Chardonnay Blind Tasting

We have friends in for the Kentucky Derby and our Derby Eve tradition for the past three years is to hold a blind tasting. Since the blog theme is Chile this week, we chose Chilean Chardonnay. None of us were that familiar with Chilean Chardonnay so we were looking forward to it. The only paramarers were that it had to come from Chile and each couple had to supply two bottles (one under $20 and one over $20). The over $20 selection proved to be a challenge in Kentucky and in South Carolina (where our friends live). I know Chile has some great selections in that price range, but apparently not where we live.

The wines we tasted are listed below and we judged them on color, smell and taste.

2007 Veramonte Chardonnay Reserve Casablanca Valley
2009 Santa Ema Chardonnay
2006 Casa Lapostolle Cuve Alexandre
2007 Maycas del Limari Reserva Especial Chardonnay

Tasting notes.

Veramonte
The color was a pale green gold. The aroma was challenged at first and the only thing we could detect was buttered apple. As it opened up, there may have been some pear. The taste apple and butter but it was not a "butter bomb". It also had a slight sharpness on the finish that we didn't expect for a Chardonnay. We picked this as one of the <$20 bottles and we were correct.

Santa Ema
The color was pale green and looked very much like a Sauvignon Blanc. The smell was very closed. The only thing we could pick up was a slight smell of cantaloupe. This was a very challenged nose. It never really opened up. The taste very reminiscent of a light Sauvignon Blanc. Some tropical fruit flavors and sharp acids on the pallet. We picked this as one of the <$20 bottles and again, we were correct. It was an enjoyable wine, but nothing you would remember. Indistinguishable from any $5 house wine.

Casa Lapostolle
The color of this wine was the first that looked like a Chardonnay. It was a nice golden color with just a hint of green. The smell was buttered popcorn and golden apple. At first it was a bit thin I thought, but as it warmed the smell became more intense. Very enjoyable to me, but two others thought it was too much butter. The taste was complex...there was honey, butter, apples, hint of tangerine. The finish was long and picked up some oak. This was definitely a wine that was over $20. This wine will be a hit for people that like big California Chardonnays.

Maycas del Limari
The color was a pale green gold. There was no nose except maybe some wet stone, a little melon and butter. You really have to concentrate to get anything. The taste was interesting on the front with a nice buttered pear and some tropical notes, but the finish was very sharp and caused us to "pucker up". Glynnis and Jerris said the finished them if the old sour candy called Cry Babies. We did not enjoy this.

The order of preferece for our group is listed below. Retail prices are listed as well.

1. Casa Lapostolle $23
2. Veramonte $11
3. Santa Ema $10
4. Maycas del Limari $18 (closest to $20 available)

Good experience, but probably will not revisit Chilean Chardonnay until I move somewhere that has a better selection. If anyone has some suggestions I'd love to hear about it. Until that time, I'll stick with the Chilean reds and Sauvignon Blancs.