The Freakshow Lodi Chardonnay 2021 is a wine I found at a local grocery store for $15. This wine is from Michael David Winery of Lodi, California.
The Story
Michael and David are brothers, and Phillips is the family name. They are fifth-generation grape growers. The family has farmed the land since the 1860s and been in the wine business since the early 1900s. They have a full roster of wines at all price points. The winery motto is “we don’t break the rules, we make the rules”.
The Freakshow line of wines is one of their more affordable wines listed on their website for $18. I accidentally grabbed a 2021 vintage; the 2024 version would have a limited edition glow-in-the-dark label.
Lodi is south and east of Napa in the river delta extending from the San Pablo Bay. The climate outside of the river valleys would be too warm for grape production, but the San Pablo Bay sends cool breezes and morning fog to the vineyards.
The Freakshow Lodi Chardonnay 2021 is 94% Chardonnay and 6% Roussane, a grape from the southwest of France. 74% of the juice was barrel fermented and aged for 5 months in 70% new American oak and 30% new French oak barrels. 26% was in stainless steel and saw no oak conditioning. 97% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.
Malolactic fermentation changes the naturally occurring tart acid in the grape to a more rounded, smoother acid.
The grapes are sourced from Philips family vineyards and are certified sustainably farmed.
The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The Freakshow Lodi Chardonnay 2021 Tasting Notes
The color is golden yellow. The nose is oak spice, lemon, pear, spice, apple, and melon. The Freakshow Lodi Chardonnay 2021 is smooth with a mix of ripe and citrus flavors.
This Chardonnay tastes like cream, apple, pear, stone fruit, melon, and butterscotch.
The Summary
- Buy a newer vintage to get the full enjoyment of this Chardonnay. The 2021 vintage is on the edge of drinkability. These wines will last for up to 10 years if stored properly. This wine looks to have been sitting around a distributor’s warehouse for a few years.
- I am familiar with the Freakshow line and they are worth drinking when they have been properly stored.
