The William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 is a $6.99 Aldi exclusive, produced for them by Scheid Vineyards located in Greenfield, Monterey County in the California Central Coast AVA. Scheid is a large family-owned winery and this wine does show up in their portfolio on their website.
The back label says “This classic Chardonnay was sourced from our cool region vineyards”. That seems to indicate this is an Estate farmed and produced Chardonnay. Scheid Vineyards has 12 estate vineyards located thru-out Monterey, but $7 Chardonnay is rarely an estate wine.
The back label of the William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 describes tasting notes that suggest this Chard underwent malolactic fermentation and had extensive oak aging. The vintage date of wine gives strong clues as to how the wine was produced.
In a few months will start to see 2021 vintages of young wines with quick production techniques and little aging. A 2019 Chardonnay, the 2020 vintage will probably be released in a few months, indicates the wine was produced with fairly extensive techniques and reasonably long oak aging. This Chardonnay took a couple of years to balance so it was ready for release.
What we know about the William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 is promising. This is a regular Aldi wine that reoccurs every year and not some one-off special purchase wine that is offered at a bargain price. This is a Chardonnay that has the same production details as Chardonnay that lists for $10 to $15. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 Tasting Notes
The color is a clean, clear golden-yellow with a touch of amber. The nose is ripe fruit and citrus with a touch of honey, there is lemon, peach, pear, melon, and ripe apple, followed by dried pineapple and coconut, and orange-blossom honey. The William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 is medium-bodied, more dark and detailed, than bruit and fruity.
This Chardonnay tastes like a stew of vanilla cream, Meyer lemon, green apple, and pear, followed by butterscotch. The mid-palate brings that salty/nutty “on-lees” sensation, cantaloupe, and faint tart grapefruit. The acidity is that lip-smacking acidity that beckons you to take another sip.
The Summary
- The William Wright Monterey Chardonnay 2019 is a llot of wine for the money.
- It can easily compete with Chardonnay in the $10 to $15 range, not bad of a $6.99 wine!
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