Charles Smith Wines
Tonight I have the honor of telling you about a really nice Washington State Chardonnay by Charles Smith Wines. I have seen this label over the past few years mostly by way of his House Wine (under his Magnificent Wines label). Honestly, I haven't paid the wines much attention and blew off the wines because of the simplistic (in my view gimmicky) packaging. I now stand corrected. All of the wines have simple names and simple labels. They are indeed simple.....and wonderful. They are also priced right.
Charles Smith Wines was named by Food and Wine Magazine as "Winemaker of the Year" in the current issue. (I also want to plug Vineyard Brands Importers, with whom my friend Eileen Hallmark is associated as the Wine Importer of the Year). After reading the article, I went on a search for a sampling of his wines. Since I live in the Wine Wasteland of Oklahoma where it can be problematic to locate the good stuff (especially from small labels), I was only able to acquire about one-half of his wines.
The first wine for me to taste is one of his two Chardonnays. Eve (as in the Garden of Eden), is described by the winemaker as "...fresh, crisp....the scent of fresh apple blossoms lures you into the Garden of Eden. Silky, soft, mouth filling deliciousness...." The wine is indeed clean and crisp. While it is not known for sure, I do believe this wine saw mainly stainless steel (and little, if any, oak). The result is a fragrantly fruity and aromatic Chardonnay. At 13.5% alcohol it is typical of American Chardonnays. The October issue of Wine Spectator lists this wine in its 500 for under $20 and gives it an 88 rating. I usually don't get too hung up on rating numbers but I really believe this wine was crafted with a lot of love.
If you like smooth, easy-to-drink Chardonnays you will love this wine. It has a slight buttery taste but just a bit. I would describe the aroma in the glass as that of green apples or maybe melon. But, I don't get caught up on smell. Taste, though, is a different matter and I really liked this wine.
It will go great with most chicken and lighter pork dishes (not BBQ, though). I think it would be great with pasta and chicken or even turkey.
FYI... Charles Smith produces wines under three labels (I believe). You find such names as House Red, House White, Steak House Red (Cab), and Fish House White under the Magnificent Wine Company label. Under the Charles Smith label you'll find Eve Chardonnay, Velvet Devil Merlot and Boom Boom Syrah (to name a few). Under the "K" line you'll find more pricey reds such as The Creator, Clifton and The Deal. I haven't had a chance to try these but they are centered around Syrah and get good reviews from the experts. The "K" label starts at about $35 and goes up from there.
Rating: Very Good/Outstanding
***Good Value Wine*****
Price: $13
Happy Wine Wednesday...... Wes
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