Chamard Vineyards ~ The Whites (Connecticut)

July 30, 2009 by MTB

Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

Chamard currently has four whites in their 2009 Selection of Wines, three of which are included on the Tasting Menu:

Stone Cold White This cold-fermented, un-oaked Chardonnay is Chamard’s best selling wine. The color is a pale yellow but not quite straw. The nose is lovely with light floral notes and hints of grapefruit and lemon. On the palate the wine is smooth and light, with a pleasant touch of lemon and just enough acid to give the wine some character and depth. This wine would pair well with light fish dishes or even do well on it’s own as a light afternoon sipping wine.

2004 Chardonnay This is a more classic Chardonnay than the Stone Cold White. The color, while still on the pale side, is a deeper yellow, and the nose is stronger, with nice floral notes. The Chardonnay is aged in a combination of French oak (40%) and stainless steel (60%), and the oak provides a smooth, yet light, buttery finish. In the mouth, the wine is a bit more fuller-bodied than the Stone Cold White, and there are notes of citrus and honey. Overall, this is a lovely Chardonnay with just the right balance of fruit and acid; it will pair well with a wide variety of foods. Mario, my host for the tasting, noted that the Chardonnay pairs particularly well with cream sauces.

Both the Stone Cold White and the 2004 Chardonnay are produced from a blend of locally-grown Connecticut grapes and grapes grown on Long Island.

2004 Estate Reserve Chardonnay This was my favorite of the Chamard Whites. A lovely, rich Chardonnay with beautiful fruit notes, particularly pineapple, on the nose and in the mouth. 60% aged in French oak and 40% in stainless steel, the wine has a lovely blend of fruit and a touch of vanilla from the oak. The finish is smooth and lingers on the palate. This would also pair well with a wide variety of foods, and as I sipped it, I found myself thinking it would be very interesting paired with shellfish, such as lobster or crab.

Also available this year is the 2007 Pinot Gris. This is the first year Chamard has produced the Pinot Gris, and may likely be their last. Made from grapes grown at nearby Rock Wall Vineyards in Hadlyme, CT (not a commercial winery), the wine was produced in limited quantities and is therefore not included on the tasting menu. Described as light and slightly effervescent particularly when chilled, I decided to purchase a bottle to try later. I must admit I was disappointed with this one. There were strong notes of lemon on both the nose and in the mouth, but there was also a disconcerting tartness, almost bitterness, at the end, that the slight effervescence seemed to magnify. I recorked the bottle and left it out and tried it the next day at room temperature (which given our colder summer this year was about 70º). The effervescence was slightly subdued, but still present, and I still found the tartness off-putting. For me, this was the only miss of the Chamard selection.