Franciscan Oakville Estate Chardonnay 2004,

Costco, 12/5 2006

Napa Valley, Very Good, Mild Butter finish

Franciscan Oakville Estate
Varietal: Chardonnay
13.5% ABV
We Paid: N/A (MSRP: $18)
Website

We haven't paid much attention to Chardonnays lately, but this bottle reminded us why it's the most popular grape going right now. Light and white and not too sweet, we were extremely happy with every sip. Of course, considering this just falls inside our "Under $20" mission statement, we're not too shocked that we liked it so much. We know a bigger price tag doesn't necessarily mean a better wine, but sometimes it does give you a nice little boost.

Tasting Notes: They say the Oakville Estate contains "notes of peach, pear and apple" in the nose, while the taste is "lively and lengthy on the palate with a great body and structure. Mineral notes linger and the finish is crisp, creamy and clean with apple and citrus flavors."

We definitely picked up on pears and apples, and we thought the nose had a good body once this one lost its chill from the fridge. The flavor was crisp and tart, carrying on the orchard fruit theme and kicking us with a nice rich, creamy finish.

Bottom Line: Like we said we haven't been drinking a whole lot of Chardonnay lately but this is one we'll sip again. We thought it'd be equally great drinking on the back porch on a warm summer day or next to a fireplace on a crisp autumn one. We'll definitely be adding a couple more bottles to our cellar (OK...closet) and we'll let you know what's up when we actually try during the late fall.

I say: Very good. Nice clean & creamy. Buy a case.