by Andrew Chalk
The 2013 Illuminate Chardonnay, North Coast, California is a wine that reinforces your confidence that pleasant, varietally correct, Chardonnay can be made for less than $10. In a sector overloaded with industrial-tasting monstrosities the Illuminate Chardonnay displays fresh fruit aromas of pear and melon, bold flavors of melon, pear and guava framed by bright acid and a more refined phenolic grip than you would expect in a wine at this price. All of this leads through to an enjoyable soft finish.
Quaff after a hard day at work or serve with any of the wide variety of food that Chardonnay has been justly associated with. That includes chicken or turkey (hot and roasted or cold), pasta with cream sauce, or white-fleshed fish like T.J.’s excellent Australian barramundi. Continue reading
