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The High Guard Chardonnay 2021 Trader Joe’s is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. It is produced for them by a family-owned winery located in Napa Valley, though the grapes are from California.
A wine produced from grapes grown in California must show California as the place of origin f the grapes are not from one main growing region. Such as the Central Coast AVA which includes Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, and Monterey along with several others, or the North Coast AVA includes Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, and Lake along with a few others.
Clarksburg and Lodi are independent AVAs so if its grapes are used along with Central Coast or North Coast grapes the label has to show California. With most high-end wines you would hope the grapes were from a specific location like a sub-AVA such as the Russian River inside of Sonoma or maybe show a single vineyard.
California on the label for a value-priced wine is very normal and does not indicate a lesser wine. For instance, the High Guard Chardonnay 2021 Trader Joe’s maybe includes grapes from cooler Coastal Monterey along with grapes grown in warmer Lodi which would add two distinct characteristics to the wine.
The Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer mentioned that this Chardonnay is lightly oaked and includes tasting notes showing vanilla and toasted bread which are oak barrel flavors. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The High Guard Chardonnay 2021 Trader Joe’s Tasting Notes
The color is clean, clear golden yellow. The nose is green apple, pear, peach, vanilla, coconut milk, and lemon curd. The High Guard Chardonnay 2021 Trader Joe’s is a smooth, flavorful Chardonnay.
This Chardonnay tastes like a stew of apple, grapefruit (not acidic), and creamy vanilla, along with peach. The mid-palate adds muted salty/nutty “on-lees” sensation, dried pear, and guava. The acidity is well-balanced.
The Summary
- The High Guard Chardonnay 2021 Trader Joe’s is a solid, easy-to-drink California Chardonnay.
- It is a wine that can compete with Chardonnay selling for several dollars more.
