Chardonnay Day!

My first “ah ha!” moment of actually enjoying Chardonnay was at a wine tasting this past winter. Our friends host an annual party with a huge wine tasting that outdoes itself every year.

Not all bottles were shown in this picture 😉

Winner winner chicken dinner!! Each year we try a different varietal and everyone brings a bottle. This year was Chardonnay…to be honest, I wasn’t pumped about it. As luck would have it, the bottle I brought (thank you Line39!) won the blind taste test and I felt converted from that moment on. Since then, I’ve held two Chardonnay tastings at home and slowly but surely, am appreciating the grape more than I thought. Here’s a few I’ve tried recently and recommend you try as well!

The key to a wine tasting is grabbing the same varietal from different regions. It’s so interesting to learn how different climates (and TLC) can affect the same grape! They don’t have to be expensive either. Grab a variety-whatever is in your price point and have fun with it. When doing a tasting with one varietal I actually don’t like to pair food with it. I would have plain crackers or nuts around but keep them neutral. You can hide the bottles in bags or just leave them out exposed. Keep it casual and easy.

You can put out tasting sheets and make it competitive or if it’s a small group just taste each one at the same time and converse about it. It’s fun to hear how people interpret the flavors and how vastly our taste buds are from one another.

Pour a glass and email me your favorites. I’m excited to hear what you all enjoy and why!

Cheers!