I had lunch last week with an old friend who has been in the wholesale wine business for a long time, and he and I have known each other for most of that time. He is one of the good guys, so I always enjoy seeing him again. We had an excellent lunch at a local seafood restaurant, and of course I ordered a bottle of wine which is one of the ones which he sells, hoping it would be good enough to write about. It was the 2013 Franciscan Napa Valley Chardonnay, and it was great with the shrimp we had for lunch.
The Franciscan is a beautiful pale yellow in color with a nose of fragrant apple and pear, underscored by a bright presence of lemon zest in the background. The flavors abound with the taste of apple and pear which I love in Chardonnay, and are highlighted with the suggestion of vanilla and a somewhat mineral character toward the end. The finish is crisp, with a creamy mouth-feel and just a touch of oak. This a full-bodied Chardonnay and a classic California taste. The “Chardonnay Queen” is jealous.
The Franciscan was great with shrimp, and would also make an excellent companion for crab, or lobster with lots of drawn butter. Norm’s score is 90.
Score: 90
Price: $14 – $18
By: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net
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