The California-Australia Wine Shootout™

Chardonnay

Madfish 2003 Chardonnay, Western Australia, $14.99
75,248 cases produced

An elegant nose with pronounced aromas of gentle fruit, honeysuckle, pears and spice. Lovely flavors of Bartlett pear, apple, mandarin orange with bright acidity and an enduring palate.

(92.5)

Reynolds 2002 Reserve Chardonnay, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
6,600 cases produced

Ka-boom! A big, expressive nose with ripe fruit, fresh strawberry and white peach. This wine is surprisingly complex…integrated fruit flavors with wood, perfect for an evening out on the patio.

(92)

Frei Brothers Reserve 2002 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California, $20.00
70,000 cases produced

A rich Chardonnay. Apple, pear, with butter, vanilla, and spice aromas nicely integrated with oak. An elegant style with savory apple flavors and butterscotch and a creamy sensation, on mid- palate with nice amount of acid.

(91)

Flora Springs Winery 2002 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, $24.99

Pear, apple, cedar, and apricot notes over vanilla cream on the nose, replicates on the palate and through the finish with slight butter and toasted nut accents joining in mid-palate. A balanced wine…big and full.

(90)

Toad Hollow Vineyards 2003 Francine’s Selection Chardonnay, Mendocino County, California, $13.99
60,000 cases produced

A seductive nose of raw honey, peach and papaya with Bartlett pear flavors and lemon tanginess. Bright acid on the finish.

(90)

McWilliams Hanwood Estate 2002 Chardonnay, South East Australia, $11.00
48,000 cases produced

Summer at its best. The nose is tight and elegant with hints of peach, pear and sweet oak. The entry is soft with lemon and stone fruit flavors joined by oak mid-palate through the long crisp finish.

(89.8)

Gallo of Sonoma 2002 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, California, $11.00
21,500 cases produced

Créme brulée with brown sugar and caramel initiate the inviting nose…a well-made wine with additional aromatics of green apple, honey, melon, and pear that carry through onto the palate. Seamless continuity. Mouth filling with nice acidity, nice balance and lots of lovely oak flavors on the finish.

(89.6)

Pellegrini Family Vineyards 2003 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, California, $13.00
6,000 cases produced

Clear and pale yellow in color. The nose has the caramel quality of barrel fermented Chardonnay even though the wine sees no oak. Pineapple, melon, and sweet honeysuckle on the nose too. The wine is big, fat and rich with lots of flavors.

(89.5)

Greg Norman 2002 Victoria Chardonnay, Victoria, Australia, $14.00
23,000 cases produced

A lovely, delicate Chardonnay with ripe golden delicious apple and Bartlett pear aromas replicating on the palate with additions of honey and melon flavors. Nice weight in the mouth finishing with lemon notes.

(89)

Rodney Strong 2002 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, $14.00 110,200 cases produced

Rich and full in the mouth with complexities and nuances. A full fruit and backbone, this wine should age gracefully age gracefully. American oak, lemon curd, apples, baking spice, and pear aromas. A clean entry of strong vanilla oak and lemon drops with spicy apple pie flavors, very young and intense, with a long finish.

(89)

Rosemount Estates 2003 Diamond Chardonnay, Australia, $10.00

An easy sipper, this Chardonnay is soft and round with a buttery nose. Lively, tart apple, pear, and lemon twiston the palate. Seamless continuity with a long mineral finish.

(88.5)

Burlwood 2002 Chardonnay, California, $7.99
25,000 cases produced

Inviting aromas of peach, nectarine, honey, apple, and pear lead to a wine that is soft on the palate with a touch of oak and spice on the finish.

(87)

Gloria Ferrer 2001 Chardonnay, Carneros, $18.00

A full, complex wine with loads of tropical fruit…pineapple and banana enhanced by toasty oak. The finish is almost caramelized but tempered by nice acidity.

