Imagine a vintage plagued by drought, severe frosts and raging summer wildfires. Sound like a recipe for great wine? No? Well, Mother Nature has a way of upending our expectations, because, in fact, vintage 2008 has yielded some truly remarkable wines, largely because the aforementioned frosts (both spring and fall), severely reduced the size of the crop, greatly concentrating flavors in the remaining grapes.
Our 2008 Gainey Chardonnay is a prime example. Its wonderfully complex, seductive nose features perfumed, almost incense-like, aromas of yellow apple, lemon zest, orange blossom, pineapple and honey peach, coated with a light layer of buttery Creme anglaise. On the svelte, beautifully composed palate, concentrated ripe apple, pineapple and white peach flavors swell in the mid-palate en route to an extremely long finish awash in a perfect mix of rich peach, refreshing mineral and sweet oak tones. Appropriating a phrase used in a zillion commercials, this is a "lip-smacking good" Chardonnay - one proving that, in the wacky world of wine, you just never know.
September 2009