As this is the only chard I own from them, I opened it to see if it is a wine that I’d like to buy for the 2009 vintage which is to be released soon I think. I’ll also preface this review by saying that most of my chardonnay consumption to date has been of the little/no oak variety if drunk young or moderate/little wood that had integrated well otherwise. In any case, my California chardonnay experience is incredibly lacking because of my fondness for Muscadet, various chenin blanc, German Riesling, and Chablis.
Poured immediately after opening, my first sniff brought loads of burnt nuts, charred wood, and something else savory. For me, this was fairly off-putting. However, it tasted nothing like it smelled. The wine was fairly balanced, even though the acidity was quite at the forefront (pleasing to me). The fruit was exotic and only half-heartedly reminded me of chardonnay. I’ll chalk that up to … ahem, terroir.
I’ve read CT reviews of this wine and nearly all were contradictory to my experience. Is there any way this bottle was off in some way or is it me?
Everything is relative. It is still a new world Chardonnay and there is an oak program. It is not going to be as minerally/austere/dialed down as Muscadet or Loire Chenin. It is also not a banana split like some new world Chards. If you like Montrachet and especially Meursault, this is a great Chard at a great price.
If the nose is bugging you, consider decanting it and letting it get some air.
I personally think it is a great bottle of Chardonnay, but if you are put off by any oak and are looking for oyster/ mussel pairings with your whites, this just might not be the bottling for you. If you are sitting on a bunch, put it on Commerce corner, it will move.
It does have a good dose of oak but decently integrated if you ask me. While I dont think the bottle you describe is representative it is possible it might be a bit shut down or in a weird stage.
Since the 07 they have been dialing back the oak, 100% in 07, 70% in 08 and 60% in 09.
I haven’t had the '08 chard since May - but your bottle sounds nothing like the one I had. When I opened the chard, the primary note (for me and my girlfriend) was citrus… lots and lots of lemon and lime. Not oaky or savory at all.
agree with david. this wine screams lemon/lime, minerals, and a focused acidic spine. the oak, while present, is far from overwhelming and hides nicely behind the components noted above.
You are not alone, Chris. When I had a bottle of this during the summer, I found it oakier than I prefer… having said that, it was still very enjoyable and there is a minerality there that provides promise for the future. I think the jury is still out for me - with some years it could slim down nicely in the same way that a lot of 1er cru and grand cru white burgs need time to integrate their oak. I’m still a buyer. Though for budgetary reasons, I’m going to leave one on the table today for some lucky other buyer out there!
when we are talking about Chardonnay and oak, isn’t it important to differentiate between the “oaky, buttery, not on this wine-board” use of American oak, vs the more subtle french oak?
and which one does Rivers Marie use? I did not find it oaky at all, and I do not like oaky chards… and love steely, minerally Chablis
When I tasted the 2007 vintage one year ago, the oak over-powered everything else at first, and was very off-putting IMO. But over 2 or 3 hours of aeration, the dominance of the oak receeded considerably, and I liked the wine much better. FWIW, I also find some (many) of the Rivers-Marie pinots way too oaky for my palate, and dislike the big-fruit-forward style and the blowsy, pillowy (lack of) structure. I think they age poorly, and are best within a year or maybe two years of release. So I’m no longer buying R-M wines, more for youse guys.
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