Shaardunaay.

Aaah Chardonnay.  I've consumed gallons of you by now, and I'm still thirsty for more.

But seriously, for beginner wine drinkers, this white grape varietal is a good place to start.  Chardonnay is grown in virtually every wine-making region on earth:  California, France, South Africa, Oregon and even Italy have this grape nailed down.  And while it may taste different depending on where it's grown, chardonnay is distinct.  It will always taste like chardonnay.

I say it's a good white wine for beginners, because it's easy to appreciate.  Chardonnay has a beautiful aroma, and it is full-bodied (see prior blogpost) enough to stand up to many different kinds of dishes.  It is the grape of Burgundy, and of Champagne.  California became famous because of Cabernet Sauvignon, and, you guessed it, Chardonnay.   It is also the top-selling white wine in the U.S.

In wine making, after grapes are harvested and turned into liquid, wine is stored in either wooden casks or stainless steel barrels, for the process of fermentation.  This process, especially with chardonnay, results in different flavors in the wine.  People often describe chardonnay as "oakey" -- this is true if the wine fermented in an oak cask (or barrel).   California wine makers have traditionally stored chardonnay in oak.  French wine makers often prefer stainless steel.  They're both good.

Today's featured wine is Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay.  It's made in Sonoma County, an excellent wine making region in California.  The wine has a creamy taste (I know, I know, that sounds ridiculous), with flavors of melon and pear.  Give it a shot, you'll see what I mean.  Most wine stores will have it, and you'll often find it around $13 dollars (or less) per bottle.  Enjoy!