Bremerton 2014 Batonnage Chardonnay, $32
The secret to a good Chardonnay, in my humble opinion at least, is to have a restrained hand when it comes to oak, but to have plenty of expression on the nose and palate. This one from talented Langhorne Creek winemaker Rebecca Willson get its complexity from the bâtonnage (stirring the lees) while the wine is fermenting in French oak barriques. I think she has the balance just right. It has a little bit of lemon curd, a little bit of stone fruit, the barest hint of spice and a deliciously creamy mouthfeel, yet it is tempered by fine acid and a judicious use of oak. And it’s likely to get better yet.
