Wines of FreshDirect: Chardonnay That Thinks It’s A Pineapple

Chardonnay drinkers are a breed apart. They seem to defend their grape of choice regardless of the failings of many. Poorly made Chardonnays drove me away from white varietals for years. Fortunately, my tastes have matured, and I’ve come to enjoy many, many white varietals. But I’ve stayed away from Chardonnays mostly. Until now, when as a service to AmericanMadness readers, I begin an odyssey down the Chardonnay aisle at FreshDirect.com.

Winery: Hope Estates
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Australia
Year: 2005

Source: FreshDirect.com
Price: $13

Color: Gold

Nose: Butter, apple, banana came forth in a big way when I popped the cork on this one. After some time out of the bottle, grass, oak, watermelon and pineapple notes were evident.

Taste: Remember those long road trips as a kid and your mom would pack individual fruit juices in a can. Well after the initial big buttery and wildflower entry to the wine, the taste is unmistakable Dole pineapple juice served from a tin can. Fortunately for this medium bodied wine, the tin can subsides, and lets tastes of honey, peach and mango dance with the pineapple. I’m greeted at the finish by structured oak; whom is joined by his friend lingering butter.

What I like: I happen to like Dole pineapple juice in the tin can. It’s what I use to mix rum drinks. That tropical fruit sweetness evident in the wine also leads me to believe this would be a nice selection for someone that is not traditionally wine drinker. It is not too sugary, and presents distinguished tropical fruit flavors. If you like rum and pineapple at the bar, give this one a try.

What I don’t like: Up front I admitted, I am not a big Chardonnay drinker. Why? Because they all have this buttery viscosity that sticks in your mouth, so you continue to taste the wine an hour later, in the middle of the night, the next day, seemingly forever. Well there it was in this one and I don’t like it.