What to Drink Tonight
Chardonnay-based wines from warm, sunny regions like Napa Valley push the white-wine envelope. Their alcoholic strength and strong oak-barrel influence rivals that found in world-class reds. While this style can be overly rich and lacking refreshment, there are balanced chardonnays with enough tangy tropical fruit qualities to provide counterpoint. Franciscan is known for their unusual approach to achieving this. Since 1987, Franciscan’s Cuvée Sauvage Chardonnay (Chariman’s Selection, $19.99) has eschewed cultured yeast strains, a standard California operating procedure in favor of the traditional French technique of wild yeast fermentation.
Wild fermentations are inherently risky and unpredictable. But the reward is wines with great diversity of character. In successful vintages like 2005, this wine has an unusual combination of opulence and sharpness, spiciness and crispness. This wine somehow manages to deliver the vibrancy of caramelized pineapple and the creaminess of homemade eggnog. Few other whites are as well equipped to handle Filet Mignon or lobster with drawn butter.