Chardonnay wines, with flavors ranging from crisp and lemony to full-bodied, buttery and rich, are quickly becoming America`s sweetheart white wine.
In California alone, the harvest of chardonnay grapes has increased from 3,000 to 27,000 acres in just over 10 years. And chardonnay vineyards have exploded in states as geographically diverse as Oregon, Michigan and Maryland as winemakers explore the climatic limits of the world`s most respected white wine grape.
George Schaefer, co-owner of Schaefer`s Wines & Liquors, in Skokie, touts chardonnay as the No. 1 good, dry white wine in popularity and sales. People enjoy the dry, crisp and flavorful style of the wine, he said.
”It`s considered the dry white wine in the wine world.”
There is a chardonnay for every wallet and in a stunning range of styles. While the overall quality has improved annually in all price ranges, the low to middle price ranges have experienced a tremendous growth and a real quantum leap in quality.
A new breed of these homegrown, varietally named wines has emerged in the last three years and literally has turned the market arotoe.
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With continued planting there should be enough chardonnay grapes available to keep prices down and supply old and new chardonnay drinkers alike.
With 150 different chardonnays available in the Chicago area, the time seemed right to hold a shootout to narrow the field to the best.
The Tribune`s Chardonnay Shootout proved the point that the day of the moderately priced chardonnay has arrived: Of the chardonnays vying for a winning spot, 90 were in the moderate price range.
On with the tasting:
The progression of bottles departing the cavernous cellars of the Lincoln Park restaurant Four Farthings seemed endless. Disguised in brown paper bags, some 150 bottles of American chardonnays met their judges, and in a few cases their makers.
For the 18 judges gathered, including three chardonnaymakers imported from California, the shootout was a real challenge. In one afternoon they evaluated a record amount of wines. To ease the burden of judging that many wines and to make the shootout more competitive:
— Wines were grouped into three price categories: under $7; $7 to $13 and above $13.
— Judges were divided into three panels of six, with a winemaker heading each caucus.
— Each panel worked exclusively with one price category, resulting in lively discussions and sometimes outright lobbying for a particular wine.
The judges` first mission was to eliminate the ordinary wines from the extrordinary. The second round eliminated more wines.
The remaining chardonnays, which won either bronze, silver or gold medals, included some of the best known and relatively unknown wines from the Golden State. Although several entries were from other states, California dominated the competition.
In fact, all 27 medal winners hailed from California`s 27,000 acres of chardonnay grapes. Fifteen medal winners were from California`s wine heartland, Napa and Sonoma Counties.
Which chardonnays survived the shootout?
In the under $7 category, an unknown triumphed.
Napa Ridge 1984 is a new label produced by one of California`s oldest winery, Beringer Vineyards, which plans to introduce several varieties of wines under $7. Napa Ridge is a blend of grapes from several California wine regions.
Judge Joseph Glunz, vice president of Louis Glunz Inc., a wine and spirits wholesaler, found Napa Ridge to have a ”clean, fruity nose, good solid fruit, excellent balance and nice acidity.”
John Hart, of the Chicago Wine Co., also awarded the Napa Ridge a gold medal vote and endorsed the entire category with a hearty thumbs up:
”Three years ago, these wines were not nearly as good. There has been a vast improvement in this price category.”
By far the largest category, with 90 wines entered, was moderately priced wines ranging from $7-$13. The panel, headed by Napa winemaker Tom Burgess, shrugged off offers of help and indefatigably whittled the wines to 25 contenders. In all, 17 medals, including 5 golds, were awarded.
The gold medal winners: 1984 Calera Santa Barbara County, 1985 Morgon Monterey County, 1984 Saintsbury Carneros, 1983 Shafer Napa Valley and 1984 Silverado Napa Valley.
All five are near the top of the price range. Styles range from the toasty, buttery character of Shafer and Silverado to the crisper, fruity essence found in the Saintsbury.
The Calera and Morgon fall in between, both striking judge Robin Ross, manager of Chestnut Street Grill, as ”real food chardonnays, not a wine that will overwhelm but a wine to stand equal to the food.”
