Chalone 1999 Chardonnay

Chalone 1999 Chardonnay, Chalone ($30) - The "Anything But Chardonnay" crowd will have its hands full dissing this latest chard release from Chalone. On the other hand, it does stand in stark contrast to the overblown chards for which California is infamous.

This chardonnay is what California chardonnay could be, should be, but generally isn`t. It`s complex, flavorful, structured and shows just enough oak nuance to let you know it`s there without getting in the way. Bravo! Rating:

Author: Robert Whitley