Wine Review: Holman Ranch 2011 Chardonnay

The good people at Holman Ranch also sent be a bottle of chardonnay to review in addition to the sauvignon blanc I previously reviewed.

This is an estate grown chardonnay.  What does estate grown mean on a wine label?  Basically, it’s a fancy way to say that a certain percentage of the grapes are grown by the winery.  OK, it’s a little more in-depth than that, but that’s for another blog post.

Are you confused?  Well, not all wineries can afford thousands of acres of land to grow their own grapes, so they will buy them from various places.  Personally, I don’t care.  I only care what the wine tastes like when I drink it.

Maybe this quote from the Holman Ranch website will clear things up:

Our estate-grown wine varietals are planted on approximately 19 acres of undulating terrain. The wines produced are unfined and crafted to deliver the true varietal of the grape from harvest to bottle.

They have five estate grown wines in all.  The sauvignon blanc I recently reviewed was also labeled as such.

Let’s talk appellation.  Basically, it’s the area in which wine is grown.  In Monterey County, where Holman Ranch is located, there are seven distinct appellations.  Holman Ranch is in the Carmel Valley appellation.

According to the Carmel Valley Wines website:

Nestled into the towering Santa Lucia Range, Carmel Valley geographically defies daytime zephyrs and fogs, yielding the sizzling summer afternoons that are especially favorable to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other red varietals. Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel also perform exceptionally well in Carmel Valley.

Many people have strong feelings about chardonnay.  They usually either love it or hate it.  I personally enjoy it.  It was very popular in the 90s. Yes, I was old enough to drink in the 90s…the later half, but still.

This chardonnay was lovely. It was buttery, crisp, and light. Everything I’d want in a chardonnay. The price point for this bottle is $28.  It’s not cheap, but it won’t break the bank either.  It’s great for a nice meal or to take as a gift to someone.  Who wouldn’t want a nice bottle of wine? Ok, maybe some, but not me.