California has made a name for itself making big, oaky, rich Chardonnays that are golden in color and heavy on the palate. And for some, this is a style that is appealing and desirable. But for those who seek a Chardonnay that is more Burgundian in style, the proliferation of big California Chardonnays has caused many of these drinkers to look elsewhere. But Burgundian style Chardonnay is attainable in California. Wines that are similar to Chablis with beautiful minerality, crisp acidity, almost no oak and low alcohol. The perfect example of this is Inman Family Russian River Chardonnay.
A native of the Napa Valley, owner and winemaker Kathleen Inman creates a Chardonnay that is a direct departure from the wines she grew up with. Instead she makes wines that harken to the grape’s ancestral home of Burgundy. Wines that show great restraint and display a clear sense of place.
In the glass the wine pours a beautiful bright yellow and gives off a luscious aroma of flowers, melon, lemon, honeysuckle and pear. On the palate the wine is light and balanced with delicious clean flavors of lemon, and green apple with a touch of oak and minerality that’s balanced by acidity. It’s a wine whose flavors stay with you, even after you’ve swallowed. It’s so delicious in fact, that it’s hard not to pour yourself glass after glass. And at under 12% alcohol, you can afford to have a few.
