Monterey area chardonnay refreshes with fruity flavors

I love to drink chardonnays from California's Monterey area because I usually can find lots of refreshing tropical fruit flavors in a crisp wine that pairs well with food.

Most of the growing area south of San Francisco is along the 80-plus mile Salinas Valley. Although not on the ocean, the valley is cooled by Pacific breezes. Its temperatures vary widely -- cooler in the north and warmer in the south.

The principal grape is chardonnay. While tropical fruit is a central theme, all wines from the area are, of course, not alike in style or flavor.

I asked the wine-tasting group to compare five Monterey County chardonnays in a blind tasting. Here is what we found:

- 2002 Jekel Gravelstone Chardonnay at $13.99. We smelled tropical fruit. On the palate we tasted coconut and ripe fruit. The wine was fruity sweet on the front of the tongue, a bit flabby (too creamy, not enough acid) on the middle tongue and slightly acidic on the finish. This wine tied for first in our tasting.

- 2001 Lockwood Chardonnay at $12.99. This wine had a toasty aroma, with hints of banana. In the mouth, it tasted like a traditional California chardonnay with good fruit to balance the oak. It had a better texture than the Jekel, but not the overall complexity.

- 2002 Blackstone Monterey Chardonnay at $9.99. This aroma reminded the tasters of banana cream pie. On the palate, we also tasted apricot. This wine had lots of finesse and was very lively, even given its creamy texture. The Blackstone tied for first.

- 2001 Morgan Chardonnay at $14.99. The Morgan's aroma reminded us of caramel and the butter served on movie popcorn. In the mouth, we could tell the wine maker had worked hard to manipulate this wine, producing a buttery consistency and pear flavors. Still, it was a fairly simple wine with a nice finish.

- 2001 Hahn Chardonnay at $12.99. The Hahn's aroma showed lots of oak and a bit of tropical fruit. In the mouth, the wood dominated the tropical fruit, which was mainly pineapple.

Surfing the wine shelves:

- Delaforce 10-year-old Tawny Port and 20-year-old Tawny Port in 375 milliliter bottles for $24 for the pair. The 10-year-old tasted of nuts, dried prunes, raisin and wood. The 20-year-old was much richer and creamier in texture, with more emphasis on raisin flavors.

- 2001 Hugel Riesling at $18. Grapefruit dominated the flavor, along with hints of green flowers. This wine was very dry, an excellent food wine for spicy Asian dishes.

- 2002 ForestVille Vineyard Merlot at $6. A simple, straightforward wine, with plum and berry flavors and a short finish.

- 2002 Lambert Ridge Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc at $16. An addition of 3 percent viognier adds a bit of perfume and fruitiness to this wine, which displayed citrus fruit and plenty of traditional grassiness.

- 1997 Biondi-Castello di Montepo Montepaone Toscana IGT at $45. This cabernet sauvignon was a feminine wine, soft and silky but with plenty of structure to age for 10 years or more. Red berries and wood dominated the flavors.

- 2001 Edizano Pennini Zinfandel at $35. Made by Niebaum-Coppola, this wine was fruit forward, meaning the overwhelming first impression was from the fruit. We tasted pepper, spices and cassis, all under the spell of the red fruit.

- 2002 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay at $12. The price has dropped at my store for one of America's most popular, widely distributed chardonnays. We tasted green apples, tropical fruit and citrus, layered in a buttery texture -- all in moderation. It had oak and vanilla on the finish.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203, or e-mailed to editor