2009 Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (85 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, November 19, 2011

VINTAGE

2009

WINERY/PRODUCER

Fess Parker

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

White

COMPOSITION

100% Chardonnay

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Santa Barbara County

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

$13.33

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

The winery’s tasting room was blowing-out this wine for $13.33/bottle earlier this past summer (June 2011), along with their 2010 Riesling (a better wine at a better price of $10/bottle!!)

BOUQUET

As is typical for the Fess Parker SBC Chardonnay year-in and year-out, the bouquet is very rich and creamy, along with suggestions of tropical fruit.  The bouquet wasn’t nearly as fruity as I expected, given the 14.5% alcohol level (the fruit used for this wine was obviously pretty ripe when harvested).  The bouquet was also pretty subdued; I really had to put my schnoz deep into the bowl and take several lung-filling sniffs to get any indications of the wine’s character.

TASTING NOTES

Like the nose suggested, this certainly is a rich, creamy California Chardonnay.  I would assume the wine was fermented in barrel based on the buttery richness; in fact, I would bet a rather substantial amount of money on that assumption!  Along with the cream, there is some zippy white pepper spiciness, along with suggestions of savory herbs like thyme.  There’s also a nice dollop of tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, finally finishing with a slightly heavy, lingering finish.

This is a substantial, heavy-bodied California Chardonnay made in the style of thick, heavy, ripe, creamy Chardonnays that wine snobs/critics like to dismiss.  I love a steel-fermented, crisp, clean, low-alcohol Chardonnay just as much as the next guy.  But sometimes (especially when the food calls for it), there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a ripe, creamy, oaky, fruity California Chardonnay.  And for a sub-$20 bottle, you could do a LOT worse than this.

Note:  As the wine breathes and warms-up, it gets much spicier, waxier, and heavier.  If you’re into that sort of thing or the food you’re serving with this wine calls for that kind of accompaniment, then you’re in luck.  If you prefer crisp, clean, steely, light Chardonnays to begin with, don’t go anywhere near this wine!  Just be aware that this wine can really evolve 30 minutes after opening and pouring. 

 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Chicken Stew with Biscuits (very similar to chicken pot pie).  The wine didn’t pair very well with the chicken stew (I thought a creamy/buttery Chardonnay would pair well with the buttery biscuits, chicken, and creaminess; I was WRONG).  I think the tropical fruitiness of the wine was the culprit.  A Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, or Marsanne would probably have paired better with the Chicken Stew.

I would recommend pairing this wine with a white fish dish that is either steamed, baked, or grilled, especially one that utilizes tropical fruit(s).

 

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine isn’t particularly acidic or tannic, which would diminish its aging potential.  I would drink this wine within the next two or three years (before the end of 2014).

SCORE

85

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

FAIR

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.fessparkerwines.com/