Some Large Volume Wineries

I thought I should review some wineries that have large volume production, with the idea that these wines are found in most grocery or liquor stores.  So I went to my local grocery store which is known for their large wine selections and purchased some wines.  I would also note that I have included 2 prices- the list price and then the discount price from the grocery store when you join (for free) and get their ‘club card’.  My tasting partner was up for the task.  We tasted the wines over 3 evenings, comparing 2 at a time and then switching them up on the third night.  We compared 4 Chardonnay’s- Beringer 2009, Mondavi 2010, Krug 2009 and a Barefoot 2010.

We tasted a Beringer Chardonnay 2009, $16.00 (14.1% alcohol) from Napa Valley.  It was a pale yellow in the glass with hints of citrus on the nose, and white fruits on the palate.  It was weak and had a very short finish.

Beringer Chardonnay 2009 Napa Valley    $16.99 ($12.99)        87 pts

Next was Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay, 2010, $10.49 (13.5% alcohol) also from Napa Valley.  It had a lovely golden color in the glass and little nose to speak of.   It was smooth in the mouth and a medium finish on the palate.  It had crisp flavors of citrus and white fruits and was quite enjoyable.  My tasting partner and I thought it was a very good deal.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay 2010  $10.49 ($6.99)  91 pts

The next night we tasted a Charles Krug Chardonnay, 2009, $18.99 (14.5% alcohol) from the Carneros area of California, which is north of San Pablo bay and includes both Sonoma and Napa Valley.  The cooler climate is more amenable to varietals like chardonnay and pinot noirs.  An interesting point about the Charles Krug Winery- it is the oldest winery in California and the owner, Peter Mondavi, is the brother of Robert Mondavi.  
You can read more about the Mondavi family feud here:  http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2005/04/01/8256045/index.htm

Back to the wine.  The Krug Chardonnay was pale yellow, with citrus notes.  It was austere on the palate without much fruit.  It did exhibit a mineral taste that turned mildly bitter in the end.  It was medium bodied and with an average finish.  It tasted like the Mondavi, but not quite as good.   It lacked the smoothness in the mouth feel. 

Charles Krug Chardonnay, 2009, Carneros    $18.99 ($15.99)    89 pts

Finally, we tasted a Barefoot Chardonnay from California, $7.00 (13% alcohol) that did not have a date, but did have a Gold Medal from the 2010 San Antonio Express News Wine Competition.  It was soft and delicate on the palate, pleasant with a fruity sweetness. 

Barefoot Chardonnay (with the Gold Medal, 2010)  $7.00       88 pts

So in summary, we thought the Robert Mondavi Chardonnay was the best, followed by the Krug, Barefoot and then the Beringer.