Wine Review: Tolosa No-Oak Chardonnay 2007

Posted by Wine Welfare | Filed under $10-$12, California, Central Coast, Chardonnay, USA, White

Tolosa No Oak Chardonnay

Tolosa No-Oak Chardonnay

Given that we pretty much bashed Tolosa’s other Chardonnay into submission yesterday for being as oak-ridden as your grandmother’s antique dining table, we figured we had better give them another shot. So here we have the Tolosa “No Oak” Chardonnay, a name that still cracks us up because it was almost like they tasted their barrel aged Chardonnay and thought, “This is ridiculous. We’d better do something.” Thus, the “No-Oak” Chardonnay was born, and labeled bluntly.

Color

Same as yesterday’s “Oak” Chardonnay. Oily golden color, very viscous. Just goes to show that oak is not necessary to having a beautiful-looking Chardonnay, only decent fruit. Still, because they look alike, we’re scared.

Nose

Refreshing, which belies the thicker color and consistency of the wine. Fresh cut green apple, some lemon, some sugary pear, and a bit of minerality.

Taste

Thank. God. This is what we were hoping for. Like the nose, this wine is crisp and refreshing, while still maintaining the hallmarks of the best California Chardonnays. Excellent fruit brings up those lemons, pears, limes, and a great acid that bounces along your tongue. Full-bodied, but not as much as you would think given how thick it looked. Great vanilla and a bit of campfire towards the end, helping the heat of it back off. A solid, solid wine all the way.

With Food

Great with fish or chicken cooked in light butter sauces since the wine is crisp enough to cut through the fat of the butter. Tailor made for some crab at the Cracked Crab in Pismo Beach which, coincidentally, is about ten minutes from Tolosa’s winery in the Edna Valley of California.

$11.99 at BudgetBottle.com!

Tolosa Winery

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Also Check Out:

  1. Wine Review: Tolosa Chardonnay 2005
  2. Wine Review: La Crema Chardonnay 2007
  3. Wine Review: 2006 Edna Valley Paragon Chardonnay
  4. Wine Review: Four Vines Naked Chardonnay
  5. Wine Review: 2007 Edna Valley Paragon Chardonnay

Comments (1) | October 8th, 2009

One Response to “Wine Review: Tolosa No-Oak Chardonnay 2007”

  1. What Wine Goes With Chicken? Review | Wine Welfare Says:
    December 4, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    [...] are using some kind of oil and herb mix. If you are leaning towards the white realm, try the Tolosa No-Oak Chardonnay. If you’re heading for red country, pretend it’s a roasted turkey, which pair great [...]

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