Santa Lucia Highlands tagged posts

A Top Notch Chardonnay Under $9 – Hahn Estates 2010

April 23, 2012 Daily Drinkers  No comments

This is another one of those instances where I ask myself "how do they make this wine for $9?"  It really is shocking.  But Hahn Estates keeps cranking out values as fast as I can try them.  If you are looking for great wine values, particularly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, look at the the Central Coast, which covers the area between LA and San Francisco.

Hahn's 2010 Chardonnay comes entirely from the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation in Monterey County, which is a sweet spot for this varietal.  For a wine that's priced like a generic "California" or "Central Coast" Chardonnay, you are getting an appellation labeled wine, aged in 100% oak (18% new).  In other words, a BMW for Hyundai prices (although Hyundais are pretty nice these days).

Tropical fruit notes combine with a rich

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More Proof Syrah Rules: Novy Santa Lucia Highlands 2009

March 4, 2012 Cellar Worthy, Daily Drinkers, High End Values  No comments

If you aren't drinking California and Washington Syrah yet, you're missing out on perhaps the best value in domestic red wine.  The French made it popular hundreds of years ago and the Aussies more recently, but for some reason it just hasn't blown up here... yet.  There are some indications that it's heading that way, so savvy consumers better hurry and stock up before it goes the way of the Pinot.

The Central Coast is a hot spot, or rather cool spot for California Syrah, producing polished, mineral influenced wines with plenty of backbone.  Novy Family Wines produces a number of single vineyard designated wines, but Antonio Galloni of The Wine Advocate describes their Santa Lucia Highlands bottling as "equal of most, if not all, the vineyard designates", but at a lower price.  He

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Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay 2008- Extreme value at $11.95

November 9, 2010 Daily Drinkers  No comments

Call it daily drinker week on Nickel and Dime Wine.  First it was yesterday's $9 Malbec and today we have a fantastic Chardonnay for $12.  With hundreds of California Chardonnays in the $10-15 price range, how do you choose a good one?  Well this is a good place to start (duh).  Seriously, if you're going to a dinner party or just in the store looking for a good bottle of California Chardonnay without spending a ton, here are 3 simple rules that should help you come out with a winner.

1. Look for these appellation designations on the label: Santa Barbara County (Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley), Sonoma (Russian River Valley), Monterey (Santa Lucia Highlands) and Carneros.  Those are the best places to grow Chardonnay grapes in this great, bankrupt

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2008 Talbott Logan Chardonnay – WA92 for $16

November 1, 2010 Daily Drinkers, High End Values  2 comments

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey county produces some of the country's best Chardonnay due to its cool temperatures and long growing season.  Talbott combined those elements in perfect harmony to make their 2008 Chardonnay from a selection of their large Sleepy Hollow Vineyard.  Ironically, the more expensive "Sleepy Hollow Vineyard" designated Chardonnay from Talbott was rated one point lower, making this an even better value for those who like a modern, oaky style of Chardonnay, without being over-the-top.

This wine is creamy on the palate with a band of acid cutting through on the finish.  The 16-35 year old vines, from which this wine was created, make for rich, deeply concentrated flavors as well as a reasonably high 15.1% alcohol level that is seamlessly integrated.  The

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