Rombauer Chardonnay 2017

2017 Carneros Chardonnay wine bottle
Mostly I skip the chardonnay and serve something else, thinking the type too typical: It is popular because it is safe and nondescript. But there are some chardonnays that stand out for being particularly well-crafted and tasty, worth drinking because they are examples of winemaking excellence. Rombauer's is just such a one. It comes from Carneros, Napa Valley, California, and follows the usual pattern of California Chardonnays, fruity and oaky, but does it better than most.

The wine shows a pale gold color and is lightly scented with melon and tropical fruit notes. The flavor is pleasingly complex, apple and peach, with grace note of butter, pineapple and vanilla. The finish is agreeably tart, with a mineral hint. My review is of the 2017 vintage, but this is a very reliable label: good every year, consistently fruity, smooth and rich.

This wine cries out to be paired with seafood, but if you are having roasted fowl, I would never say you were wrong for siding it with this chardonnay.


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