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If I Could Buy Only One – September 27th Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the September 27th release, which one would it be and why?” Shanahans The Barking Dog GSM 2023, South Australia, Australia$19.95, Five Senses Wines & SpiritsSara d’Amato – I have a soft spot for rotundone, the aromatic compound behind that peppery kick in certain grapes like […] More
Buyer’s Guide to Vintages September 27th Release
Aged Wines – Expectation and Reality By David Lawrason, with notes from Sara d’Amato, Michael Godel and John Szabo The twin maxims that all wine is better with age — and the older the better — is just not true. I sense that most WineAlign readers know this, but it is worth repeating as Vintages […] More
If I Could Buy Only One – September 13th Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the September 13th release, which one would it be and why?” Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2023, Ontario, Canada$34.95, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery Sara d’Amato – In a Vintages release that is stacked with impressive local wines, the Speck Family […] More
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The main white grape of Burgundy has become ubiquitous in the wine world, and remains one of the most popular of the "international" grape varieties. Planted all over the globe, from the most southerly regions of New Zealand to Québec's Eastern Townships, the Chardonnay grape itself is relatively neutral, with many of the flavours commonly associated with the grape being derived more from the specific climate and geology or the vinification and aging methods than from any intrinsic aromatic components. In fact, the notes of butter and vanilla, so often associated with chardonnay, are actually derived from oak and a process called malolactic fermentation, rather than from the grape itself. With such a transparent character, it shouldn't be a surprise to see it vinified in many different styles, from the elegant, "flinty" wines of Chablis to rich, buttery Meursaults and New World wines with tropical fruit flavors. Chardonnay is also an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne.
