Earlier this year I featured chardonnays from another vintner in Napa Valley which I believe embrace and capture the nuances of the actual Chardonnay grape.   To prove that this feat is on the rise, prevalent and obtainable, I have selected another Chardonnay of similar style.

As I have in the past regaled the merits of merlot, I am an equally staunch advocate of clean, crisp Chardonnay.   I believe highly in the integrity of the grape in a wine and the talents of a vintner who can stand by the fruit used and gloriously flaunt the grape’s natural attributes without manipulation.   Few Chardonnays that I find that meet this standard; yet when I do find such a wine, anyone attending dinner is in for a treat.   One exemplary Chardonnay that excels above the rest is Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 2007 Arcadia Chardonnay.

For those who enjoy a dose of history and meaning with their wine, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is rich in history, tradition and California winemaking lore.   This is indeed the very same winery which won for its remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon in the famous 1976 blind tasting in Paris, France.   Those unaware, prior to 1976, French wine was hailed as the standard of excellence throughout the world and California wines had yet to formally compete on the French stage in comparison.   Once Warren Winiarski had won this historic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, he was then later afforded opportunity to expand his holdings and acquire additional vineyards.  In 1996, he suitably expanded his parcels to include the Arcadia Vineyard which is the home to Chardonnay vines (and still owned by his family today).   Of interesting historical note, the Arcadia Vineyard was purchased by Warren Winiarski (“Winiarski”) from Mike Grgich (“Grgich”).   At the time that Winiarski’s Cabernet Sauvignon took first place at the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris, Grgich was the winemaker behind the famed Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay which won first place for white wine.    Needless to state, Grgich knows his Chardonnay and thus there would be implied quality behind any vineyard that he might have owned.

“Quality” does not begin to adequately describe the 2007 Arcadia Chardonnay as its nose and mouth set it not only as a front-runner but in a league of its own.   Combining elegance and beauty, this wine (which consists of 100% Chardonnay) delights the senses and enchants the imagination.   In the glass, the wine cheerfully sparkles like clean sunlight and could brighten any dreary rain-filled spring day.  Romantically aromatic, the 2007 Arcadia Chardonnay entrances with its nose of orange blossom, cantaloupe melon, pear, warm pie crust and a fading nuance of meyer lemon.   In the mouth, the palate is further enamored with delicate notes of warm spiced pear, melon and a splash of meyer lemon to sparklingly linger on the finish.   While its flavors are as delicate as a well-orchestrated ballet, there is a distinguishing juicy aspect to the wine.   These characteristics, combined with understated oak and the absence of malolactic fermentation, delightfully lead to a conclusively clean beautiful Chardonnay which elegantly parades forth the true attributes of the grape itself.

Given the delicate nature of the flavors which unfold in the wine, it is fitting to pair something light alongside.   This week’s menu hosts:

1)      Panko-Parmesan Crusted Ocean Perch With Cantaloupe-Chive Relish; and

2)     Meyer Lemon Marinated Grilled Asparagus.

Ocean Perch is delicate and almost buttery in flavor making it the perfect complement to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 2007 Arcadia Chardonnay.   To prepare the fish, it is first lightly spritzed with a meyer lemon grapeseed oil and then crusted in a combination of panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and fresh thyme from the garden.   Drizzled with butter and then baked, this fish delicately flakes off with a fork and melts in your mouth.

A Cantaloupe-Chive Relish was created to top the Panko-Parmesan Crusted Ocean Perch with the dual intent of mirroring nuances in the wine and creating a seasonal creative spring dressing.   Cantaloupe readily appears in most markets by spring and is known for its clean, refreshing taste.   This serves as a tremendous palate cleanser.  Minced chives from the garden are added along with a sprinkle sugar and a dash of ground ginger.   The true celebrity gracing this relish, however, is the addition of the juice of a rangpur lime.   This year in the garden I have added a rangpur lime tree.   The rangpur lime is often described as somewhat sweet and similar to combining the flavors of a tangerine and a lime.  This week the first rangpur lime was ripe and was the perfect flavorfully dynamic addition to add to the Cantaloupe-Chive Relish.   Taking all of these ingredients into thought, it ultimately was the dash of ground ginger which tantalizingly tied everything together and made the flavors pop.

Scattering some of the Cantalope-Chive Relish across the top of the Panko-Parmesan Crusted Ocean Perch and served alongside some Meyer Lemon Marinated Grilled Asparagus, the meal spiritedly dances through the mouth, full of delicate but vibrant spring flavors.   When taken with the 2007 Arcadia Chardonnay, the flavors entwine like a newly found spring romance full of life and optimism.

While the bustle of spring continues to burst forth around you, take the time to settle back with an elegantly vibrant chardonnay.   Soon you will be waving good bye to those big buttery oak wines which masquerade as Chardonnay and instead will be readily embracing the grape with an unconditional love for all that it truly is.