A friend of ours is a sommelier for Trader Joe’s and recommended we source this wine. We had to call our local store and reserve the only case they had coming in, which Trader Joe’s is happy to do. At $5.99 a bottle, I figured worst case scenario is cooking wine. Not only is it drinkable, it actually has fruit and acidity. This was still delightful after a day in the fridge. This is REAL wine for $5.99. I put the cost of a bottle and cork at that, but whatever, I’ll take it.
2011 Badet Clement & Co Chardonnay Révélation- France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d’Oc (7/24/2013)
Up front orchard fruits, transitioning to lemon, a little butter and a little minerality with an acidity that carries the wine to the med-short finish of spice. At first you really expect the alcohol to show but the acid brings it back and there is no heat, then you think after the butter you are going to get smothered with oak but you don’t. After all that it sits in the fridge with a cork for a day, and still tastes great. Serve at 55°. This is not going to knock any socks off, but I rate it “very good” and honestly think it drinks like a decent $15-$18 chard. It’s seriously quaffable, smooth, and un-spoofed. $5.99??? Back up the truck. (87 pts.)
Thanks for the TN Kenny, good info. I’ll be checking this one out, not a big Chard fan but I do get the temptation every now and then. Sounds like a perfect wine to pull out for family and friends who aren’t wine geeks.
I will also look. FWIW, that same producer has a red I’ve been vbuying at TJ’s this summer that has gone over really well called Pontificis. Its languedoc I think but very old-school CDR in style. It really shows its large dose of Mourvedre, doesn’t come off as cheap or anonymous at all, and its $6.99.
I tried this last night. Quite decent for the price. I found it too buttery but it would be a big hit with those who like a bit more of that. It paired nicely with a grilled chicken and pan roasted potatoes.
I tried it as well. My first impression is it is worth 5.99. A little round, flat and lacking much acidity, might have been a bad bottle so will reserve judgement. I did pick up a case as we drink chard like water around our house and always nice to find something at this price range.
I bought 6 for my neighbors that don’t really care much about wine to drink. I’m intrigued to try it though.
I also bought the Cab Merlot, also named Revelation 2011, and it’s a decent $10-12 wine for $5.99. Drank half the bottle yesterday, and today the second half is better then the first was yesterday.
Much better on night 2, at least with the acidity. At fridge temp (37?) salty and briny, chalky. First bottle was pulled from cellar and popped, I think it maybe needs to be chilled a bit.
2011 Badet Clement & Co Chardonnay Révélation- France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d’Oc (7/28/2013)
The warden grabbed this at TJ’s today as she was shopping. I looked at the label and thought “where have I seen that before?” Ah, Kenny posted a tasting note on WB. Christine likes her wines very cold as in 30 minutes in the freezer after a day in the refrigerator so this notes comes from that perspective, probably served in the low 40’s. Light straw color with a green tint. Aroma is ripe pear, but interestedly, doesn’t show on the palate. Flavor is ripe Granny Smith apple but not sweet like the nose might indicate. Following the attack, a nice blaze of acid hitting the roof of the mouth. There is a very faint butter note which is not distracting. Medium short finish. Killer QPR.
In retrospect, you are right, Tom. It needs to be in the 40-50 range. I forgot this was in the fridge for a while so it was cooler than I thought. Necessary to bring the acidity out.
Glad you liked it Brig, sounds like our palates are on the same page.
Yea, Todd, this marital bliss/honeymoon thingy is going way too far. When do we get the old Todder back? Sheez, asking for wife’s permission to buy a $5.99 chard! I need to go do some push-ups and pull-ups or something . . . .
HA! I don’t need permission to buy the wine, just to ‘back up the truck’. Unfortunately, she thought it was ‘ok’, but we had a bottle of Cuvaison something or other special engraved bottle Chardonnay, and it tasted like Chardonnay reduction to me. She preferred it because it was ‘full bodied’ (not sure why Chardonnay needs to be ‘full bodied’, but…) so I ended up drinking the rest of the Revelation. I’ll buy more, for sure, as it is easily as good as the standard bottling of Chateau St Jean Chardonnay, and now I’m tempted to try the Cab-Merlot. Hopefully it is ‘full bodied’ lol
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