This medium bodied Chardonnay is on special at Costco. After the store discount the price nets to $9.99 – a steal. That is, if you like Chardonnay.
Fast facts:
- 2016 Educated Guess Chardonnay, Los Carneros, California ($9.99 @Costco; California – Product #49136)
Chardonnay is the world’s most popular white wine, and the most widely planted grape here in California. But that doesn’t mean that it is universally adored.
Anything But Chardonnay!
Like with many things that are wildly popular and successful, a backlash happens. In the case of Chardonnay, it was the Anything But Chardonnay (ABC) movement and rallying cry.
Most of that criticism was aimed at California Chardonnays, especially the ones that were being made in a super buttery, oaky style that masked the flavor of the fruit. Chardonnay is a versatile grape. It can produce wines that are crisp and clean, or rich and oaky. Personally, I prefer Chardonnays that are either lightly oaked, or that are fermented in stainless steel tanks. This particular wine strikes a nice balance between the two ends of this style spectrum.
Chardonnay has “Street Cred”
Chardonnay is a regal grape for its role in producing the greatest dry white wines in the world — white Burgundies — and for being one of the main grapes of Champagne. It’s also used in huge amounts of everyday wine. The Chardonnay grape grows in practically every wine-producing country of the world, for several reasons:
- it adapts to a wide variety of climates
- the grape produces versatile wines at many price points
- perhaps most importantly: everyone wants to have a Chardonnay in their line-up because consumer demand is so high
Our Wine Tasting Notes:
This is not your typical heavy Napa Chardonnay. It combines the characteristics from traditional barrel fermentation and stainless steel. The wine shows delicious tropical fruit flavors along with creamy notes, toast, spice and vanilla. The flavors we associate with good California Chardonnay. But the blend of lots from oak-aged and stainless steel results in a wine that you can enjoy in the summer months. This is not “stick of butter” Chard that needs to be enjoyed in front of a fire while wearing a heavy sweater.
And did I mention that my local Costco has a hot $9.99 per bottle deal on this Educated Guess Chardonnay from the renowned Carneros Region of California – well-known for its world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards?
Here is photographic proof:
And if you are asking: “didn’t you all just review and recommend a different Carneros Chardonnay from Costo?” If fact we did, but that one was $3 more. You can find that review in the link below, along with another Napa Chardonnay review we did for a wine find from Trader Joe’s. Read all about both, by following these links:
2 thoughts on “Yummy Chardonnay at Costco. Half Price is Twice as Nice.”