My good friend had a destination wedding in Carmel, CA. I was lucky we were living in the bay area which made it an easy trip for us to make and celebrate with friends. My friend really enjoys wine as well and we have spent several nights enjoying ourselves over wine and having philosophical discussions. Especially back in our college days. He had mentioned to me about a port he really wanted to get his hands on but it was not easy to come across. The port he was desperately trying to obtain was the Rombauer Port. The winery only makes this about every 2 years or so and only makes a small batch so this is hard to come by and you might not find it at a local wine shop. I was living close to Napa, CA. and thought, perhaps for his wedding I’ll try to find him a bottle as our gift. My friend and I decided to make a day of it. We would go to the winery and then hit the golf course on the way home for a round of golf. It was a beautiful early may day, sunny, warm with a small breeze. We arrived at Rombauer winery after winding up through the woods to a pretty structure situated on top of a hill. They definitely constructed this building right because you could sit out on the patio and over look the Napa valley. We decided to do a tasting…how could you not! The tasting was 1 white and 3 reds. My friend and I took our first sip of the Chardonnay and it was very classic Napa California Chardonnay but we both really enjoyed it. At the end of the tasting the associate was kind enough to give us a small sample of the port we were looking for. My friend has this amazing skill. She is your typical California girl with the right amount of flirt and fun personality to her. This is great when in these situations. We even got a small tour of the caves which house some of the barrels of wine and we really weren’t supposed to. I was able to obtain a bottle of the port but what I was truly interested in was the Chardonnay.
Most people who are familiar with the classic California style Chardonnay and Rombauer winery might not like it. I really enjoy the clean, buttery, creamy style of Chardonnay. I can appreciate the types that are clean and crisp with a little edge but there is a time and place for the classic California Chardonnay. Rombauer uses American and French oak to ferment and age the wine giving it the creamy oak flavors as well as bringing out vanilla and caramel. Rombauer Chardonnay 2010 from Carneros AVA.
Wine Notes:
Nose: Honeydew, Vanilla, Lavender, Oak,
Taste: Honeysuckle, Pineapple, Vanilla, Butter, Creamy mouth feel, hint of caramel and a good finish.
This wine is elegant and a true representation of the typical Chardonnay from California. I truly enjoyed it and could see myself enjoying a glass on a summer’s eve or paired with a light pasta.
