TASTINGS : A Walking-Around Chardonnay

Our friend Sue called today to ask my advice about picking up a nice, tasty, not-too-expensive Chardonnay for an open house.

I do not mind it when friends ask about wine, especially because I have asked Sue’s tax-lawyer husband for advice. But I do object to drinking uninteresting wine, as Sue knows.

So when she called, I realized that by helping her out I would not only be doing my good deed for the day, but I also would be making sure that I would like the wine I would be drinking at her party.

The type of Chardonnay best suited for Sue’s open house is relatively straightforward and lower in oak than more expensive Chardonnays, and it is ready to drink without cellar aging. Finding such a wine or, in this case, a handy shopping list of such wines is another matter.

Chardonnay, like all the so-called noble varieties (which also include Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir), tends to be expensive. Fortunately, Chardonnay is more abundantly available than the others, and thus it’s easier to find moderately priced bottles that meet my minimum requirements.

At the least, I want any wine--regardless of variety--to be fruity, to taste like the variety it claims to be and to be clean, meaning that it has no discernible off-odors. It should have decent balance without any one element sticking out to the detriment of others, and it should be reasonably consistent from first taste to finish.

As I told Sue when I gave her the list a few weeks ago, these may not be the most exciting Chardonnays ever produced in California, but they are certainly among the best buys in the market.

* * 1997 Newton Vineyard “Naturally Fermented,” Napa County, $22. Newton Vineyard, on the slopes of Spring Mountain east of St. Helena, has quietly been making very good wine for years. This bottling delivers attractive aromas laced with inviting scents of apples, butterscotch and creamy oak, and its generosity and richness are repeated in the wine’s deep, broad flavors and lengthy aftertaste.

The winery also produces a pricier limited production “unfiltered” Chardonnay that rates at three stars for the 1997 vintage and sells for $42. Unfortunately, it sells out upon release, but you might keep it in mind for special occasions if you happen to see it. It’s unlikely that Sue--or anyone else--would bring that one out for the open house.

$ * * 1997 Villa Mt. Eden “Grand Reserve, Bien Nacido Vineyard,” Santa Maria Valley, $17. Intensity of flavor and youthful energy blend handsomely in this tasty, relatively straightforward wine from Villa Mt. Eden. It turned out to be a superb choice for the types of tasty finger foods that Sue was serving at her open house (smoked salmon served on blinis with a dollop of creme frai^che and a few caviar pebbles, chicken wings basted with hoisin sauce before broiling, spiral-cut ham with a honey mustard sauce). Its strong apple and citrus flavors and smoky oak allow it to stand up to the range of tastes and textures on the food table. And the price is definitely right.

* 1997 Seven Peaks Winery “Reserve,” Edna Valley, $20. This wine and the other $20 one-star wines that follow are a little pricey for a big party, unless you can negotiate a substantial discount for a quantity purchase. But its toasty, oaky first impression and its substantial fruit, tasting of well-ripened apples and pears, give it the kind of staying power to get the attention of folks who are more engaged in conversation than in wine appreciation.

* 1997 Francis Coppola Wines, Napa Valley, $20. It is always easy to recommend a wine that is tasty both in its citrusy and appley fruit and its rich, toasty oak. Add a supple, inviting feel on the palate and a crisp, bright aftertaste, and the wine practically nominates itself. I told Sue to include a few bottles of this one for the simple reason that the person behind the wine is director Francis Ford Coppola, which would make the wine a conversation piece in its own right.

* 1997 Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, $20. Here is a wine that goes in a lighter, more elegant direction. I would favor this one for sit-down dinners at which its lemon, pineapple and sweet cream delicacy could be appreciated in a quieter setting than Sue’s 100-person “walk-around.” In fact, the bright, almost floral qualities of the wine and its brisk, cleansing finish pretty much direct it to delicately seasoned dishes.

* 1997 Hess Collection Winery, Napa Valley, $17.50. Another wine to be valued for its balance and elegant drinkability rather than for weight or depth, this pleasant and lively effort tastes of medium-intensity apple fruitiness seasoned with background notes of toasty oak.

* 1997 Mont St. John “Madonna Estate,” Carneros, $17. Keenly focused aromas of ripe pears and apples are broadened by toasty suggestions of creme bru^lee and roasted grains, and both the fruit and the toasted bread notes appear in the medium-intensity flavors as well. A little bolder and a little coarser in feel than the previous two wines, this is the kind of Chardonnay that does better with food than it does served by itself.

$ * 1998 Clos Du Bois Winery, Sonoma County, $14. This wine is widely available and is often seen at discount. It is young, bright, direct and maybe even a little on the simple side, but its agreeable appley flavors and its forthright briskness make it a good choice even at its listed price. If you find it for less, it becomes an even better deal.

$ * 1997 Madrona Vineyards, El Dorado County, $12. It may be more difficult to find than the Clos Du Bois, and it may not be discounted so deeply, if at all, but this nicely stuffed Chardonnay will be a rewarding catch for its attractive, somewhat rounded fruit and its supple medium-full bodied impact on the palate.

Symbols

*** A world-class wine, superb by any measure, the top 1% to 2% of all wines tasted.

** An exceptional wine, well worth the effort to find, 10% to 12% of wines tasted.

* An admirable wine, tasty, focused, attractive, about 25% of wines tasted.

No Rating: The best are quite pleasant and can be good buys when moderately priced.

$ Good value for the money.

x Below average quality, to be avoided.

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Tasting Notes is based on tastings conducted by Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine, a monthly newsletter devoted to the critical review of California and West Coast wines. Readers of The Times may obtain a sample copy by sending their name and address to CGCW, P.O. Box V, Alameda, CA 94501, by calling or faxing (510) 865-3150 or by e-mailing CGCW@aol.com.