This week’s wine reviews. All wines were received as press samples and tasted in a single-blind format. 

Review: 2010 Envolve Chardonnay Epilogue
USA, California, North Coast
SRP: $14. On the nose, delightfully bright green apples, fresh pears, lemon curd, and chalk. On the palate, the wine is both crisp and creamy, providing a luscious mouth feel with beautiful acidity. (91 pts.)

Review: 2010 Jacob’s Creek/Orlando Chardonnay Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
SRP: $18. The nose is interesting but a bit off. White peaches, roasted cashew nuts, spicy oak, pineapple, and vanilla. The palate is quite refreshing – the wine is well balanced and offers some great texture. It ends a bit bitter, but overall, a good wine. (87 pts.) 

Review: 2010 Envolve Chardonnay
USA, California, Sonoma County, CarnerosSRP: $25. This wine opens with explosive aromatics. Sweet lime juice, fresh pears, vanilla, honey, and a hint of oak. The palate is a bit too sweet, but the refreshing acid on the finish helps balance it out. If big Chardonnays are you’re preference this wine won’t disappoint. (90 pts.)

Review: 2009 Cultivate Chardonnay Dream Walking
USA, California
SRP: $26. The nose is fairly muted, but reminds me more of a white Rhone than a Chardonnay. On the nose, ripe lemons, butter cookies, and a hint of melon. On the palate, there’s not much going on – the finish is short, and the mouth feel is lacking. (85 pts.) 

Review: 2010 Franciscan Oakville Estate Chardonnay Cuvée Sauvage
USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
SRP: $43. A big Chardonnay, but the nose is beautiful. Creamy buttered popcorn, ripe, McIntosh apple, crème brûlée, lemon curd, vanilla, and slate. On the palate, the wine has great depth and matches the nose, but shows more citrus and tart apple notes. Perfectly integrated oak. Clearly and expensive and well-made Chardonnay. (93 pts.) 

Review: 2009 Wakefield Chardonnay
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
SRP: $17. On the nose, the fruit is ripe – and the wine smells a bit alcoholic. Super ripe peaches and lemons, followed fresh honey and butter. On the palate, the richness of the wine almost works – as the acidity matches the wine. Unfortunately, it finishes a bit hot. (86 pts.) 

Review: 2009 Stony Hill Chardonnay
USA, California, Napa Valley
SRP: $42. Wow. While the nose is a bit muted, the wine is amazingly seductive – fresh Granny Smith apples, lemon tart, and flintiness. On the palate, the wine is rich, with has the weight of fresh lemon juice – and almost as much acidity. I’d love to see this one age. (93 pts.) 

Review: 2010 Rustenberg Brampton Unoaked Chardonnay
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
SRP: $13. On the nose, nothing but fresh Chardonnay – subtle grapefruit and lemon rind, some white flowers, and a hint of minerality. This is obviously unoaked – and offers a delightful profile. On the palate, the wine is simple and refreshing. (88 pts.) 

Review: 2009 Boschendal Chardonnay Pinot Noir
South Africa, Coastal Region
SRP: $15. On the nose, this wine offers all sorts of rich, ripe fruit notes – all of which are hard to place. Lemon curd, gooseberries, and even some red cherries, followed by some toffee and toasted oak. Great front of mouth acidity and a fascinating mouthfeel. Note that this wine was not tasted blind. (89 pts.)