The last category, wines priced above $13, was an equally tough category to judge.
”You always eliminate the obviously flawed and gravitate toward the standouts,” said winemaker David Stare, of Dry Creek Vineyards. ”But, particularly in this price category, a lot of great wines go unrewarded.”
Panel member Barbara Herman, of the Gold Standard Chalet liquor store chain, had a different opinion:
”These wines, for their price tags, `underimpressed` me. The quality was good, but basically they were undistinguished and not very interesting.”
The gold medal winner comes from one of California`s best known name, Robert Mondavi. His Mondavi Reserve 1983 Chardonnay was awarded a gold medal, much to the panel`s dismay.
”I guess no one wants to see the big guys always come out on top,”
Stare said.
Regardless, the Mondavi wine displayed what Tom LaChine, of Sam`s Wine Warehouse, described as medium gold color. Lemon is the nose, and the wine has full flavors with some oak and a rich, earthy taste, he said.
CHARDONNAY WINNERS LESS THAN $7+
Gold medal
1984 Napa Ridge California, $6.
Silver medal
1985 R.H. Phillips California, $6.
1984 Parducci Mendocino, $7.
Bronze medal
1985 Fetzer Sundial Mendocino, $6.
CHARDONNAY WINNERS $7 TO $13+
Gold medal
1984 Calera Santa Barbara, $12.
1985 Morgon Monterey, $13.
1984 Saintsbury Carneros, $12.
1983 Shafer Napa, $12.
1984 Silverado Napa, $11.
Silver medal
1983 Chateau Julien Sonoma, $11.
1984 Liberty School California, $10.
1984 Raymond California, $8.
1984 Raymond Napa, $11.
1983 Simi Mendocino, $11.
1983 Stonegate Napa, $10.
Bronze medal
1984 Charles F. Shaw Napa, $13.
1984 Edna Valley, Edna Valley, $13.
1984 Keenan Napa, $10.
1983 Monticello Napa, $11.
1984 Pine Ridge Jelinesse, $10.
1983 Wente Bros. California, $8.
CHARDONNAY WINNERS OVER $13+
Gold medal
1983 Robert Mondavi Reserve Napa, $23.
Silver medal
1983 Joseph Phelps Sangiacomo Carneros, $14.
1984 St. Andrews Napa, $15.
Bronze medal
1984 Z-D California, $16
Honorable mention
1983 Hagafen Winery Lake Carneros, $14.
1983 Robert Mondavi Napa, $15.
+Prices are approximate.
DUELING PALATES: SHOOTOUT JUDGES
Following are the experts who judged The Tribune`s Chardonnay Shoot-out.
Tom Burgess, owner/winemaker, Burgess Cellars, Napa Valley, California.
Craig Camp, wine salesman, Direct Wine Import, Des Plaines.
Michael Corso, regional manager, World Shippers & Importers, Philadelphia.
Norman DeLeuze, owner/winemaker, Z-D Winery, Napa Valley, California.
Joe Glunz, vice president, Louis Glunz Inc.
Carol Haddix, Food Guide editor, The Chicago Tribune.
John Hart, partner, Chicago Wine Company.
Barbara Herman, wine buyer, Gold Standard Chalet stores, Chicago and suburbs.
Steve Hirsch, wine sales, Heritage Wine Cellars, Niles.
John Hoffman, regional manager, Winery Associates, Sonoma, Calif.
Tom Keim, wine buyer, Sandburg Market.
Tom LaChine, wine specialist, Sam`s Wine Warehouse.
Michael Metcalf, wine buyer, Four Farthings and Gleesons.
Jamie Pellar, import director, Chicago Brands Ltd.
Robin Ross, manager, Chestnut Street Grill.
Tary Salinger, marketing director, Monticello Cellars, Napa, Calif.
David Stare, owner/winemaker, Dry Creek Vineyards, Sonoma, Calif.
Curt Wierbicki, general manager, Greenfield Restaurant Corp.
