This past weekend my friends and I decided to do a second Drink This Now lesson. We were comparing an unoaked and an oaked Chardonnay. When I think of a white wine my mind always goes to Chardonnay because it is what my mom always drinks, so I was excited to do this lesson.
The first thing we did was get an unoaked and oaked Chardonnay. We could not find the specific wines, so we talked to Dennis at ghetto Kroger and he offered us a few cheap wines. Our oaked Chardonnay came from a box called Bota Mini Chardonnay. The unoaked Chardonnay was Mer Soleil Chardonnay. Below is the information and pictures of the wine bottles.
Name: Bota Mini Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Manteca, CA
Country: USA
Year: Unknown
Price: $4.49
Wine review: Bota's creamy Chardonnay is characterized by aromatics of toasty oak and tropical fruit, yielding to a body of creme brulee, green apple, and honeysuckle. Soft and inviting, this wine is a match for a Caesar salad or pan-seared halibut- ideally suited for a sense dinner on the patio.
Wine Folly: Page 233 of Wine Folly says that California chardonnays are often much riper, with ripe apple and tropical fruit flavors. Oak aging and malolactic fermentation gives these wines a buttery, creamy texture with flavors of nutmeg and baking spices. Tasting notes: yellow apple, pineapple, lemon zest, pie crust, nutmeg.
Name: Mer Soleil Silver
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Monterey County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2020
Price: $20
Wine Review: “Fresh from start to finish, Mer Soleil Silver is a pure expression of Chardonnay, produced from the ideal coastal conditions of Monterey County, California. Never seeing the inside of an oak barrel, it is fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and small concrete tanks imported from Burgundy, France. This wine features scents of creamy citrus and a distinct minerality that evokes wet granite encountered on a hike. Silver is round and layered on the palate, with vibrant acidity and depth.”
Wine Folly: From pg. 233, unoaked Chardonnay typically has higher acidity. It is much more ripe, often with apple and tropical fruit flavor. It has flavors of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter.
First we tried both Chardonnays warm. I found the oaked is more yellow/orange color to me. I smelled wood and lees and it had a slight barrel scent, possibly butter. The unoaked smelled sweeter than the oaked. The unoaked is more acidic and sweet and fruity when tasting warm. My friends and I went back and forth a few times between smelling and tasting the wines a few times before chilling it.
Next we wrote down our observations and waited for the wines to chill. Then, went on to sniff, swirl, and taste the now chilled wines.
When chilled the unoaked smells like a fig. The oaked Chardonnay does not smell much different compared to when it was warm. When cold, the oaked had a slight honeydew smell. Oaked tasted honeydew, apple, caramel flavoring, and some sort of lees. The unoaked Chardonnay tasted more acidic, with more apple and pineapple. Both were good, we found that that both were very easy to drink and neither were strong. Both tasted very light.
Overall the lesson was very enjoyable to taste the difference between oaked and unoaked Chardonnay. We never realized that there are not that many unoaked Chardonnays to buy until this lesson. I personally liked the unoaked better, but would drink either. I would recommend either wine to people as well. A classic Chardonnay is I feel a staple for wine, so I am happy to report I can taste a difference between the two. Here are some pictures of the bottles, glasses, and my friends trying the wines and having a wonderful night while we watched the newest season of Love Island UK.
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