Apaltagua Reserva Chardonnay

Running a restaurant in the United States, and more specifically, in the mid-west, I’ve had to become extremely familiar with the Chardonnay varietal.  In fact, I’d say that beyond Sangiovese (it’s an Italian restaurant), I’d say that chardonnay ranks second in total volume of wines I’ve tasted.  I’d bet that I’ve tasted more chardonnay than all of the other white varietals combined.  I’ve tasted buttery, oaky, fruit forward as well as very complex chardonnays.   I’ve tasted very inexpensive chards and some of the most exotic.  And after all those chardonnay experiences I can honestly say one thing……..I’m tired of chardonnay.  And I don’t think I’m alone.

It’s not that I don’t like chardonnay; on the contrary, some of the chardonnay’s I’ve tasted represent some of my most memorable wine experiences.   Chardonnays like Beringer Private Reserve and Kistler have left indelible impressions on me, and are partly responsible for creating the wine enthusiast that I’ve become.  But it’s the myriad of inexpensive, and arguably overpriced chardonnays, conforming to a monotone style of acid-killing malolactic fermentation and fruit killing, over-toasted oak that has turned me off of the king of white wines.  So along comes another value-priced chardonnay from Chile, Apaltagua’s Reserva.  I’m finding it hard to get excited.  But what’s this?  It’s unoaked!  Yep, it says it right here on the label, in big and bold font, “Unoaked”.   My interest has been instantly perked.

Twist the screw cap on this Chilean and the first thing you notice is fruit, pure unadulterated fruit.  In the glass, the nose opens up in full force to a powerful honey-tinged lemon drop, with apple and a hint of bell pepper.  The nose would shame most wines twice the Apaltagua’s price.

The color of the wine is much lighter than what you would expect from a chard.  It has a bright crisp color, not unlike a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.  But don’t let the appearance fool you.  On the palate the wine offers lush apple, and right about where you’d be expecting the oak to introduce itself, a rich layer of acid guides you on to the finish.  The wine is also very well balanced.

I was very impressed with this wine, but more importantly, I actually enjoyed a bottle of chardonnay without having to break the bank for something that avoids the stereotypical style.  Credit the winemakers at Apaltagua for crafting a unique and quality wine experience, and a great value.  But it leaves one very big question: will chard lovers embrace this style?  If you favor the soft buttery style that many California chards are offering, you probably need not apply.  But if you call yourself a chardonnay lover, you really owe it to yourself to try this wine.  If it doesn’t sell you, it will at the very least provide you with a reminder of what the chardonnay grape is capable of.

A Salute!

Wine: Apaltagua
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 14%
Rating:  90
Price: $11.00

Find Apaltagua Reserva Chardonnay with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.