Monticello Vineyards|Corley Family Napa Valley

While the grapes for this Chardonnay came from the same vineyard from which the Monticello Corley Reserve comes, there is a decided difference.

Whereas the reserve spent it nascent life in 50 percent new oak, the estate was shortchanged – or benefited, depending upon your proclivities – from only 20 percent new wood. The results in the bottle are dramatic.

Whereas the reserve suffers, for the nonce, from too much new oak sweetness, here, the restrained use of oak has manifested in a wine that exhibits lots o’ citrus aromas such as lemon zest and pineapple. On the palate, the estate is nearly as opulent, viscous and very sweet, but there’s no denying that there’s plenty of acidity. It’s bringing up the rear, but it’s the obvious component that gives the wine its balance – now.

The 2005 Estate Chardonnay, like the Reserve, is still young, so give it a couple of years to open. The listed alcohol, as with the reserve is 14.1 percent. There were 3,500 cases produced. In the end, at neatly half the price of the reserve, the Monticello Estate Chardonnay is a good buy.

Reviewed January 19, 2007 by Alan Goldfarb.