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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Yountville Chardonnay 2023 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. As the name says this is a Chardonnay sourced from grapes in the Yountville AVA of Napa Valley.
Yountville has had vineyards since the 1830s and is a north-south-oriented AVA south of Napa. The southern portion is close to San Pablo Bay and is cooled by the cold ocean/bay breezes.
The back label says this Chardonnay was “vinted and bottled by” Isolated Cellars, a Precision Wine Company division that produces its own brands of wine and private labels for Trader Joe’s and other wine sellers. They are located in Napa and have experience producing Napa Valley wine.
Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer mentions that the Trader Joe’s Reserve Yountville Chardonnay 2023 was picked, crushed, and macerated (before fermentation). Maceration is typically reserved for Red wine to control tannins but can be used with White wine.
They also report that the Chardonnay was aged in new or one-use French oak barrels for 8 months. Yountville grapes and 8 months in French oak are details rare in $9.99 Chardonnay.
The main attraction for this TJ’s reserve is the opportunity to sample Yountville Chardonnay for a bargain price. The is a Hoopla Yountville Chardonnay that I have found selling from $10 to $25, but the usual Yountville Chardonnay is $30 to $70 and beyond. The alcohol content is a ripe 14.5%.
The Trader Joe’s Reserve Yountville Chardonnay 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is a wheat-yellow, I have read that maceration can lighten the color. The nose is bright and clean, there are apples, lemons, melons, spice, peach, pear, and a pretty floral edge. The Trader Joe’s Reserve Yountville Chardonnay 2023 is tasty with subtle, slightly complex flavors and solid length.
This Chardonnay tastes like a green apple, with a hint of honey, pears in light juice, stone fruit, and peach. The mid-palate adds vanilla, spice, banana, and a little tropical fruit.
The acidity is balanced and gives this Chardonnay impressive length.
The Summary
- The Trader Joe’s Reserve Yountville Chardonnay 2023- Buy it for the Yountville grapes, drink it because it is rather tasty.
- This is only a Trader Joe’s Reserve, not one of the fancy Platinum or Diamond Reserves, but drinks well and hits above its price tag.
