Weekday wine - Brea Chard

2022 Brea Wine Co. Chard

Central Coast, California

Regular price: $25 per bottle

Sale price: $20 per bottle

California Chardonnay gets a bad rap, except of course, from those that love it. The wine press thinks that the age of big, full bodied, rich and oaky Chardonnay is past. They are, as usual, wrong. The trendy wine consumer has joined the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) club and rejects the wine bottle that announces the grape. Of course, the French Chardonnay that doesn’t mention the grape is perfectly acceptable. The reality is that Chardonnay continues to outsell other white wines simply because it tastes good. Trendy consumers and wine writers don’t notice such trivialities.

This is an example of a very well-made California Chardonnay that over-delivers on price and trims the excessiveness of the cliche-ed Chardonnay, resulting in a wine that is just right. Rich yet not over the top, oaked but not oppressively so, the wine is fresh and balanced, pert and refreshing. If you’ve remained true to California Chardonnay, this wine is your reward. (PW)