One of my top wine tips is to look for the reserve wines from the big producers.  Many of the big producers make solid high volume wines, but their real pride and joy is their reserve and single vineyard wines.  Case in point is the Belle Terre Vineyard Chardonnay from Chateau St. Jean, known as the king of Sonoma.  Famous for their Cinq Cepages Cabernet, they also produce some great single vineyard Chardonnays every year.

Robert Parker gave this one 93 points and I’ll stand firmly behind him on that rating.  The Belle Terre Vineyard Chardonnay pours a straw colored gold and has great aromas of smoke, oak and sweet honey.  Speaking of honey, it has a great honey-butter mouthfeel that’s both flashy and refined at the same time.  It finishes with a crisp, lingering fruit that rounds out a fantastic package.

There are some great Chardonnay values in the $18-25 right now and, on the lower end of this scale at under $20, this is high end wine at a mid range price.  This will last a few years, so stock up for special occasions!

Robert Parker 93 points

“The 2007 Chardonnay Belle Terre Vineyard was put through full malolactic fermentation, making it the most showy, flamboyant wine of this quartet. It also possesses impressive minerality as well as attractive notes of apricots, tropical fruits, mangoes, honeysuckle, and a subtle touch of hazelnuts. This delicious, medium to full-bodied 2007 should drink well for 2-4 years.

This winery produces some exceptional bargain-priced wines and consistently does an enviable job with Sauvignon Blanc, or as they call it, Fume Blanc. There has been a long legacy of top-notch Fume Blancs produced ever since veteran winemaker Richard Arrowood was fashioning the wines at Chateau St.-Jean in the 1970s. Chateau St. Jean produces four distinctive styles of Chardonnay. My favorites tend to vary with the vintage, and in 2007, the Belle Terre Vineyard came out on top.” (WA)

Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay- $19.95

We hosted brunch for some great friends yesterday, and since I’ve been on such a sparkling wine kick lately, I figured this was the perfect chance to review Gloria Ferrer’s other non-vintage offering- the Blanc de Noirs.  Made from 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, this wine pours with a hint of pink, though it isn’t as pink as a typical Rose sparkling wine.

The Pinot flavors shine through, with a slightly mineral nose, along with the typical clean citrus scents of Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines.  It has a fresh taste- a bit lighter than the Brut offering- but with nice round flavors infused by the Pinot Noir grapes.  Gloria Ferrer uses 5-7% cold soaked Pinot juice in this bottling and, besides adding the pinkish color, this comes through in a slightly bitter (in a good way) finish.

This is the perfect brunch wine because it’s light without being watery or weak and the tiny, plentiful bubbles wake up the taste buds (along with the rest of the senses) to get the day started off right.

I hate to sound like a broken record here, but LA Wine Company once again within a few pennies of the lowest price in the country at $12.95 for the full bottle and $6.99 for the 375ml.

Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wines- 87 points

“90% Pinot Noir; 10% Chardonnay. Over the last half decade, this lightly pink wine has been our choice among its price point peers and it has done well again this time out. It strikes us a bit lighter in style and depth while retaining its attractive blend of creamy and quietly fruity elements, and its foamy yet insistent mousse is well-fit to its fairly straightforward, cherry-infused flavors. It can serve well as either a stand-alone aperitif or as a companion to light finger foods.” (CG)

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs 375ml- LA Wine Company $6.99

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs 750 ml- LA Wine Company $12.95

Every great night begins with some great bubbly and last night was no exception.  After last weekend’s 2001 Gloria Ferrer ‘Royal Cuvee’, I decided to go for its less expensive label mate, the NV Brut.  For those new to sparkling wine, most top notch producers make vintage wine for aging and non vintage wine to be consumed within a year or two of release.  I have now tasted both versions from Gloria Ferrer and I can officially say this Gloria lady makes great, sophisticated sparkling wines that are possibly unmatched values.  Why would you ever buy grocery store Corbel when you can buy this for under $13?

The wine itself starts with nice citrus and apple on the nose but less toasty oak than the more expensive version.  This too is very dry with a light but not thin texture.  You certainly don’t get any of that Welch’s sweetness that comes through on many comparably priced California sparklers.  The finish is very nice- clean and tart. Textbook. (more…)