Now Is The Time To Bring Out The California Chardonnays

With winter finally starting to seem like a distant memory for most people, taste buds are changing and it is time to bring out the flavors of spring. It will not be long before people turn back to heavy meats - this time not roasted in the oven but smoked on the grill - but for now, many people look to light fresh flavors, and the perfect wines to go with that food are the fruit forward Chardonnays of California.

Thanks to changes in refrigeration and distribution, it is possible to go all winter long continuing to enjoy fresh fruit and simple dishes, but old habits are hard to break. Plus, embracing these flavors and experiences now is something like a ritual changing of the seasons. Finally, if you ask anyone, they will all tell you the same thing: these foods just taste better when you can eat them outside in the sunshine. One of the hallmarks of New World wine in general and California wine particularly is the fruit forward flavors that come across. The main reason for this is the longer growing season and the greater changes between daytime and nighttime as the grapes grow. By allowing the grapes to grow longer and fuller, it brings the fruit flavors more forward over some of the other common flavors that can be found in similar grapes grown in other parts of the world. This is true not only for Chardonnay or even white varietals, but red varietals as well. It is one of the reasons why the most preferred wine with steak is typically a full juicy California Cabernet.

What helps to set California Chardonnay apart from other New World white wines, and the main reason it is an excellent choice for a spring wine, is the choice that comes with it. Winemakers choose to age their Chardonnay in either stainless steel tanks or large oaken vats. While this may not seem that important to the average person, the affect it has on the wine is stupendous.

As anyone who drinks whiskey or scotch will tell you, barrel aging affects the flavor. The traditional aging of wine in the wooden barrels imparts upon the wine a rich buttery texture. Stainless steel, on the other hand, does not interact with the wine and so the Chardonnay is left with a drier, more mineral flavor. Most people will only drink one or the other, but regardless of which one they prefer, both have the pleasant fruit forward expression that makes them the perfect choice for springtime wine drinking.

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com

How to Advice .com