TEMPERAMENTAL TASTE

The discreet charm of the right Chardonnay

JOEL L. FLEISHMAN

Wine

Chardonnays are noticeably moody, mostly because they are made to be drunk in their temperamental youth.

But we can, by allowing them to warm to room temperature over a period of several hours, make them reveal themselves. By exposing them to the air, we hasten their ripening, dispel their moods, and uncover what the winemaker intended.

I kept this in mind recently during a tasting of thirty-four highly regarded Chardonnays.

Some of the great vineyards, such as Chalone, Edna Valley,

Chateau St. Jean Robert Young, Grgich Hills, and both Mondavis, not only failed to shine at first but also, on resampling four, eighteen, and thirty-six hours later, didn't rise to their reputation. Other highly regarded labels, such as the Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre, Chateau Montelena, Far Niente, Trefethen, Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches, and S. Anderson, which did not score high initially, seemed impressive a few hours later, when they were warm, which indicates how they are likely to taste chilled in another year or so.

The wines, in four flights, are listed below in order of their ranking on initial tasting. All thirty-four wines were reassessed after four hours. At that point, the Forman was everyone's favorite. It is one of the most classically sculptured Chardonnays I've ever tasted, with intense lemon and honey flavors framed by tobacco, and with a gorgeous long finish. It is the second Chardonnay released by Ric Forman under his own label. Forman is the distinguished winemaker who guided Sterling Vineyards to greatness in the seventies, and who was later the wine-maker at Newton, and still later at Charles F. Shaw, where he continues to be a part-time consultant. To my taste his is the best American Chardonnay around, although its production is limited. It is still available through the winery, which will ship (707-9630234). After the tasting, I visited Forman and found his 1986, which is to be released in October, to be even more impressive than his astonishing 1985. Watch for it.

A very close overall second place was won by an Australian entry, Rosemount Estate, for its Roxburgh. It is probably Australia's greatest, as well as priciest, Chardonnay, and its huge, ripe fruit and oak flavors, highlighted by cascading tastes of lemon and honey, make it the equal of even more expensive Burgundies, such as Le Montrachet and CortonCharlemagne. For its full-bodied, uninhibited romantic style, it may well be the best wine at its price in the world. The Congress Springs, one of the less expensive entries, was the consensus third choice. After four hours, its wonderfully vigorous lemon-tobacco flavors gave it a rich, ebullient, expansive, chewy taste in the mouth. Others which ranked very high were the Kalin Cellars, Charles F. Shaw, De Loach, and Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Hunter Valley. Even after eighteen and thirty-six hours, all of these wines were spectacular.

Three of the least expensive entries, Glen Ellen, Guenoc, and Raymond, are superb wines and terrific values as well.

Flight one: 1985 Forman Napa Valley ($16.50); 1984 Fisher Coach Insignia ($15); 1985 Glen Ellen Proprietor's Reserve ($4.50); 1984 Louis Latour Meursault ($20); 1983 Louis Latour Batard-Montrachet ($65); 1984 Penfolds South Australian ($10); 1984 Robert Mondavi Reserve ($23); 1984 S. Anderson Estate Bottled Napa Valley ($12.50); 1984 Grgich Hills Napa Valley ($20); 1984 Simi Mendocino/Sonoma ($12).

Flight two: 1985 Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Hunter Valley ($15); 1985 De Loach Vineyards Sonoma County Russian River Valley ($12.50); 1984 Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Vineyard Sonoma Valley ($16.50); 1985 Congress Springs Santa Clara County ($12.99);

1983 Trefethen Vineyards Napa Valley ($13.75); 1985 Chalone Vineyard Estate Bottled ($20); 1984 Chateau Montelena Napa Valley ($18); 1985 Far Niente Napa Valley ($22); 1985 Acacia Napa Valley-Carneros Winery Lake Vineyard ($18); 1984 Chateau St. Jean Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyards ($18).

Flight three: 1985 Kalin Cellars Cuvee B.L. Potter Valley ($18); 1984 Charles F. Shaw Napa Valley ($13.50);

1984 Rosemount Estate Roxburgh Vineyard ($30); 1985 Edna Valley Vineyard Estate Bottled ($13); 1984 Robert Mondavi ($14); 1985 Raymond California ($8.50); 1984 Chateau St. Jean Alexander Valley Belle Terre Vineyards ($16).

Flight four: 1985 Clos du Bois Flint wood Vineyard Dry Creek Valley ($18); 1984 Guenoc North Coast ($9.15); 1984 Beringer Napa Valley ($10); 1984 Chateau St. Jean Sonoma County ($11); 1984 Iron Horse Sonoma County-Green Valley ($12); 1985 Christophe Vineyards California ($6.50); 1985 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches ($11.75).