Wine Club Insider back on this snowy Groundhog’s Day!

What a great game yesterday! If you are one of the seventeen people in the US who missed it, it was an awesome game, even if you’re not a real football fan… great human interest story with Cards quarterback Kurt Warner, a see-saw battle right down to the last minute, the longest play in Super Bowl history… all in all, a great evening of entertainment, and the Cardinals gained everyone’s respect, coming (literally!) within an outstretched toe of winning this well-played classic.

And even though it was more of a “beer” day than a “wine” day, there was still enough fruit of the grape to keep my glass filled, and surprise, surprise, I found myself drinking – gasp – a Chardonnay, when I actually had a choice! What? Yes, it’s true, and I enjoyed it!

The vino in question was a 2005 Rulo Chardonnay, one of a couple of excellent Chard options from this Walla Walla operation.

What makes this event interesting is that for a while I was an “ABC” drinker: “Anything But Chardonnay.” Yup. I was a snob. At one point, early in my wine education, I must have tried one too many cheap Chards (the actual culprit has been blocked from my memory), listened to one too many white wine snobs, and followed the herd, which is generally not like me at all.

What I’ve found out is that Chard is perhaps the greatest chameleon of any wine. A cab, no matter where it’s from, is generally still a Cab. Same with  Merlot, Syrah, etc, but Chard? No way! It can easily range from a completely crisp, flinty, refreshing chiller (like a Chablis), to a rich, buttery, oakey classic (like a Montrachet), or even some new world Chards that have some fruit overtones… all from the same vineyard, even, all depending on how the vintner goes about making it.

The biggest factor is whether it sits on steel or oak during its development. Chard picks up the character of its environment in a heartbeat, so to speak.

Rulo, for example – www.rulowinery.com – has excellent examples of both types.

I guess my eyes were opened when I got to try what has turned out to be one of my favorite wines – not just Chards - ”Ovation” from Phelps in Napa… an awesome product. Try to find a bottle, and it will change your mind about Chards forever!

Cheers,

Wine Cliub Insider out!

This one in particular was a nice, buttery optio