I went to a tasting at Pogos in Dallas on Saturday afternoon to taste some 09 Chards and followed up the next day with another one. I did not take super detailed notes, but made some observations and compared them to each other. The first five were tasted Saturday one after the other and then I went back and tasted the Forman, Frank Family, and Hobbs a second time after walking around the store. I had the Far Niente Sunday afternoon outside on a beautiful day with friends.
[]2009 Forman Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/30/2012)
Much less like a typical chardonnay from Napa than the rest. It was leaner and crisper than the rest with no real butter or oak. I almost thought this could have been a sauv blanc. It was delicious, with nice bright acidity, and great tropical fruit notes, but still round in the mouth without the bite of sauv blanc. I could drink this all summer long.
[]2009 Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (4/30/2012)
I think Frank Family makes an incredibley consistent Chardonnay which I often refer to as Maybach Eterium ‘lite’. It is very well rounded with nice integration of oak and still keeping bright acidity. It has a bit of sweetness to it that I find in the Maybach. Lychee notes, and lemon rind and it is still bright and has some crispness to it. Very good for the $ if you like the style.
[]2009 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/30/2012)
This is what I picture all Cali Chard to taste like (in a negative way). This was just so buttery and unctuous that you couldn’t really taste anything else. It was heavily oaked and very unpleasant. No acidity whatsoever. Also was the most expensive of all the bottles. Do not want.
[]2009 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (4/30/2012)
I thought this was the most Burgundian in style of the wines I tried. There was nice pear, vanilla, and well integrated oak. Some lemon zest. It was very full in the mouth. Very nice.
[*]2009 Radio-Coteau Chardonnay Savoy Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (4/30/2012)
Another Chard with almost no butter and oak. Great clean palate of lemongrass, grapefruit and a creaminess to it. I thought this was a little leaner than the Forman.[/list]
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2009 Far Niente Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/30/2012)
I found this to sort of echo the Frank Family with a bit more oak and some of that classic cali butter flavor. I liked this wine as well but prefer the Frank Family. Grapefruit, with some green apple, and a touch of honeycomb.
All in all I found the Forman to be my favorite of the bunch.