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 Review and tasting notes.
BONTERRA
Chardonnay 2005, Mendocino County, Organically Grown Grapes
Some tasting notes:
Chardonnay is usually recommended to serve with creamy pastas, seafood and roast chicken. I served the Bonterra 2005 Chardonnay with some appetizers of Jamaican Jerk Chicken the other night. Its rich, fresh apple-lemmony flavor handled the jerk chicken very well. There were 4 of us, and 2 of my guests agreed with me, the only holdout feeling that Red Strip Beer was the only beverage for Jerk chicken. However he did finish his glass of the Bonterra Chardonnay and asked if there was any left!
I would put Bonterra Chardonnay on my short list of wines to frequently keep on hand. I will definitely buy it myself.
Producers of organic wines seem to be hesitant about putting that word 'organic' out there too prominently. Organic wines may have had reputation in the past as being of lesser quality, but that time is long past and Bonterra Chardonnay should help to dispel any lingering hesitation about buying organic wines today.
Chef James
Bonterra Chardonnay
2005 Mendocino County
Thoughts On The Vintage
Each year a new chapter is written in a winemaker’s memory book, and 2005 will be one of those growing seasons remembered as bewildering. Spring was very wet, with rains continuing unseasonably well into summer. A very hot start to the summer was followed by relentlessly mild weather, right into Fall. Rain during spring flowering led us to believe that our Chardonnay would feature a light crop, but Mother Nature fooled us again with one of the most abundant Chardonnay harvests in California history. Better yet, the fruit is truly exceptional and allowed us to craft a wine of great distinction.
Tasting Notes From Winemaker Bob Blue
Our Chardonnay has firmly adopted a style some describe as International, with less oak aging and a deliberate attempt to emphasize the freshness and crispness of our stellar organic fruit from Mendocino County. This vintage reminds me of the wonderful 2003 wine, which ranked among our best. Most of the grapes for Bonterra’s Chardonnay are harvested along a 12-mile corridor near the banks of the Russian River, and year after year offer characteristic green apple, pear and citrus notes in the wine. An initial impression of rich, buttery cream quickly turns to aromas of honey and lightly toasted almonds, followed quickly by tropical aromas of pineapple and citrusy lemon. The wine is refreshing on the palate, with a minerality that is both bright and clean, seductively drawing you into a vibrant tartness and lemon zest that is absolutely, positively Bonterra Chardonnay. There’s a touch of vanilla from the new French Oak. This is a vintage to remember, and enjoy.
The Bonterra Philosophy
We honor the land by farming organically, creating rich soils providing healthy vines an opportunity to deliver wonderfully flavored fruit. In every sip, you’ll taste our natural commitment and understand why we believe
organic farming creates wines of great taste and excitement, among the very best you’ll experience.
Bonterra
Eco-friendly organic wines. Bonterra is committed to creating world-class wines that are a direct reflection of the organic vineyards in which they grow Located in the Russian River benchlands of Mendocino, Bonterra uses only organic viticulture techniques to grow the finest organic grapes. Each varietal is a unique, individual expression of organically grown fruit and the winemaker's art. Ultimately, Bonterra's philosophy must be measured by the results-the quality of our wines. Available at restaurants and wine shops nationwide or at www.bonterra.com
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