Critics reviews
The 20 best Christmas white wines between £10 and £20
David Williams - The Observer, Sunday 13 November 2011
About this WINE
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
The enormous Concha y Toro is a producer that excels at most price levels – from the basic, ubiquitous Casillero del Diablo range, to this magnificent chardonnay, arguably Chile's best. What makes it so good – and so drinkable –is the tension between fine, citrus zestiness, minerality and rich, nutty, creaminess.
The 20 best Christmas white wines between £10 and £20
David Williams - The Observer, Sunday 13 November 2011
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