Benziger Carneros 2004 $12

Recently we’ve been pretty impressed by how many good and reasonably priced Chardonnays are on the shelves for us. Today, we have a great one for you as our wine of the week. Our choice this week is Benziger 2004 Carneros Chardonnay.

The wine tastes like a fresh sliced pear topped with toasted almond slivers. This is a flavorful Chard that’s priced at about twelve dollars and that’s a good value for a wine of this quality and complexity.

You’ll find it well balanced - meaning it’s not over the top big and full like so many lesser priced chardonnays, but more medium bodied and supple. Since it’s from Sonoma’s Carneros region this isn’t surprising. That area is influenced by the chilly fog and winds of San Pablo Bay so the grapes tend to be lower in sugars and make more acidic wines.

Enjoy the Benziger 2004 Carneros Chardonnay with chicken and fish, salads and cheeses – or all by itself.

It’s our wine of the week… and easy to pick up for about twelve bucks.

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio - August 18 , 2006

Winemaker's notes:

This wine is very fragrant in the nose, (peach, pear, pineapple, with light toastiness) supple and long on the palate, with a crisp, lingering finish. Enjoy with fried calamari, scallops with a curry sauce, crab cakes, filet of sole with almonds, corn chowder, macaroni and cheese, or turkey panini.

Coments:

Benziger Farming Practices

Benziger Family Winery is leading a new definition of wine quality through its Farming for FlavorsTM, organic and Biodynamic® winegrowing practices. Their 85-acre, certified Biodynamic Sonoma Mountain estate has become a research and teaching center for the cultivation of grapes with more flavor, intensity and site-specific vineyard character. The family shares its farming knowledge and experience with their longtime grower partners throughout Sonoma County.

Grapes for all Benziger wines are grown by one of three farming methods: Farming for Flavors, organic or Biodynamic. By reducing chemicals that mask the unique personality of vineyard sites, restoring the land and encouraging biodiversity on the farm, Benziger growers distinguish their fruit from all others. This distinction is of great importance to the grapegrower who makes a truly unique product, but also to the consumer who can trust that the passion of family farming and the delicious diversity of Sonoma County can be tasted in every bottle of high quality, handcrafted Benziger wine.

Past Recommendations, Picks, and Wines of the Week

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