Most wine Drinkers Don't Really Understand Chardonnay Yes, there is some new oak on this wine, but it is extremely restrained, like a well-seasoned dish. A heady nose of peaches and spring blossoms gives way to a broad, brioche-like palate cut through by searing, orange oil acidity.

On Mother's Day, get her a great chardonnay This Oregon gem was one of our favorite chardonnays in this lineup. With character unique to this terroir, the wine has all pistons firing: texture, balance and only a kiss of oak. After the wine gets happy in oak barrels for 16 months, it is transferred to outdoor stainless-steel tanks and left to mature in the cold Northwest winter.

15 wine gift ideas for any budget Everyone knows that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a source of world class Pinot Noir. Chardonnay thrives there too, but it remains a bit of a secret weapon, as not everyone realizes how well it does. This one is from the Yamhill-Carlton appellation. Granny Smith apple aromas lead the charge here. The palate is simultaneously full-flavored and proportionate. Orchard fruit and bits of green tea are evident on the palate. Minerals and subtle white pepper drive the long finish. Firm acid keeps this Chardonnay refreshing and remarkably food friendly.

The wine showed a straw color. Apple, lemon, honey, buttery oak, almonds and slate each arrived on the rich nose. Apple, lemon, oak, honey, slate and cedar followed on the palate where the wine's time in oak provided a foundation for the ripe fruit. The wine exhibited good acidity and balance, along with good structure and length. This wine would do well as an aperitif and would be the classic pairing for your Thanksgiving turkey.

This wine is very fresh and upfront, featuring flint, apricot, persimmon and kumquat flavours, with a finish as clean as a spring day and with a cleansing balanced acidity. An array of inviting aromas are present, such as Meyer lemon, brown sugar, Asian pear, oregano, a hint of matchstick, white peach, brine, lees and perfume.

The Wines of Oregon and Washington are Poised for Greatness on the World The Gran Moraine Chardonnay 2014 (SRP $45) reminded me a bit of Meursault with its phenomenally complex layers of smoky gunflint minerality, lemon creme, honeysuckle, toasted brioche, baked pear, fennel, and star anise—it’s a blockbuster, and an utter steal at the price.

The prestigious Gran Moraine Vineyard – five miles west of Carlton, Oregon - was planted in 2005 to several different Dijon clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The production regimen of this wine included barrel fermentation and lees stirring while completing 14 months in barrel. Gran Moraine Chardonnay is a fantastic testament to the potential of the varietal in Oregon, offering Burgundian character of earth and chalky mineral with complex aromas and flavors of lemon, peach and floral perfume and hints of toast and buttery caramel.

25 of Our Favorite Under-the-Radar California Reds Beringer and Peter Michael put Knights Valley on the map, but it’s this Galerie “Latro” offering that will remind enthusiasts and collectors alike that you can still pickup quality mountain Cabernet for under around $50. The “Latro” is dark and opulent with an herbal and mineral edge that conjures a broad-shouldered but balanced Left Bank Bordeaux. Beautiful blackberry and blackcurrant adorn the mid-palate with a contrast of graphite and crushed rocks that adds depth to the finish.

Overall score: 17.5 (9 for quality, 8.5 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9 or higher. "Lovely black fruit. Herbal notes." My score: 9.2. "Nice structure. Tannic, elegant." Winemaker Laura Díaz Muños blends fruit from Atlas Peak, St. Helena, Diamond Mountain and Howell Mountain vineyards, ages the finished wine for 20 months in French oak – about half of it new – then bottles it unfined and unfiltered.

From Spring Mountain District a 2017 Galerie Terracea reflected a fruity profile.

St. Helena Star/Napa Valley Vintner panelists enjoy, taste and rank today’s Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Galerie Naissance 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley provides a range of flavors to enjoy from lemon citrus and fresh grass to ripe perfumy-melon.

Wines Perfect for Every Type of Easter Dish Check out these perfect wine pairings for every favorite Easter dish, from brunch to dinner, casual or festive. Galerie Naissance 2017 Vintage Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese or Cream Cheese. With refreshing hints of tropical fruits and ginger, and a mouthfeel that is both tartly crisp and creamy, this sauvignon blanc is so ideal with goat’s cheese appetizer. Think spring greens on a crostini with a swipe of chèvre. If you’re doing more of a brunch than dinner spread, this wine is great with toasted bagels or toast with goat cheese or cream cheese and a slew of toppings.

