Wine Review - 2011 Baron Philippe De Rothschild Chardonnay: Uncomplicated French Chardonnay

This Chardonnay was provided to us and is the vintage that followed our review here. As a follow-up to the 2010, we wanted to see how this one stacked up.  In the 2010 we found it to be a lot closer to a New World Chardonnay for a French wine.  This one was no different.  There is a lot of oak at play in both years and this was not a huge departure from the 2010.  The back label hasn't changed either and they still speak of hazelnut and toast.  We can get both, more hazelnuts than toast but toasty it is.  Very enjoyable.

The look of the wine is a lot more golden in colour than the 2010 but there are still greenish tones in there.  We enjoyed the look as far as it was clear and bright but this is pretty standard stuff.

The nose is clearly honeyed and has an oaky and peachy base.  It is really an attractive smell.  There might be a bit of a musty smell, but not in the bad wine being off way, more of a grandma's basement smell.  Interesting.

The flavour profile is very tart with a bunch of apple and pear.  The tropical fruit that showed up in the 2010 is not there.  We get more of a peanut brittle thing going one, which is to say there is a balance of salty and sweet, not that there is a peanut flavour.  We like the idea that the hazelnut might continue but it is very, very subtle.

	Tasting Notes:	Score:
Sight (0-5)	Clear and bright wine with Golden tones and a lightly greenish tinge.	4.0
Smell (0-5)	Honey notes with oak and peach, and a touch of must (in a good way).	4.0
Taste (0-10)	Tart apples with pears...salty and sweet.  Tasty.	7.75
	Total:	15.75 / 20  (78.75%)

This one clocks in at $14 which is a really good price point.  Great price for this wine and it could certainly be an everyday wine.  You need to like the oak aspect in your wine to make this one a winner but if you like oaked Chardonnay you will like this.

Keep on tasting!

Chris & Shannon