Aged in French oak barrels, this wine exhibits scents of oak in the nose and distinct overtones of oak in the taste of the wine. The winemaker does not induce malolactic fermentation in the making of the wine, something that I do prefer in my chardonnays. The style is clean and the wine is elegant with a natural acidity. Layers of pear and spiced apples come through in the flavor. This wine pairs nicely with food, especially cream sauces over pasta, seafood or a nice oven roasted chicken.
It sells for $30 at the winery, or $24 for wine club members. Schug Carneros Estate Winery is in Sonoma County, down a long country road and up on the top of a hill. Beautiful country. This was one of our last stops on a trip through Sonoma and Mendocino Counties last fall. They are a member of the Priority Wine Pass, a membership that we purchased last year to help offset the cost of wine tasting, particularly in the more expensive wine regions of Napa and Sonoma.