Wines With Character For Mother's Day Sauvignon Blancs tend to be expressive, and Naissance is fuller bodied than most and has forward fruit gorgeously melded with mouth-watering crispness.

Top 100 Wines of 2017 Made by Spanish native Laura Diaz Munoz, this sophisticated wine delivers brisk grapefruit, lime and mineral character. Half of the blend was aged in new and older French oak barrels, lending textural complexity to the vibrant fruit character.

Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple and celery and lime zest. In the mouth, lime zest and lime juice vibrate with searing acidity and the slight bitterness of citrus pith and green apple skin. Nice. 9.0

Sauvignon Blanc ideal in the summer heat As consumer friendly as those wines are, I found more complexity and flavor interest as prices escalated: ...2015 Galerie "Naissance" Napa Valley lychee, stone fruit, melon; ...and 2015 Stonestreet Alexander Valley complex, grassy.

2013 Galerie Wines Equitem Sauvignon Blanc, Knights Valley, Sonoma County (100 percent sauvignon blanc): cut grass aromas, crisp and lively, with flavors of lemons, grapefruit and minerals; $30.

The floral aromas are heavenly. Night jasmine wafts out of the glass and with the first sip, a creaminess washes across the palate, uplifting a stream of white peach, grapefruit and honeydew. A top note of minerality is constant. The 2011 Galerie Naissance Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc has arrived.

Tasting Fine Napa Valley Merlots Freemark Abbey is storied in California wine history because its vintage 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1973 Chardonnay were both included in the 1976 Paris Tasting. Winemaker Ted Edwards shared that their first merlot release was the result of an abundant 1985 harvest. Plans to sell off the excess changed after sampling the quality and they have released merlot as a single varietal wine since. Freemark Abbey produces a Napa Valley Merlot,aged 16 months in French oak, with 11 percent added between cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, malbec and cabernet franc. However, the 2015 Freemark Abbey Merlot Bosche’ Vineyard, with 99 percent merlot from the Rutherford district, expresses exceptional depth of flavor and aroma. It’s rich, concentrated flavors of black cherry combine with nuanced spice elements.

Wines of the Week Sourced from vineyards on Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak, this Merlot offers a quintessential Napa Valley character that my tasters really enjoyed. Look for ripe black cherry on both the nose and palate with nuances of spicy oak, chocolate, anise and dried herbs.

Old school winery. New school Merlot. Freemark Abbey was one of the winemaker submissions at the Judgement of Paris (red and white) which catapulted them into fame. I wish this Merlot was on par with their legacy. If you like high alcohol Merlot with a slight burn to it for that medium rare steak on a sunny day, then this is for you. Under the burn there are nice notes of licorice and plum with some cigar box thrown in and a nice acidity, but that 14.5% of alcohol comes at you first, sacrificing the initial pleasure of the characteristics. Rating - B-.

Wines of the Week Freemark Abbey winery dates back to the pre-prohibition days of the late 19th century when the historic stone winery was constructed by Antonio Forni and named Lombarda Cellars after his birthplace in Italy. Today, the winery follows traditions going back to 1967 when modern-era Napa winemaking favored Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. This rich and hearty Merlot was voted top marks by my tasters for its spicy dark fruits, smoky oak and lingering palate of plum, vanilla and caramel.

West Favourites Presenting a deep opaque red ruby color in the glass, this Merlot expresses rich dark fruit aromas composed of dark cherry, plum and dried herbs. There is a milk chocolate nuance with integrated spicy oak. Coupled with the rich dark fruit, there is a hint of arugula adding to the complexity. The entry and finish are very smooth with integrated fruit resembling black cherry. The wine’s depth, coupled with its rich flavours, provides a finish that’s long and harmonious. Well done.

The sybaritic style of Freemark Abbey One of the most impressive red wines in the portfolio is a 2013 merlot with dramatic varietal character (traces of dried herbs such as thyme and sage plus olives). It tastes best after decanting.