The StoryThe JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is a brand that is part of the John Anthony Family of Wines. John Anthony is John A. Touchard out of Napa, California. JaM stands for John and Michelle Truchard. And this is a “lifestyle” brand of wines.This is a wine that I found (on sale( for $12.99 and a quick check of the web shows it selling for between $13 and $15. There is a stiff competition of your Chardonnay dollars at this price point. JaM is big on lifestyle marketing and no so good and where what and when of the winemaking. The JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is 100% Chardonnay and uses a special blend of oak barrels for aging.The tasting notes do not actually mention oak barrels, just that the Chardonnay is aged “in” oak which I figure means oak barrel aging. But that is kind of my complaint about their marketing materials, they do not really say much of anything on the technical side. They do know their intended market well and I imagine these are not the wine drinkers who get hung up on malolactic fermentation and “on lees”aging.But these are probably not the folks who are reading your technical/tasting notes either, so you can give us wine geeks a little something, too. What we are going to find out about the JaM Chardonnay we are going to get from the tasting experience. This is a very popular Chardonnay and the proof is always in the tasting anyway. The alcohol content is a stout for a Chardonnay 14.8%.JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a clear, shiny, butter yellow, go figure. The nose is apples, melons, peach, pear, lemons, and honey, with a touch of spice and a floral edge. This is a full-flavored Chardonnay and not overly buttery. It has bright fruit (and citrus) flavors and is smooth almost silky. It starts with a stew of peach, apple, French vanilla, and lemon. The mid-palate offers that nutty, salty on lees thing, lime, crème brûlée, and caramel.The JaM Chard has that lip-smacking acidity that I enjoy, you will be reaching for another sip sooner than you think. 14.8% is a fairly high alcohol content for a Chardonnay, but the body of the wine carries it well, this is not a “hot” wine. The finish mirrors the body of the wine and fades before too long, but never completely disappears.The Summary I like big, full-flavored wines that still have balance and nuance and the JaM Butter Chardonnay is one of those wines. This is a very easy wine to like.
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