Wine Tastings - Reviews and Observations on Everyday Wines: Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay 2003

Here it is Saturday already! Time flies. I’m having a tough time lately keeping my writing up-to-date with the wine I’m having. Oh, well. No reason to stress about it I guess. I mean, if writing this was stressful, what would be the point? A blog should be a labor of love, right?

I think I mentioned recently that I’m enjoying more white wines recently. With as hot as it is here in central TX, it’s nice to be sipping something cooler. How anyone lived here before the invention of air conditioning, I’ll never know. They were hearty souls indeed.

I’m really enjoying the Chardonnay from Cambria I got. In fact, I got a couple of them – lured by the store’s apparent sale price. The Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay from Cambria is one of three Chardonnays they produce. Both of the other two, at least based on higher list price, are deemed more exclusive offerings. Judging by the fact that I didn’t find either of those other two in the store, their $25 price point (rather than the list price of $16 for this wine) either makes them unattractive for the big grocer I bought this from to stock it, or production is simply limited. The web site does not give those numbers.

The tasting notes at the winery’s web site give lots of interesting information. Personally, I did not really pick up on the “floral” nose mentioned by those notes, although perhaps my recent experience with Viognior doesn’t allow my nose to pick up on the floral notes of this Chardonnay. I did, however, note the pineapple in the taste – especially once the wine got to an appropriate temperature. Lots of toasty, buttery oak in this one as well. All in all, I’m likin’ it and likely to get another if it’s still on sale.

Price: About $13 (Austin – HEB).
Overall: buttery, toasty California Chardonnay with hints of pineapple fruit.