Landmark Vineyards Overlook 2012 Chardonnay

Landmark Vineyards Overlook 2012 Chardonnay, $13.59-$29.99, 88 points, poured a textured gold color.
Hints of citrus and hints of tropical fruit were the reticent aromas, both while cold and warm.
Flavors tagged along with the reticent nose, but typically Cali oaky caramel and vanilla flavors exhibited their usual, though slightly restrained characters.
Texturally, a rather smooth Chardonnay with fair to good acidity.
Finished fine on a remarkably well managed 14.7% alcohol, the trailing palate, and a touch of peach.
Paired perfectly with my BLT.

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National Chardonnay Day

Wednesday, May, 25th is National Chardonnay Day,

 and for once I'm going to get ahead of the soft-shoulder curve; inevitably, Vinogirl will do a post on one of the fourteen or so 'official' wine days,

 and I'll be belatedly shaking my head.

But it's not this Day!

In fact, I intend to buck my lack of enthusiasm for Chardonnay by celebrating this most widely recognized, manipulated, and quite possibly the most broadly grown grape in the world, and by concentrating on this quintessential white wine most of this week.
Chardonnay is the wine often demanded by some on every occasion throughout the year, and I wildly guess, that I get it!
Also, let us not forget that recently many just finished (some continue) celebrating the Judgment of Paris 40th anniversary.

To the wine (Chardonnay of course):

Beringer "Simply Sophisticated" 2014 Chardonnay, $4.00 at Market Basket Super markets, 85 points, poured a pale straw yellow color.
Smells of apple with hints of tomato juice and honeysuckle were just okay for me.
Barely medium-bodied with good acidity and flavors of the aromas, minus the tomato juice, were surprisingly good.
Finished fair on the trailing palate, a touch of lemon, and a sweet-spot 13.7% alcohol.
A straight-forward yeoman's everyday Chardonnay that will serve many well.
Paired fine with my spinach cheddar croissant.

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Château Les Pasquets Entre-Deux-Mers 2014 Bordeaux White Wine

Château Les Pasquets Entre-Deux-Mers 2014 Bordeaux White Wine, $8.49-$9.99, 86 points, appeared a light brass color trending water clear toward the glass wall.
A slightly sour lemon nose lead the way, with accents of orange peel, to a mediocre olfactory experience.
Light, crisp, stony, typically SB acidic, and flavors of lemon/lime, watermelon rind, and limestone minerality were fair to good.
Finished okay on a chalky trailing palate, a hint of grapefruit, and a modest 11.5% alcohol.
Varietals were 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon, and 10% Muscadelle.
Paired okay with my fried fish and chips.

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Masciarelli Colline Teatine 2015 Montepulciano Rosado IGT

Masciarelli Colline Teatine 2015 Montepulciano Rosado IGT, $9.34-$12.99, 88 points, poured a salmon orange grading lighter as the wine nears the clear glass bowl.
The nose was floral with excellent strawberry and red raspberry aromas.
Light, crisp, and contrary to what a friend advised, possessed excellent acidity, but she was right about the Montepulciano grape lacking Rosé gravitas.
Flavors reflective of the aromas with hints of watermelon and kiwi with a trailing white pepper were good.
Finished okay on the fading palate and a well-balanced 12.5% alcohol.

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Tenute Silvio Nardi 2010 Brunello Di Montalcino

Tenute Silvio Nardi 2010 Brunello Di Montalcino, $45.04-$52.99, 95 points, poured a deep mysterious Burgundy lace color with a broad crystalline wine ring.
Aromatic cedar, oak, roses, black cherry, and truffle were amazing.
Nearly full bodied with excellent acidity and firm, sweet, grainy tannins managed wonderful fruit flavors of black cherry, damson plum, and fig with orange pekoe tea and truffle notes.
Finished smooth and long on the trailing palate with a hint of bourbon, warm spices, and a warm 14.5% alcohol.
This is a special wine, a pure clean wine of some character and excellence; I'm happy I bought more than one bottle.
Paired perfectly with my spiced lamb rib-chops.

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Vivanco Rioja DOCa 2015 Rosado

Vivanco Rioja DOCa 2015 Rosado (Spain), $11.89-$13.99, 91 points, appeared, contrary to the Rosé-color-chart, the color of Syrah Rosé. Varietals were 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha.
The red-fruit aromas were excellent.
Light bodied with mouth-watering acidity and rich red-fruit flavors dominated by a bright red cherry and strawberry accented by black pepper, which were also excellent.
Finish long on the trailing palate with a wholesome, but hearty 13.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my prosaic baby-back ribs, mash potatoes, and butternut squash.




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Tegernseerhof Mittelbach 2014 Zweigelt Rosé (Austria)

Tegernseerhof Mittelbach 2014 Zweigelt Rosé (Austria), $13.99, 88 points, was a lovely coral/orange color.
Straight-forward aromas of strawberry and kiwi were excellent.
This Zweigelt Rosé was light, crisp, refreshing with good acidity, flavors of watermelon rind, strawberry, and a floral note.
Finished fair on hints of hibiscus, ginger, and passion fruit with a well integrated 12.5% alcohol.

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