89 2006 St. Francis Chardonnay
Sonoma County
14.3% alc.
$12
category: wine reviews »

I was pleasantly surprised to: (a) find this wine sitting on a Safeway store shelf in San Jose, and (b) get it on sale for about $12. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards is a top tier Sonoma producer of great reds.

You almost can’t wrong with most of their wines. And if you’re ever in the area, you should stop by their impressive property.

This Chardonnay was pleasant, and enjoyed by all our tasters. It was not overly oaky.

Just right commented most: crisp, easy drinking with enough melon, lime and slight grassiness to keep it interesting. At 14.3%, the acidity on finish might catch you off guard at first. I suspect, though, it helps this wine’s structure and drink-ability.

A winner. And almost a steal at this price. If you find yourself near a Safeway keep an eye out, and stock up, just in time for summer!

Clinton Stark

Clint writes about new media, arts, wine, indie film, and tech (including his trusty Droid). An aging ice hockey player, he tries in vain to direct Loni in SSC videos. He's held executive marketing roles at tech companies including Cisco, EMC and Salesforce.com. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, he now lives in Silicon Valley. More »

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