant flavors with a modicum of lime. There is a richness and mouth filling lushness to this Chardonnay.
The wine is 14.1% alcohol and underwent 40% malolactic fermentation. It was listed at $38/bottle.
This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines Tasted for 2025, both for quality and value.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled the last bottle of this vintage from the cellar this evening to pair with a baked rubbed chicken breast. The rub consisted of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper and a pat of butter on each breast before baking. Accompanied by baked potato wedges using Russet potatoes and seasoned with olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese and topped with parsley.
A fantastic food pairing with the cool and refreshing fruit of this gorgeous wine.
While I had picked up a few bottles back a few years ago, I think I will now pick up some current vintages to keep in the cellar as this was a delicious wine for this upcoming summer for gatherings with friends!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Balverne Chardonnay – With Protected Land Being “Forever Wild”
The Winery
(Photo Balverne website)
Bob and Renee Stein purchased the 710-acre Russian River Valley estate that included a working vineyard in 1992. The Steins vision was to create a sustainable property which they developed by keeping 350 acres in a protected Forever Wild open space. This acreage weaved with the vineyards combines rugged wildland and wildlife with the manicured vineyards.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
They accomplished their ideal view and called it Notre Vue (our view). Who would not enjoy viewing this idyllic setting every day? Can you imagine yourself sitting here?
(Photo Balverne website)
The resulting effort is 250 acres of rolling vineyards and the “Forever Wild” protected space. This includes 17 miles of hiking and biking trails with picnic areas throughout. Horseback riding trails also exist. Their label shows a red shoulder Hawk which roams the area. Their motto is the reason they consider Forever Wild to be the heart of the Notre Vue Estate.
Their goal with their winemaker Alex Hoffman is focused on making wine in a European style with finesse and low intervention. Their current offerings with the Balverne label include Zinfandel, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, a few different Chardonnay’s, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Under their Notre Vue label, they have various Rosés, Chardonnay’s, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a few red blends.
The Wine – 2022 Balverne Chardonnay
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The wine is a lighter straw golden color with medium viscosity on the eyes. On the nose fuji apple and light butterscotch aromas welcome the imbiber. On the palate, soft lemon custard and a unique marshmallow cream swirl about in the mouth. Secondary flavors of honeydew melon are also present. On the finish, an abrupt short finish but with a tinge of aforementioned lemon custard citrus leaving one with complete enjoyment.
The wine is 100% Russian River Valley and aged 8 months in 100% French oak, with 20% being new barrels and having 14.2% alcohol. Only 245 cases were produced and is scheduled is being released right now!
Their current release is listed at $35/bottle and is the 2021 vintage. 252 cases of the 2021 were produced and won Double Gold at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
The Food and Wine Pairing
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Paired this evening with a stir-fried chicken with Udon noodles with some fresh vegetables. The seasoning included soy sauce, onion, tomato powder, black pepper and rosemary. Vegetables included purple onions, broccoli and snap peas. This was a complete dish by itself. The complementary flavors of the Chardonnay harmonized with the savory Udon noodles, vegetables and spices. A very nice food and wine pairing this evening.
Sláinte,
Michael
2023 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay & Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
First on the eyes a bright and deep golden color. Swirling the wine in the glass, you immediately see the thick and rich texture of this wine. On the nose when cold, a slight lime note wafted in the senses, but as it warmed up, green apple and a tinge of green tea was present. On the palate most notable was the weightiness of the wine in the mouth. Honeydew melon was the dominant flavor with both a buttery brioche dough and soft lemon zest and almond coming to the party. Also, on the finish a fresh star fruit quality was present. This year the wine encapsulated the mouth with a spring freshness.
The 2023 comes from two vineyards with 70% being Wisner and 30% being from Kalthoff Common area. These are on opposite sides of Livermore. Barrel treatment was 100% French oak with 32.5% being new, 30% being once used, and the balance being neutral. The wine was aged 9 months, and 900 cases were produced. The lees were stirred once every two weeks for five months. It was released in August 2024 at $36/bottle and comes in at 14.6% alcohol.
The 2022 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and fully expect the 2023 to do the same!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a new recipe for Mexican street corn chicken chili. It sounded like a great recipe with rain forecasted for this evening. As you can see from the picture in the nook, it turned out to be a clear and mild day. That did not dampen the taste of the food.
The recipe called for boneless chicken breasts, yellow onion, diced jalapeno, chicken bone broth, sour cream, shredded Monterey jack cheese, minced garlic, dried Oregano, chili powder, sweet yellow corn, chopped cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, cornstarch, cotija cheese, bacon crumbles, avocado, diced pancetta, olive oil and tortilla strips.
There were a few options on a wine selection but with the cheese and chicken ingredients selected the 2023 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay. It turned out to be perfectly matched food and wine pairing with the Chardonnay, bringing a refreshing and calming effect on the meal. Interestingly, the Chardonnay contrast accentuated some of the spiciness in the dish.
Sláinte,
Michael
2021 Smith-Madrone Vineyards Chardonnay
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This is the fourth vintage of Smith-Madrone Chardonnay I have had the opportunity to taste and all have been exquisite. WARNING: if you are a buttery or light Chardonnay wine lover, stop and don’t read this story. However, if you are looking for a bold, layered and scrumptious Chardonnay this is a must read.
This wine being dry farmed, has enough minerality to please a miner during the California Gold Rush! First upon opening the wine, a bouquet of springtime flowers immediately sprang forth almost overwhelming the senses. That typically does not happen! On the eyes, while possessing a light straw or golden coloring and medium body viscosity, something is “different”. Next on the nose, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas abounded. On the palate, minerality and fresh rain on granite stones come bursting to the forefront along with white stone fruits of nectarine and peach. The acidity was pronounced, pointed and clearly targeted for specific food pairings. The finish was crisp, lively and an is extremely dry and well-balanced Chardonnay. A tinge of lemon zest completed the tasting. This Chardonnay was a gem of a find.
The wine is from Spring Mountain, barrel fermented for 10 months in 50% new French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. Only 1,001 cases were produced, and it goes for $45/bottle. The wine was just released in January 2025. Again, this will make my annual list of Best Tasted Wines during the year 2025.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay was selected for this meal with its acidity and citrus notes. The dinner was a blackened Swordfish steak. I picked up the fish in the morning at Ohana Seafood in Modesto and looked up various recipes on spices to be used. Choose the ingredients of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, thyme cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper. Served with long and short grain rice and plated with pineapple slices. Topped off with minced pineapple salsa, with minced fresh oregano. Sprigs of Tyme were also added on the side. The light citrus and fruit worked wonderfully with the blackened Swordfish. One of the best food and wine pairings in recent memory.
Believe that this wine would be excellent with fresh oysters, seafood, light sauce chicken and sashimi or sushi.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Smith-Madrone Vineyards is located on 200 acres on top of Spring Mountain west of St. Helena with 38 acres planted in vineyards. The vineyard elevation ranges from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. The Chardonnay grapes come from an elevation of 1,900 to 2,000 feet on a 30% slope! The Founder, managing partner and enologist is Stuart Smith, Charles Smith is the winemaker. Truly a family affair! All the wines are grown and dry-farmed on top of the mountain. Annual production is between 3,000 to 4,000 cases a year. Currently they produce besides their Chardonnay other award-winning wines, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc). They are about to release their new Cabernet Franc wine shortly!
Stuart on the left and Charles on the right. Photo ©Michael Kelly
More can be found on their wines & viticulture techniques from a previous story at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/08/14/smith-madrone-vineyards-paradise-found/
Sláinte,
Michael
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