Winey Tasting Notes: It’s National Chardonnay Day! La Merika Chardonnay

So, today is May 23rd. Just another Thursday? Oh no. To us winey folks, today is also known as National Chardonnay Day. And why shouldn’t we celebrate this grape? It’s the number one wine in these United States and Chardonnay grapes are the most planted grapes in California. So with that pedigree, yes of course, the wine gets its own day.

Chardonnay comes from the Burgundy region of France, but today it is literally everywhere. So for my Chardonnay Day 2013 sip, I decided to go with an All-American bottle. Seriously, it’s named in honor of one of the earliest explorers who first sailed to these shores. You can’t get much more American than that (even if they didn’t know what it would be called back then). Hence, I poured some La Merika Chardonnay (2011, 13.5%, California’s Central Coast) into my glass.

The nose on this is green pear and green apple – those green fruits always add a little kick, don’t they? I loved the way it tasted! The pear and apple flavors blended nicely and then a little toasty oak was added in for good measure. It finished of oak and apple, which left a tart citrus flavor in my mouth.

This is not a big, buttery Chardonnay. It is a more tart, fruitier Chardonnay. Sure it’s got that oak going on – but hey, if it didn’t, it would be a Sauvignon Blanc, right? A very lively wine for anyone who doesn’t like an in-your- face Chardonnay. I’d buy it again and again (did I mention that it was $7.99? I should have).

And since National Chardonnay Day falls the day before the start of the Memorial Day weekend this year, I thought it was quite fitting to sip on a Chard that honored our country’s earliest explorers. Because this weekend, we should all pause to remember those who have fought for and those who still serve to preserve the freedoms of this nation that those explorers risked life and limb to discover.

So cheers to Chardonnay, cheers to explorers and a heartfelt cheers and thank you to all who have, do or will serve. (And yes, by those who do serve I include the Winey Son, aka The Winey West Point Cadet.)

Have a great, safe weekend!