Provenance Chardonnay

   

The Provenance Chardonnay 2016 vintage is the first Chardonnay that I have ever enjoyed. My mother's wine of choice is Chardonnay and I always found it to be too dry and oaky. This bottle comes from Carneros near Sonoma, California. The alcohol content is 14.5% ABV and the price was $30. As a Chardonnay, it is predominantly made from Chardonnay grapes.

According to wine.com, this wine boasts notes of lemon curd and white peach, with some oaky flavor. Other reviews describe it as a medium-bodied white with pineapple, honeydew, and guava notes. According to page 96 of Wine Folly, Chardonnays usually exhibit flavors and aromas of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter. Most Chardonnays I have had before only feature the last two flavors and remind me of whiskey (not a bad thing, just not what I am looking for when I drink wine).

 

I am not normally a fan of white wines, especially Chardonnay. I find it to be too dry. However, this was a very enjoyable wine for me. Out of four I tasted in one night (two Chiantis and two Chardonnays) this was my favorite. It had a medium yellow color and a light-to-medium body, leaning medium. I found it to be pretty sweet for a Chardonnay, with notes of peach and pineapple that surprised me. It had a very aromatic bouquet, and I also noticed the subtle scent and flavor of citrus, like an orange. It was not quite what I would call dry, more "off-dry." And it was only when I swallowed that I noticed the nuanced taste of toasted oak.

This is a wine that I would serve on a date. It did not need any food beside it, which is good because we did not have any. Still, I feel it would pair fairly well with seafood although the flavor profile may conflict with most dishes.