(87)

Penfolds 2003 Koonunga Hill Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia, $10.00

Good deep color with a big intense nose of oak, apples, lemons and some minerality. Nice mouth feel, good lemon and oak integration, intense fruit.

(87)

Rosemount Estates 2002 Show Reserve Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, $19.00

Rich and weighty on the palate, shows generous oak and good complexity. There is a bit of heat mid to late palate.bitter, unpleasant finish 87

(87)

Lindemans 2003 Bin 65 Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia, $9.00

Richly colored with buttered popcorn, ripe apples, pears, light spice, mineral and good oak nuances on the nose, palate entry of very light fruit. This wine is medium in body. A balanced but unassuming wine.

(86)

Peters Family Winery 2002 Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay, Carneros, $32.00
437 cases produced

Medium yellow in color with good clarity. This Chardonnay has a very toasty oak component with clove and nutmeg. Nice entry and finish with ripe apple and, Moroccan spices. If you like them big and buttery, this one’s for you!

(86)

Rodney Strong 2002 Estate Vineyards Chardonnay, Chalk Hill, $18.00
61,600 cases produced

Graham cracker, sweet lemon and pear in the nose and entry. The flavors elevate mid-palate with big buttery notes. Citrus rind on the long finish.

(85.9)

Glendonbrook 2002 Unwooded Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, $12.00
1,500 cases produced

The nose is Chablis-like with lemon, apple and pear. Nice vanilla and spice accents in throughout.

(85.2)

Anapamu Cellars 2002 Chardonnay, Monterey County, California, $16.00
7,020 cases produced

Vanilla and oak on the nose, apple and pineapple in the mouth very nicely integrated with the oak.

(85)

De Bortoli 2002 Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, $29.99
7,000 cases produced

The apple, citrus and oak aromas replicate on the palate. Nice, clean acid on the finish.

(85)

Wyalla Cove 2003 Chardonnay, Southeastern Australia, $8.00
14,112 cases produced

A soft, fruity style with apple, soft oak and citrus aromas and flavors. A pleasant wine.

(85)

Barefoot Reserve 2002 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California, $12.99
2,983 cases produced

The color is golden yellow with butter and graham cracker crust on the nose. This Chardonnay is soft in the mouth with a touch of orange peel on the finish.

(84)

Black Swan 2003 Chardonnay, Southeastern Australia, $8.00
300,000 cases produced

A simple wine with caramel, toffee, and apple aromas on the nose and palate.

(83)

Reynolds 2002 Chardonnay, New South Wales, Australia

Pear and granny smith aromas lead to an entry that is somewhat thin. The acidity drives the flavors through a mineral laden palate and a long delicate finish.

(83)

Gallo of Sonoma 1999 Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley, $45.00
2,144 cases produced

Obviously, an older Chardonnay – oaky, buttery, and slight oxidization in the nose, pineapple and caramel in the mouth with a sweet impression on the palate. Bitter notes on the finish.

(83)

Yellow Tail 2003 Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia, $6.99
1.2 million cases produced

An uncomplicated Chardonnay with soft flavors…fresh and crisp on the finish.

(83)

Katnook Estate 2001 Chardonnay, Coonawarra, Australia, $17.00

Big and buttery with lemon, star fruit, and ripe pear aromas. The oak overpowers the fruit mid-palate and carries through the finish.

(82)

McLaren Vale III Associates 2002 Chardonnay, McLaren Vale, $22.95
6,750 cases produced

Very golden color, with pineapple and kiwi in the mouth, pineapple and touch of lemon on the slightly sweet finish. Pleasant but lacking acidity.

(82)

De Bortoli 2003 Chardonnay, Big Rivers, New South Wales, Australia, $7.99
140,000 cases produced

Golden yellow in color, this medium weight wine has oak and Golden Delicious apple aromas. It is a bit thin in the mouth with soft lemon acid on the finish. Not enough fruit mid-mouth.

(80)