Wild Horse Winery in Paso Robles has a 25 year history of wine-making. That's well above average for a 
region that has been growing steadily in the last decade. They make five varietal wines in the "Wild Horse" category or designation. Today I'll look at their 2006 Chardonnay.
The 2006 Wild Horse Chardonnay is mostly varietal with a small amount of Viognier blended in. The wine was aged in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak with 25% of it being new. The suggested retail price for this wine is $16.
Pear, apple and nutmeg spice fill this Chardonnays nose. From the first sip forward good apple characteristics dominate the palate along with subtler but present Asian pear underpinning it. Vanilla notes emerges in the mid-palate along with a touch of tart granny smith apple. Baked apple, butter and general pie crust spice notes emerge on the finish and linger along with mineral characteristics that close things out. This wine sips well on it's own and will also be a match for a host of chicken dishes as well as pastas with cream based sauces.
While this wine retails at $16 it's generally available for a couple of dollars less. For that price, this is a solid fruit driven Chardonnay with enough complexity and varietal character to make it interesting. The new oak makes it's presence known a bit on the finish but doesn't detract from the bold fruit flavors that dominate.
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