Parducci Wine Cellars has a lot going for it. They’re a Mendocino County producer that has been around for quite a long time. In their history they’ve seen and done a lot. What they have been doing of late is producing vintage after vintage of well made, varietally correct wines that are perfect for everyday consumption. These are budget friendly wines that are generally available all over the country. Today I’ll look at their current release of Chardonnay.
The Parducci 2010 Small Lot Blend Chardonnay was produced from fruit sourced in their home appellation of Mendocino County. The fruit was picked, fermented and vinified in small lots. Aging was accomplished over 8 months in a combination of stainless steel (95%) and used French oak (5%). Afterwards select lots were blended together to create this wine. This nationally available selection has a suggested retail price of $10.99.
The story of this wine can be summed up in one word: apples. It starts with he first whiff of the nose which gives the feel of being in the middle of an apple orchard. The apple party continues on the palate where Golden Delicious and Macintosh apples star. They are joined there by a bevy of bakers spices and a nice dollop of lemon curd. Minerals, citrus zest and continued apple flavors reverberate through the finish which has more than sufficient length for its category. Bright acidity keeps things in check and makes this wine a natural partner for light fare of all kinds.
The 2010 Small lot Blend Chardonnay from Parducci is another in a long line of well made, fairly priced releases that most can drink any night of the week without breaking the budget.