Name: Toad Hollow Francine's Selection Unoaked Chardonnay
Variety of Grape(s): 100% Chardonnay
Region/Country of Origin: Mendocino,
California, USA
Vintage Year: 2020
Price: $19
Winery Tasting Notes: Aromatics
rise out of the glass with orange blossom, tropical fruit essence, and a bit of
almond biscotti. Steely, crisp, and bright on the palate with expansive melon
and mango flavors. The finish is ample like a creamy custard with snappy and
lingering ginger spice (wine.com, 2022).
Wine Folly Notes: Wine
Folly describes Chardonnay as having light sweetness and low to medium acidity,
which I agreed with. Also, according to the book, Chardonnays have yellow
apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter flavors. Further, it is described
as having a “wide range of styles from Blanc de Blancs to rich creamy white wines
aged in oak.” Since Toad Hollow’s Chardonnay was unoaked, I did not sense the
butter and creaminess described and instead had a different style as mentioned
in the text. Considering the average amount recommended to spend on Chardonnay
is $40, I feel that this wine was a good balance. Lastly, I would be interested
in trying a Chardonnay from France, since that is the most popular location
where it is produced (e-text, pg. 239-240).
My Review: I enjoyed this wine and would purchase
it again. When my friend and I sniffed the wine, I sensed the mango, and she
sensed the melon! It was a cool experience being able to get those notes so
quickly. I usually tend to avoid Chardonnay because I do not enjoy the creamy,
buttery taste, but I thought the wine was great—light, fruity, and a good amount
acidic. As opposed to Wine Folly’s recommendation of pairing Chardonnay with
subtle spices and lobster, I paired it with sweet and spicy noodles and
dumplings from Marco & Luca (***unfortunately, not pictured) . I actually think they paired nicely together
but that might be because of the different style of Toad Creek’s unoaked Chardonnay.
The wine was refreshing with the strong Asian flavors. Nonetheless, I enjoyed
the wine both on its own and with the food.
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