Wine Review: Chamard Vineyards Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2007

Chamard Vineyards Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2007

By Codey Foster

Sometimes at work I get patronized for so animatedly supporting the Connecticut wine industry. And some of this critisizm is justified and understandable. As a state, we sure do produce more than our fair share of ordinary white hybrid blends (generally carrying a proprietary name referencing some romantic/scenic image located, or that used to be located on the vineyard property). And I hate to stereotype but sometimes stereotypes ring true in real life situations and this might be one of those situations. I’m not going to delve too deeply into my feelings on local wine, as I have before--but as wine people, I think it’s an important thing for us to be thinking about. Of course, I understand it’s a little easier to be thinking about local Chardonnay when you live in the Cote de Beaune rather than the Cote de Fairfield—but that’s a whole other conversation all together.

In any case, what I’m really getting at is that there are some select gems produced in and around Connecticut and the Chamard Estate Chardonnay is, for me, the first one that comes to mind.

For this particular bottling, I’m pretty sure they age 60% in new and used French oak barrels, with the final 40% being finished in stainless steel. I’m also fairly certain they use a touch of malolactic fermentation although I’m having trouble finding the exact details online. And while this bottling I generally explain as falling somewhere between New and Old World in style—they also make a second Chardonnay that isn’t available at the moment, but uses the exact inverse winemaking—that’s 40% French oak and 60% stainless. This more Old World version is the finest Connecticut wine I have ever tasted, and is a sure ringer for fine white Burgundy. Although, as I’ve found out in the past couple of years—all great wines eventually disappear and we can only hope that Chamard will decide to produce this elegant blend again (as I’m sure they are capable of). But back to the 2007 Estate Reserve Chardonnay.

On the nose the 2007 Estate Reserve brings fourth an ample balance of tree fruit, mineral, and subtle-sided oak that is neither overwhelming to the wine’s primary flavors, nor cloying in a buttery overoaked/over-malo’ed kind of way. Clean Chardonnay meets a pleasant oak framework—a combination spawned from soils appropriately mid-way between Burgundy and the California Coast.

On the palate it is surprisingly full bodied and robust. Although its mineral and fruit is more Cote de Beaune—its structure is more Maconais in style. Its French oak treatment is, once again, evident but not overdone.

Thanks to its ‘somewhere inbetween style’, when it comes to the dinner table (or picnic blanket), this Chamard Chard will be versatile and food friendly. Because of its acidity it will meet fish/shellfish with ease but as a result of its richness will also be able to stand up to more hearty dishes and cream sauces.

Pick it up from us for $19.99