2008 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay

PIE-#20-10

THIS IS THE BEST CHARDONNAY I HAVE TASTED THIS YEAR!

Having said that, I guess I had better backup my opinion of the 2008 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill

Chardonnay. 

Monday was my wife Mary's ("The Chardonnay Queen") birthday, so we went to one of our favorite

restaurants, Maggianos Little Italy, to celebrate.  We had steamed mussels and Shrimp Scampi with

Angel Hair Pasta, and of course everything we had was fabulous!  Now Mary loves Chardonnay, and 

her favorite Chardonnay Vineyard is Rodney Strong, so when I spotted the Chalk Hill on the wine list 

at a reasonable price, I jumped at the opportunity to sample the latest vintage to arrive in Atlanta.

The first word to come to mind is succulent!  This is a big rich and creamy Chardonnay with gobs of big

fruit up front which explodes in your mouth at the first sip. The finish is long and clean with a toasty 

vanilla oak trailer.  The sensation is almost overpowering as the wine is so good, that you almost forget 

to eat the wonderful food it accompanies.  The clean crisp finish cuts right through the butter and garlic, 

but does not interfere with the fragrant food itself.  I have not liked a Chardonnay this much in a long 

time, so I am going to give it a 93 score, even knowing that with another six months of bottle age, it will 

probably get even better!  We will review it again in six months.

The specs are 14.2% alcohol with eight months in French oak, and malolactic fermentation producing

the creamy texture.      
  Price - $15 - $19    
  Score - 93

 
  
 
  
   
  
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