Sunday, June 14, 2015

Try a new Chardonnay for the Summer

How many of you have gone to the store seeking out that new bottle of wine, only to be overwhelmed with the selection and retreat back to the familiar? Be honest- we all have!!!

Most weekends you can find me at one of our local beverage or grocery stores hosting a wine tasting. You may see other people like me at your favorite beverage store. Don’t be afraid to come up and talk to us. Most are independent contractors like me – we love sharing new wines and if your taste buds don’t care for the varietal that we are hosting it’s okay! We’ll be back one day with something that you will like. 

PositiveVines’ Helpful Definition: Varietal – a variety of wine made primarily from a single named grape.

Last week, I had the privilege of sharing wines from Joseph Carr Winery (www.joshcellars.com) at a Kroger in Plano, TX (3305 Dallas Parkway). Stop by there sometime soon. The wine steward – Debra – does an incredible job of providing a variety of wines, beers and spirits for every taste and wallet.

The varietals that I hosted were the Josh Cellars Chardonnay and Josh Cellars Legacy. Joseph Carr, an award winning Sommelier, founded his family winery in 2005. He labels his bottles in honor of his father Josh. Joseph Carr works with small growers and winemakers across California including Napa Valley, Sonoma, Mendocino Valley and the Central Coast. Hot summers call for light wines so I’ll focus on my impression of the Chardonnay.


Many entry wine drinkers in the United States start with Chardonnay. The green, light-skinned grape originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France. California is a major producer of the Chardonnay varietal. California Chardonnay tends to bear tropical fruit flavors and depending upon the aging process may have a buttery taste. It’s not sweet – so if you’re looking for something that tastes like Sweet Tea, this is not the drink for you!

This varietal was harvested in 2013. 2013 was an unusually warm growing season for California. Of course with the highlighted drought conditions in California, warm may become the norm. It is a light colored Chardonnay in your glass and has a touch of acidity at the end which gives it a crisp edge. While it was aged in 30% New French Oak, most customers – including myself- did not find that it has the same buttery taste that is a trademark of many California Chardonnays. This is a good Chardonnay value for the price – around $10.00 a bottle and works well with seafood or a chicken dish. In Dallas with hot summer days and sometimes just as hot summer nights, the crispness of this Chardonnay will give you a solid wine, at a reasonable price and none of that heavy too-full feeling afterwards. My wonderful husband Nate made an incredible dish of Honey braised chicken with a medley of vegetables and this Chardonnay was a great compliment after a long day.

The next time that you’re looking for a good Chardonnay give Josh Cellars Chardonnay a try. I’d love to know what you think about it! 

If you'd like to stop by next week to sample a few great wines come visit me at World Market, 3888 Oak Lawn Avenue in Dallas. I'll be there from 1-4pm on Saturday, June 20th.

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy to drink and always think positively!


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