'04 Tobin James Reserve Chardonnay

[Innkeeper]

2004 Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, Chardonnay, Monterey County ($25 list, came in Spring Shipment). Alcohol level: 13%. They took the poor grapes and fermented them 100% in new French Oak, aged them sur lie, and maled 58% of them! Knowing this in advanced I designed a meal to handle it. Following their suggestions I cooled it down in the fridge and opened it a half hour before eating.

It gave a burst of citrus on the nose and upfront. Very good Monterey complexity including a healthly dose of shall we say vanilla (a.k.a. oak) crossed the palate. The finish was splendid so long as it included a drollop of Bearnaise - but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Matched the Chard with steamed mussels dipped in the afore mentioned Bearnaise Sauce, and salad with blue cheese dressing.

Fantastic meal.

[Innkeeper]

Popped the '05 last night; it had come with the Spring '07 shipment. It was identical to the '04 in almost every way: price, grape source, fermentation methodology, with only a slight increase in alcohol from 13% to 13.8%. Tasted the same too!

Matched it with chicken breasts marinated in lime juice, Adobo seasoning, and EVOO and grillpanned (T-storms outside); along with brown Basmati rice, and spinach. Great use for the wine which is tough to match.

[Innkeeper]

Popped the '06 tonight. It came in the Spring '08 shipment. Same price, alcohol, and manufaction. So, the challange again was what to match it with.

We settled on Giada's Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil with lots of extra garlic.

It worked!!! Bev in particular loved it.

[TheEngineer]

mmmmm.........giada.......I mean her pasta [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]