Chateau Saint Jean "Belle Terre" Chardonnay

Chardonnay / Sonoma
2005 / 92 points


Chateau Saint Jean has been represented in my cellar for many years. Their Proprietary "Cinq Cepage", is a wonderful Bordeaux blend that consistently gets great scores from most reviewers. I never had the opportunity to try their Chardonnay until I opened a bottle with a friend last week. What a wonderful surprise.

When reviewing Chardonnay in the $20-$25 range, I often have my expectations set on the low side. Much of the chardonnay in this price range is mundane. The grapes used for Chardonnay at this price point are not of the highest quality. Why should they be? The top grapes can be sold or used for wines that are two or three times the money. For $25, I would rather find a bottle of Savignon Blanc or Viognier of excellent quality then suffer through a mediocre chardonnay.

The 2005 Belle Terre Chardonnay delivered a lot of quality for the price. As a reviewer, I should not make assumptions before tasting. This wine reinforced the fact and taught me a valuable lesson.

The wine is light honey colored, with a tinge of green. It is medium to full bodied for a white. The wine clung tenaciously to the glass when swirled. Honeysuckle, Peach, Nectarine and Lemon were prevalent in the nose. Peaches and nectarine are abundant up front, with a nice hint of oak towards the finish. Not overdone, the little bit of oak will please even those who like an "unoaked" chardonnay. The wine is rich and full in the mouth with fabulous length. The finish goes on and on.....fabulous!

This wine was released last year at $25, and can still be found on the winery website at this price. www.chateaustjean.com For those of you that are comfortable with internet purchase, it can be found at the Wine Exchange, www.winex.com for $17.99 per bottle. This quality chardonnay is a steal at this price. Back up the truck, and buy a few cases. You can thank me later....get your credit card and buy a case before it is gone.

Cousino Macul "Antiguas Reservas" 2006

Chardonnay / $12 to $16
Maipo Valley / Chile

When I was asked to review this wine I flashed a big smile. I cut my teeth on Cousino Macul twenty years ago. It was Chilean and cheap. Although I did not taste the Chardonnay, the Cab and Merlot were a fantastic value.

Chile has become one of the best producers of wine in South America. Many of the large wine conglomerates have purchased land and developed vineyards there. There is a vast brain trust of winemakers that are sending lots of money and technology there to make wine. Many experts say it is "smart money". I tend to agree.

Chardonnay is not a grape that shines in Chile. I am not sure if it is the terrior or the technology...but it is tough to find a good chardonnay from the region. This wine is the needle in the haystack. It is surprisingly good, and for the money, it is a steal. All of you that write to complain about the price of a good chardonnay take note. For less then $15 you can drink a wine that will outperform wines $25 and more.

It is straw colored and pours cleanly. The nose is pear, citrus, apple, white flowers and a bit of toast. Although aged in oak, this is not an oaky chardonnay. The flavor of apple,pear and grapefruit are nicely balanced. The finish reveals a whiff of oak, but wonderfully integrated and balanced. This balance is rare in a wine in this price range.

Cousino Macul is no longer an up and comer. They are one of the leaders of the Chilean wine industry, and have proven their value. Their premium wines are classified as "Antiguas Reservas". It is well worth the few dollars more to buy this reserve wine. Don't skimp in this price range. The winners are few and far between. This wine is a winner and available everywhere. Go out and try a bottle. Let me know if you agree.