Trinitas 2009 Chardonnay, $30.00

OK. This is one hell of an expensive chard. Bruce at Stew Leonard's told me it was a good one & that I'd like it. Reading the back of the bottle, I find that this wine "displays classic citrus aromas of lemon zest and its velvety finish leaves a layer of creamy butter, vanilla, and toast." Well geez, it sure as hell sounds delicious. And the fact that it has a killer 14.4% alcohol content is certainly to its advantage.

In the glass, this wine is a pale golden-yellow color. Then, on the nose, it unleashes its heavy, oakey, buttery aroma without holding back. Along the side of the glass, the wine forms stubby, fast legs that foretell the heft of this wine.

If ever a wine was true to the back of the bottle, this one is it.

I feel like a thousand flavors explode in my mouth on the first sip. It's a really interesting combination of citrus flavors (orange, lemon, starfruit - is starfruit a citrus fruit? I can't remember), vanilla custard, whipped butter, creme brulee, and french toast (minus the maple syrup). The finish is long & creamy, and I get this complex golden-brown-toasted-Italian-bread flavor on the finish. The mouthfeel (...) is incredibly lush & full, smooth with the tiniest hint of an alcohol tingle. Bravo.

That being said, I don't know if I will purchase this wine again.

Yes, it is delicious - I would never deny that it is delicious and obviously well-made. The proprietors, Tim & Steph Busch, obviously put a lot of love, thought and care into this wine. But I feel as though this wine should not be priced the way it is. If it were $20, I would buy it again to re-stock my wine fridge, no questions asked, as it compares well to the B.R. Cohn chardonnay. At $30, however, it is a bit too pricey for my taste.

Don't get me wrong, I have dropped more than $30 on a bottle of wine before. Take the Ken Wright Cellars pinot noir, for example. At $34, I thought it was way too expensive - until I tasted it. That wine over-delivered for its value, and I actually bought another bottle of it today. This wine? Delicious, but not over-delivering the goods for the price. So no, I probably will not be purchasing it again. Now, that being said, I encourage you, my readers, to give it a try once. Maybe you'll agree with me, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll absolutely hate this wine, maybe you'll love it & buy a case. Regardless, try it. You won't be sorry for trying it. http://www.trinitascellars.com/

Cheers!

Kate