The Calgary Herald
More wine bargains
By Geoff Last, For The Calgary Herald
As I reported last week, the wine market is becoming increasingly filled with bargains. Here's another fresh crop to validate this theory.
I enjoy really high-quality Chardonnay, be it from Burgundy or elsewhere, but I find that most of the inexpensive stuff veers toward the bland and ubiquitous side. But every now and then you come across one that really delivers for the price, as is the case with Cameron Hughes Lot 115 Chardonnay ($22) from Sonoma County's Russian River Valley.
This company sources excess wine from premium producers (whose names they can't disclose for obvious reasons) and then does its own blending and bottling. The result is a delicious Chardonnay that offers notes of white orchard fruits, minerals and honey. There is a noticeable oak-vanilla component, as well, but it is nicely integrated, making the wine a good match with foods like lobster, tuna or roast chicken.