2007 Tolosa Winery No-Oak Chardonnay

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 87.4 points

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  9/24/2010 - Phredd wrote: 88 Points

  Good, light straw color. One the nose, good aromas of pear, apple and quince. On the palate, not overly complex, but good fruit forward flavors of apple with a bit of creaminess to it. Given that it advertises itself as no-oak, I was actually expecting a more steely wine, but I was pleased to find that this wasn't overly edgy. I'm guessing the winemaker used full malolactic fermentation and plenty of stirring on the lees. The result is a nice, balanced, controlled expression of chardonnay that was worth my $16. It won't blow you away, but it is very versatile. We had it with salmon, but this could pair with anything from light salads and shellfish to asian food to pork loin, as well as being reasonable as a sipper. This is a good wine to just have on hand for those times when you aren't sure what you want, or if you've just changed a recipe and aren't sure what wine will work. Odds are, this one will.
  
  Edit: I'm going to have to start reading my prior notes before I write. I didn't get the grapefruit flavors this time around, but most of my other notes are consistent. The reduction in sharpness could just be the result of additional bottle age.

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  4/11/2010 - Grinch wrote: 87 Points

  Better than the 2006. Maintains charateristics of prior vintages. Really lets the grapes speak for themselves.

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  3/29/2010 - Phredd wrote: 88 Points

  Very light straw color. On the nose, strong grapefruit and lime, backed by a little bit of mint and sage and some honeysuckle flowers. On the palate, grapefruit carries through quite powerfully, but with notes of honey and still some strong white flower components. A bit of almond, or perhaps macadamia nut, on the finish. The mouthfeel starts quite sharp, but smooths out wonderfully on the mid-palate. The smoothness carries through on a surprisingly long and delicate finish. This is an excellent food wine. Has the acidity to stand up to cheeses, meats, and even red sauce. At $14, this was a solid effort, and a good break from the high-oak chardonnay one usually finds at this price point in the New World.

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  3/14/2010 - bstryd wrote: 90 Points

  I am a fan of un-oaked Chard and this one was excellent. It was very crisp - could almost taste the stainless steel. The nose was a bit subdued, floral and citrus. Had with grilled lime tilapia and the wine stood up very well. Excellent acid for clean taste but not tart at all. Might be a bit young yet, but (to me) this is the kind of California Chard I really like.

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