BLUE BOOK TASTE PROFILE

Appellation: Monterey
Varietal: Chardonnay


TASTE BENCHMARKS
  Profile #1
Lean & Clean Style
Profile #2
Fat & Generous Style
Appearance Straw. Straw gold.
Aroma Fresh golden delicious apples, jasmine and pear; not citrus. Unoaked or lightly oaked. Full ripeness produces aromas of tangerine and marigold. Buttery, oaky and sometimes nuanced with champagne-like yeastiness.
Flavor The American equivalent of Macon, source for some of the best values in mid-priced Chardonnay. A rich natural sweetness which may or may not be supplemented by small amounts of residual sugar. Rich, buttery with trace of lip-smacking sweetness. Lovers of this full-blown style are aware that such wines are usually quite expensive to produce, and can find a great friend here, as this region is capable of some very good values in the Big Fat Momma style.
Balance Rich, quaffable. Good acidity balances natural sweetness. Not excessive in alcohol. Full, fat, generous and low in acid, with ample alcohol.
PRODUCTION CORRELATIONS
Oenological Stainless steel fermentation. Malolactic often suppressed or kept in the background. Sparing use of barrels. Barrel fermentation and/or ageing. Full malolactic.
Viticultural Large, economical vineyards employing advanced precision viticulture capable of producing affordable, quaffable wines which are simple but delicious. Large, economical vineyards employing advanced precision viticulture capable of producing affordable fruit full of flavor. Extended maturity to reduce acidity and add richness, transforming appley aromas to tangerine or mandarin orange.
Terroir Flat, sandy desert. Natural air conditioning courtesy of daily gales from the Pacific. Flat, sandy desert. Natural air conditioning courtesy of daily gales from the Pacific.